Parliamentary questions

Liz Smith

954 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

30 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the pupil uptake rate is of the languages baccalaureate.

Answer · Keith Brown: As of 3 December 2009, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) had received 27 entries for the Scottish Languages Baccalaureate. It is expected that further entries will be received from a number of centres.

30 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the pupil uptake rate is of the science baccalaureate.

Answer · Keith Brown: As of 3 December 2009, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) had received 125 entries for the Scottish Science Baccalaureate. It is expected that further entries will be received from a number of centres.

19 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a time gap between the closure of the 5 to 14 curriculum website and the Curriculum for Excellence website becoming fully operational and, if so, what measures will be put in place to meet demand for assessment information during this time.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No decision has been taken on the timing of the closure of the National Assessment Bank and the bank will only be switched off when I am satisfied that there is sufficient support available to meet assessment demand during the period of transition from the ex…

5 Nov 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in supporting young farmers and helping new entrants to farming.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We continue to develop and improve the support available to new and young farmers in Scotland. For example, I propose to supplement the existing interest rate relief available to new young entrants under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) with a …

29 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many former teachers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number of former teachers diagnosed with mesothelioma is not available centrally. Occupations are not recorded in the cancer registration system.

29 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have been identified as containing asbestos in the fabric of the buildings, broken down by schools in each local authority area.

Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. Health and Safety Regulations require duty holders who are responsible for the maintenance and repair of buildings in their control to manage the risks arising from asbestos. In the case of publicly funded scho…

28 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have received funding from the Scottish Veterans’ Fund.

Answer · Alex Neil: Recipients of grant funding from the Scottish Veterans'' Fund in both 2008-09 and 2009-10 are detailed in the following tables. In addition, Veterans Scotland, which administers the fund on behalf of the Scottish Government, has been provided with £8,000 over…

16 Sep 2009 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government intends to respond to recent criticisms that have been voiced by teachers, academics, business leaders and unions concerning the Curriculum for Excellence.

Answer · Alex Salmond: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0924-01.htm">http://www.scott…

25 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were classified as not being in employment, education or training (NEET) in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The official source for statistics for Scotland on the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) is the Annual Population Survey. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds not in education, employment or training for each of the last 10 y…

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools will offer the science baccalaureate in the 2010-11 academic year.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23545 on 19 May 2009. 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/Apps2/Bu…

29 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which police stations are manned at evenings and weekends in each police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

29 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police stations have been manned at evenings and weekends in each police force area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

28 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals there have been in relation to placing requests for children in primaries one to three in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Keith Brown: The precise information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. However, statistical information on placing requests, including numbers of appeals, can be found on the Scottish Government''s website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/T…

28 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many placing requests for children in primaries one to three there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Keith Brown: The precise information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. However, statistical information on placing requests, broken down by local authority, can be found on the Scottish Government''s website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk…

15 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivehow many people have been employed in the textile manufacturing industry in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Jim Mather: Information on the number of employee jobs by industry is collected each year from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI). The most recent year for which data is available is 2007. The ABI does not include self-employed jobs. Table 1 shows the number of e…

12 Mar 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the potential impact on jobs, what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the closure of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs offices in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm">http://www.scot…

5 Mar 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to local authorities regarding water testing in church and community halls.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0305-01.htm">http://www.scott…

5 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive , in light of the reported increase in alcohol-related incidents in schools, what plans it has to address indiscipline.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Schools are addressing indiscipline, including alcohol-related issues, through their learning programmes and also through the opportunities for learning and support that they provide for young people. Curriculum for Excellence will make a signif…

15 Jan 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is doing enough to tackle indiscipline in schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is tackling indiscipline in Scottish schools in a variety of ways. We are committed to helping create peaceful and positive learning environments and are working with local Government and key stakeholders to develop guidance and suppor…

8 Jan 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects an announcement from UCAS about the tariff points that will be awarded to the new Scottish Baccalaureate when it is considered as part of a university application.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0108-01.htm">http://www.scottish.p…

11 Dec 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the assessment of teaching performance in schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Ensuring the best possible performance of our teachers is an important issue to pupils, parents, teachers, local authorities and the Scottish Government alike. It is up to schools and local authorities to manage performance issues appropriately.

26 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to maintain service industry apprenticeships that have been abolished for people aged 16 to 19.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not abolished service industry apprenticeships for people aged 16 to 19.

26 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to retain the service industry apprenticeships that have been abolished for people aged over 20 as well as maintaining the 50% increase in apprenticeships in the construction industry.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Service industry apprenticeships have not been abolished for people aged over 20. Employers are still able to use the modern apprenticeship frameworks to train their staff if they so choose. Not all apprenticeships can or should be funded by taxpayers. <…

25 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the promise to deliver access to a fully qualified nursery teacher for nursery age children entails full-time or part-time contact with the child by the teacher.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government expects that local authorities will deliver on the commitment to deliver access to a teacher for all pre-school children, on the basis of local needs and priorities. There is evidence to show that the quality of provision is h…

18 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the OECD report that states that the largest educational attainment gap in Scotland exists at P4 and P5.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have made it clear that we see the OECD report as a seminal document for Scottish education. In the debate on the review in Parliament on 16 January this year I said that the report will continue to be a catalyst for change as it challenges all of us, incl…

7 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide free year-round access to council swimming pools.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

7 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cheap lets have been made available to sporting and activity groups in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

7 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many playing fields have been developed on since May 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

7 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many playing fields there (a) are and (b) were in May 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

18 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school buses are fitted with seatbelts, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.