Parliamentary questions
John Park
411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17274 by Fiona Hyslop on 6 November 2008, on what date the updated skills strategy will be published.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Skills Strategy update is due to be made available in February.</p>
19 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17276 by Maureen Watt on 12 November 2008, on what date the report of the task group on hospitality and tourism training will be published.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The task group was originally due to report by the end of December 2008 but, at the request of industry representatives, the life of the group has been extended to identify sustainable, long term solutions are found for issues that have been around in the se…
16 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of whether additional funds in sterling could have been accrued through revaluation of Scotland’s allocation of the European Social Fund.
Answer · Jim Mather: The value of the Scottish European Social Fund (ESF) programmes is set in euros. The total euro allocation for the 2007 to 2013 H&I ESF programme was ‚¬52,150,195. The total euro allocation for the 2007 to 2013 LUPS ESF programme was ‚¬269,920,942. All re…
15 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent meetings it has had with energy companies to discuss consumer energy bills.
Answer · John Swinney: I, along with the Minister for Communities and Sport held a series of meetings with the major Scottish energy supply companies in November. These meetings covered a wide range of issues including energy pricing, energy efficiency and assistance for those in f…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to use additional European Social Fund money to supplement skills and training programmes.
Answer · Jim Mather: In Scotland, Priority 2 of the Highlands and Islands European Social Fund (ESF) programme 2007 to 2013, and Priority 2 of the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland ESF 2007 to 2013 programme are both aimed at improving the skills of the workforce, increasing producti…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce how any additional European Social Fund money received will be used.
Answer · Jim Mather: One hundred and fifty-two applications for ESF grants towards individual projects are currently being considered under the current round of the 2007-13 programmes.</p> <p >Announcements on which of these projects will be offered ESF funding will be made fol…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much European Social Fund money has been received since May 2007 and how it has been allocated, broken down by date, project and local authority area.
Answer · Jim Mather: During this period the following 2000-06 ESF programmes were running:</p> <p >the Highlands and Islands Objective 1 programme for which the Scottish Government was allocated ‚¬62.3 million;</p> <p >the Objective 2 (West of Scotland) ESF programme for whic…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional European Social Fund money it calculates it has become entitled to since August 2008.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scotland was allocated ‚¬269.9 million for the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland European Social Fund (ESF) 2007 - 2013 programme, and ‚¬52.2 million for the Highlands and Islands ESF programme.</p> <p >The value of these programmes in sterling using the monthl…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S3F-1302 by Alex Salmond on 18 December 2008 (Official Report c. 13584), what measures will be undertaken by Skills Development Scotland in conjunction with Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) teams to meet the needs …
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Our priority is to ensure that as many apprentices as possible can complete their training with an employer. Where an apprentice is made redundant, we expect Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to work with the relevant Sector Skills Councils and Trade Bodies t…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) will have a proactive role in trying to prevent job losses and, if so, how it will fulfil this function.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The refocusing of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) to respond to the current economic situation will look at all aspects of support and delivery provided by PACE, including that of trying to prevent job losses.</p> <p >The current purpose …
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) will liaise with administrators brought into companies in administration.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: When a redundancy situation is announced, the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) local response teams contact the management of a company to offer PACE support for those individuals facing redundancy.</p> <p >Where companies enter administra…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be employed by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) and how the Scottish Executive will ensure capacity to respond to future employment trends.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Partnership Action for Continued Employment (PACE) is a national strategic framework that facilitates a partnership approach for responding to redundancy situations. PACE is not an organisation, it is a partnership of key delivery bodies which mobilise their …
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to measure the success of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) teams in helping people into new employment and, if so, what indicators will be used.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Skills Development Scotland is already collating information on the number of people who receive assistance through the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).</p> <p >In addition, the refocusing of PACE to respond to the current economic situat…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) will fit with the new infrastructure established by the formation of Skills Development Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The key contacts in the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) local response teams have transferred to Skills Development Scotland (SDS) which has ensured continuity of service delivery.</p> <p >In addition, the refocusing of PACE to respond to…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will publish the findings of any review of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As part of the refocusing of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) to respond to the current economic situation, we will consult with key partners on how best to disseminate the proposals from the refocusing process to all employers, individ…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the structures and functions of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) as a result of the transfer of PACE to the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Lifelong Learning and when it expects any such review to be completed
