Questions · Neil Findlay

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adequacy of funding of the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the question S4W-12728, answered on 25 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of claims to the Scottish Welfare Fund in its first year and whether this estimate takes into account claims that may arise from current changes to the welfare system.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12729 on 21 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be of the current changes to the welfare system on the Scottish Welfare Fund and whether it expects additional claims to be made as a consequence.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Welfare Fund is being established to help mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria were to calculate the level of funding required to establish the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The highest spend by the Department for Work and Pensions in Scotland, on Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans for living expenses in recent years was around £30 million in 2009-2010. The Scottish Government established the Scottish Welfare Fund at a higher…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the Scottish Welfare Fund is being paid for by the (a) UK and (b) Scottish Government in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12726 on 25 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have allocated £33 million for the Scottish Welfare Fund for 2013-2014, comprising £23.795 million being transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions and £9.2 million from the Scottish Government’s Budget. We have not decided the funding for subse…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any part of the Employability Fund allocated to Skills Development Scotland has been taken back due to lack of bids for funding.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Employability Fund will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) as of financial year 2013-14. As such, funding will be available to SDS as of 1 April 2013-14.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Employability Fund has been spent.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Employability Fund contracts will not commence until 1 April 2013.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many bids have been received for the Employability Fund.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) started the procurement process for the Employability Fund on 17 December 2012. The information you have requested is not held centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of SDS to write to you on this matter.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £24 million to be transferred to Skills Development Scotland in 2013-14 as part of the Employability Fund has been allocated to colleges.

Answer · Angela Constance: In 2013-14, £24 million of the £52 million Employability Fund will be ring-fenced for the college sector. Of this, £6 million will be administered by Skills Development Scotland. SDS started procurement for the Employability Fund through Public Contracts Scot…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent places or how much learning activity will be delivered by the planned 5,800 new college places to be provided by Skills Development Scotland in 2012-13.

Answer · Angela Constance: The New College Learning Programme is an entirely new approach to the provision of effective and appropriate learning opportunities for young people which lead to a job or progression in learning. Each opportunity will deliver 192 hours of college learning an…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress Skills Development Scotland has made toward delivering the target of 5,800 new college places in 2012-13.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to the operational responsibilities of Skills Development Scotland. I will ask its chief executive to respond.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Skills Development Scotland (SDS), (b) the Scottish Funding Council and (c) colleges regarding SDS providing college places in the future.

Answer · Angela Constance: Officials liaise regularly with Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council and college representatives about a range of issues, including SDS-funded college provision. We will continue to engage as the Employability Fund develops in future year…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding student support.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the UK Government regarding student support.

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are age restrictions in relation to student support when applying to study for a postgraduate teaching qualification.

Answer · Michael Russell: Postgraduate teaching qualifications are funded at undergraduate level and are subject to the same restrictions as set out in response to the answers to questions S4W-12739 and S4W-12740 on 19 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are …

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what limits there are on student support for people aged over 55 at the date on which a course commences.

Answer · Michael Russell: A student who is 55 or over at the start of their course is not eligible for a living cost loan. There is however no age restriction with regards to tuition fees and bursaries, therefore eligible Scottish domiciled students studying full-time in Scotland are…

30 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are age restrictions for applying for support from the student loans company.

Answer · Michael Russell: Student loans are paid under The Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 as amended. These regulations state that a student who is 55 or over at the start of their course is not eligible for a living cost loan. Students eligible for a student l…

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of citing witnesses to take part in trials then sending them home due to lack of court time in each year since 2007.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: This information is not held

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many working days have been lost by (a) witnesses, (b) legal aid lawyers and (c) court staff attending court for trials that were cancelled due to lack of court time in each year since 2007.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: This information in respect of part (a) is not held. Matters relating to legal aid fall under the responsibility of the Scottish Legal Aid Board. I have asked the chief executive of that organisation to write to the member. Matters relating to court staff …

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many working days have been lost by (a) witnesses, (b) legal aid lawyers and (c) court staff attending court for trials that did not take place in each year since 2007.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: This information in respect of part (a) is not held. Matters relating to legal aid fall under the responsibility of the Scottish Legal Aid Board. I have asked the chief executive of that organisation to write to the member. Matters relating to court staff f…

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on legal aid in preparation for trials that had to be rescheduled in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not collect or hold such information centrally.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of providing court support services for trials that did not take place due to lack of court time and had to be rescheduled in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the chief executive of the SCS who will reply in writing within twenty days.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of providing court support services for trials that did not take place in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the chief executive of the SCS who will reply in writing within twenty days.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of summoning witnesses to take part in trials then sending them home due to lack of court time in each year since 2007.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many High Court cases have been cancelled due to a lack of court time in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the chief executive of the SCS who will reply in writing within twenty days.

16 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many court cases have been cancelled in each year since 2007 and how many were cancelled due to lack of court time, also broken down by sherrifdom.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing within twenty days.

8 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-03616 by Keith Brown on 7 November 2011, what its position is on the findings regarding the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Shotts railway line that were set out in Network Rail’s recently-published strategic business plan and whether the Office of the Rai…

Answer · Keith Brown: We note Network Rail’s publication of their strategic business plan for Scotland, which contains its proposals for a range of improvements, including the electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts railway line. The publication represents an import…

7 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the educational attainment of pupils from the poorest backgrounds.

18 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10877 by John Swinney on 18 December 2012, which of the companies awarded contracts by (a) it and (b) its agencies since 2007 have been named by the Information Commissioner’s Office as subscribing to the Consulting Association; on what basis it con…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Since 2007, the Scottish Government and its agencies have awarded contracts to the following companies named by, or associated with companies named by, the Information Commissioner's Office as subscribing to the Consulting Association: Amec Group Limited; Ame…

6 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission an independent report to determine whether or not blacklisting is continuing in the construction industry.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no plans to commission an independent report to determine whether blacklist is continuing in the construction sector. The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee is currently carrying out an inquiry. The findings of this inquir…