John Park

21 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it has had to the public consultation on the Proposed Modifications to Finalised Fife Structure Plan (2006).

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government received 172 responses to the proposed modifications to the Finalised Fife Structure Plan arising from Fife Council’s re-appraisal of the housing land requirement.</p>

21 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its decision on the Proposed Modifications to Finalised Fife Structure Plan (2006) arising from the Re-appraisal of the Housing Land Requirement (2007) by Fife Council.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are still considering the finalised Fife Structure Plan and the timing of an announcement on a decision will be dependent upon those considerations.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the future skills base of Scotland of its focus on Modern Apprenticeships in construction, engineering and life sciences only.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The package of changes to national training programmes, in particular to Modern Apprenticeships, ensures that all public investment supports <i >The Government Economic Strategy</i>.</p> <p >These changes will provide Skills Development Scotland the room and…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it aims to give to Modern Apprenticeships and other forms of training in the retail sector.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are continuing to support and recruit for all modern apprenticeship frameworks for 16 to 19-year-olds including those used by the retail sector.</p> <p >The government’s increasing investment in Lifelong Learning including on Individual Learning Accounts …

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it aims to give to Modern Apprenticeships and other forms of training in the tourism sector.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are continuing to support and recruit for all modern apprenticeship frameworks for 16 to 19-year-olds including those used by the tourism sector.</p> <p >The government’s increasing investment in Lifelong Learning including on Individual Learning Accounts…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra places on Modern Apprenticeship schemes have been created for those aged (a) 16 to 19 and (b) over 20.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In construction and engineering related sectors we are providing (a) an additional 500 modern apprenticeship opportunities for 16 to 19-year-olds and (b) an additional 500 modern apprenticeship opportunities for over 20-year-olds.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its withdrawal of funding for many adult modern apprenticeships will have on training providers.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Skills Development Scotland continues to work with training providers to ensure that no individual already undertaking training is adversely affected by the recent changes.</p> <p >We recognise that this change in approach will have the greatest impact on a…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has cut funding for adult Modern Apprenticeships in sectors other than construction, engineering and life sciences.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The changes announced to the Modern Apprenticeship programme ensures that public investments supports the Government Economic Strategy. We have committed to target new support for MA 20+ to construction, engineering and related sector, where we know our inves…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 67,500 training places referred to in Skills Development Scotland’s Operating Plan 2008-2009 will be for (a) Modern Apprenticeships, (b) adult apprenticeships, (c) Skillseekers training programmes and (d) Ready for Work training programmes.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland. In partnership with Skills Development Scotland and other bodies we are delivering an approach to skills development which will meet the challenges Scotland faces now and in the future. This must …

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence has been of sectarian incidents involving Scottish football fans at club and national level, in Scotland and abroad, since 1 September 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The recording of racist incidents is carried out by individual Scottish police forces.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence has been of racist incidents involving Scottish football fans at club and national level, in Scotland and abroad, since 1 September 2006.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The recording of racist incidents is carried out by individual Scottish police forces.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the number of racist or sectarian incidents involving football fans.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell : Responsibility for recording racist and sectarian incidents across Scotland lies with individual police forces.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to tackle sectarian behaviour and attitudes by football fans.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answered question S3W-13103 on 28 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to tackle racist behaviour and attitudes by football fans.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13103 on 28 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive with which organisations it is working to tackle violent and abusive behaviour by football fans.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling all forms of football related violence, abuse and disorder. Over the last year we have provided £250,000 to support campaigns and organisations such as Show Racism the Red Card and Football for All as part of o…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the loophole in legislation in respect of cross-border football banning orders will be closed.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have written to the Home Secretary on football banning orders and one of the issues I raised was when legislation to close this loophole is likely to be enacted.</p>

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to close the loophole in legislation in respect of cross-border football banning orders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We are working closely with the UK Government to close the loophole in legislation in respect of cross-border football banning orders. Legislation in the Westminster Parliament is required to close this gap and I have written to the Home Secretary requesting …

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many awareness campaigns have been run highlighting the existence of football banning orders since 1 September 2006 and when these campaigns took place.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Straight Red Campaign took place from 19 August 2006 until 11 March 2007.</p>

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many football banning orders have been applied to people convicted of racist or sectarian behaviour.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: One football banning order has been issued in relation to sectarian behaviour and two have been issued in relation to racist behaviour.</p>

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to the Football Banning Orders Unit.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with the Football Banning Orders Unit and the unit is represented on the Football Banning Orders Monitoring Group.</p>

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to work with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure that football banning orders are increasingly used by the courts as an appropriate penalty for violent and disorderly football fans.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We have established a Football Banning Orders Monitoring Group, on which the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service are represented.</p>

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many football banning orders have been implemented since 3 May 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A total of 18 football banning orders have been issued on conviction, and one on summary application, since 3 May 2007.</p>

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many football banning orders have been implemented since 1 September 2006.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A total of 18 football banning orders have been issued on conviction, and two on summary application since 1 September 2006.</p>

17 Apr 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had regarding the development of the port of Rosyth ferry services.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is in regular discussion with the ferry operator and the port authority regarding the development of the port''s ferry services.</p>

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were considered when inviting delegates to participate in the National Economic Forum.

Answer · John Swinney: The groups and individuals invited to participate in the first meeting of the forum were agreed by ministers at the recommendation of officials with the aim of bringing together a broad range of senior figures and leaders in business, trade unions, government…

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which representative organisations, businesses, non-departmental public bodies, individuals and other groups will make up the core membership of the National Economic Forum.

Answer · John Swinney: No final decision has yet been taken by ministers about the size and composition of any emerging core membership of the forum.</p>

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects the membership of the National Economic Forum to change according to the themes considered.

Answer · John Swinney: Individuals and groups were invited specifically to participate in the first meeting of the forum. Many of those invited are likely to form part of a core membership but ministers wish to retain flexibility (in terms of both size and representation), accordin…

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has formalised the establishment of a link between the National Economic Forum and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s annual forum.

Answer · John Swinney: No. The Scottish Government remains in discussion with SCDI about the scope for establishing such a linkage.</p>

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that the Council of Economic Advisers will consider the issues generated at the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Council of Economic Advisers will next meet on 13 June 2008 and discuss a range of issues that the Scottish Government might wish to pursue to improve Scotland's sustainable economic growth.</p>

22 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the second meeting of the National Economic Forum to take place and whether this meeting will follow a similar format to the inaugural meeting.

Answer · John Swinney: The second meeting of the forum will take place before the end of this year, although the date has not yet been set. No decision has been reached by ministers on the format of the next meeting. The views of delegates to the first meeting on potential future t…