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have already set up a working group comprising representatives of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) at local and national level, including representation from Skills Development Scotland, the enterprise networks, Scottish Government a…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the transfer of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) to the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Lifelong Learning and when it expects this to be completed.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The coordination of the delivery of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) at national and local level is managed by Skills Development Scotland who assumed this responsibility on 1<sup> </sup>April 2008 as a result of the transfer of the skills…
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the newly established task group on hospitality and tourism training to re-examine the decision to remove funding from tourism and hospitality adult apprenticeships.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The purpose of the task group on hospitality and tourism training is to look into qualifications issues in order for Scottish ministers to consider what action may be required. It will:</p> <p >Identify what hospitality and tourism qualifications are availa…
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the impact on work-based training providers of its decision to reduce funding for adult apprenticeships, with the exception of apprenticeships in engineering, construction and information technology.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: An assessment of the potential impact of the changes to our national training programmes on training providers engaged with the modern apprenticeship programme across Scotland was undertaken.</p>
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the debate on the skills strategy on 22 May 2008 (Official Report c. 8841), when it will bring forward a revised skills strategy containing detailed information about the level at which its 50,000 training places are being set, its targets for apprenticeships and the performan…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The skills strategy update is currently being prepared and will be available early in the New Year.</p>
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for supporting schools to provide support and services for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.
Answer · Adam Ingram: This government has recently established a new working relationship with local government which will help support the education of pupils with additional support needs, including those with autism spectrum disorders. The Scottish Government is providing local…
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for supporting children with autistic spectrum disorder while at (a) primary and (b) secondary school.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 commenced in November 2005 and aims to ensure that the additional support needs of all children and young people are addressed. Education authorities are required to identify, meet and keep u…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to reduce delays in the Warm Deal programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Warm Deal contributes to thousands of homes across Scotland being warm and more energy efficient with fuel bills reduced as a consequence. The Scottish Government aims to see these measures delivered as quickly as is practicable by the managing agent and to k…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with energy companies to increase energy efficiency in the home.
Answer · Jim Mather: The principal scheme for supporting households to undertake energy efficiency improvements is the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT), which places an obligation on the major energy supply companies to help households by providing subsidies for energy eff…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce fuel poverty.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: We are doing what we can to improve the delivery of the fuel poverty programmes we inherited from the previous administration, but our review of fuel poverty in Scotland published in May, highlighted that the central heating programme is not effectively targe…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with the UK Government on domestic energy costs.
Answer · Jim Mather: We are keen to keep up the pressure on energy companies and UK Ministers to take action to minimise the impact of high fuel prices, particularly on our most vulnerable people. The Minister for Communities and Sport attended the Ofgem summit on 23 April, and t…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with energy producers operating in Scotland in relation to fuel poverty in light of recent increases in tariffs charged to domestic customers.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and I are to meet shortly with representatives of ScottishPower, British Gas and Scottish and Southern Energy to discuss the impact of rising prices on domestic consumers including the fuel poor. Meetin…
2 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to review the criteria for training providers accessing ILA 500 funding.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is the first year of the higher education (HE) part-time grant which is delivered through ILA 500 funding. We will monitor learner uptake and look at what opportunities there are to widen participation for learning providers who meet the Scottish Quality…
2 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria must be met for independent training providers to access Skills Development Scotland funding.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The criteria which must be met for independent training providers to access Skills Development Scotland funding is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland. This information is not held centrally.</p>
2 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out, or intends to carry out, an impact assessment of the effect on the social care sector of the redistribution of Skills Development Scotland funding for adult apprenticeships.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: An assessment of the impact on training providers for all sectors engaged with the modern apprenticeship programme across Scotland was undertaken as part of the decision to make the changes to our National Training Programmes in March.</p>