Neil Findlay

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent by each NHS board on sub-contracting work to the private sector in each year since 2004.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on NHS boards spend on the use independent sector activity is only available from 2008-09. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07376 on 3 August 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s we…

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will use the findings of the James Hutton Institute's research into how people feel about local wind energy developments.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The findings will be analysed as part of a wider research programme on the provision and sustainability of land-based renewable energy.

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has asked the James Hutton Institute to focus its research on community benefit schemes.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The broader programme of the James Hutton Institute research is positioned to deliver outputs that will assist the Scottish Government in developing sustainable approaches to various aspects of renewable energy, including community benefits.

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many questionnaires the James Hutton Institute has distributed and to (a) whom and (b) what communities.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The questionnaire has been conducted by postal survey of approximately 1,000 households in Alford (Aberdeenshire) and another 1,000 households in Shotts (Lanarkshire), all within a 10 km radius of proposed wind farm developments.

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it is paying the James Hutton Institute to carry out research into wind energy developments.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: This work is part of a larger programme of research funded by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) division. We estimate that the investment in wind energy research in the current financial year, 2012-13, wil…

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what companies other than the James Hutton Institute are carrying out research into wind energy on its behalf and with what terms of reference.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The work of the James Hutton Institute is part of the “Water and Renewable Energy” research theme being conducted by the Scottish Government’s main research providers. In addition, the Centre of Expertise for Climate Change (ClimateXChange) has been commissi…

10 Sep 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what terms of reference it set for the James Hutton Institute for the research that it is carrying out into how people feel about local wind energy developments.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As part of the strategic research programmes commissioned by the Scottish Government the James Hutton Institute is investigating the issue of how communities might prefer to receive financial benefits from wind energy developments, and what they might like th…

15 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08701 by John Swinney on 31 July 2012, what assessment it has made of the outcomes of the grants.

Answer · John Swinney: The grants referred to in S4W-08701, provided by Scottish Enterprise, are evaluated by the extent to which they achieved their intended aims. The grants awarded and their impact is summarised below: Lean and CPM (£131,600) and Management Development (£30,65…

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has awarded in grants to Vion since 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Since 2007 Vion has been paid £223,875 in grants that relate to: lean management for centrally processed meat: £131,600 management development: £30,650 developing a graduate scheme: £11,000 strategy: £50,625. These grants relate to only a proportion of t…

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what reasons Vion gave for not taking the grants that it was offered in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: A training plus grant is dependent on delivery of the training plan contained in the application and offer agreement. Funding cannot be paid out unless training activity has taken place and the company can provide supporting evidence of this and the costs ass…

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence or dialogue it has had with Vion since it offered the company grants in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Enterprise held regular meetings with the company to discuss the progress of the project.

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who approved the offer of grants to Vion in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: The application for Training Plus was processed through the normal Scottish Enterprise delegated authority process which requires projects of this size to be approved by Scottish Enterprise’s Single Approval Group.

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria Vion met to be offered grants in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: Vion met the eligibility requirements for Training plus which are: There must be genuine competition for the project from locations outwith Scotland; grant provision must be critical to influence the decision to locate or retain the operation in Scotland; …

12 Jul 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what business plan or financial projections it was provided prior to offering grants to Vion in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: Vion was required to complete a Training Plus application form which included details of the plans for the project associated with the grant along with projections and anticipated outputs.

15 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships have been created in the Almond Valley and Linlithgow constituencies.

Answer · Angela Constance: Modern apprenticeship starts are recorded by local authority area rather than constituency area. There were 894 modern apprenticeship starts in the West Lothian local authority area in 2011-12.

11 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is taken by NHS Lothian to ensure that it has sufficient numbers of (a) intensive care and (b) high dependency unit beds to respond to emergency public health concerns while delivering other services as normal.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lothian quickly established a daily teleconference and control room as part of NHS Lothian's Business Continuity processes to ensure the availability of adequate intensive care and high dependency unit beds. An increase in capacity within critical care wa…

8 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been cancelled as a result of the recent Legionalla outbeak in Edinburgh and what contingencies NHS Lothian has put in place to (a) deal with the outbreak and (b) ensure that other services are conducted as normal.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lothian has reported that the number of elective procedures cancelled as a result of the Legionella impact on critical care services has been minimal. The board will continue to monitor the impact until the end of the outbreak has been confirmed. From 4 J…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to extend compulsory language teaching to S3 and S4.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Under Curriculum for Excellence all pupils in secondary schools have an entitlement to learning languages as part of the broad general education to the end of S3. This includes learning across all of the experiences and outcomes to the third level of Curricul…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have the language skills required to implement the 1+2 language programme.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07680 on 26 June 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers will be required to implement the 1+2 language programme and how many will require language training.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government will work with local authorities and initial teacher education providers to take forward the recommendations of the Languages Working Group Report, Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach, which includes recommendations for an audit …

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost of rolling out the 1+2 language programme.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government will consider with stakeholders, including COSLA and local authorities, the resource implications of the recommendations of the Languages Working Group Report, Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach, published on 17 May 2012. Minist…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the pilot language 1+2 project will be (a) monitored and (b) evaluated.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government will develop an engagement strategy for delivering the 1+2 languages commitment which will involve all key stakeholders. Education Scotland, in particular, will be involved in monitoring and evaluating progress over the period of the pilot…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what schools have been selected to take part in the pilot language 1+2 project and what criteria were used for selecting these schools.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government will be discussing arrangements for the 1+2 pilot programme with SCILT (Scotland’s National Centre for Languages), Education Scotland and local authorities over the summer.

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with (a) the British Council and (b) local authorities regarding increasing the number of foreign language assistants.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government officials meet regularly with British Council Scotland as part of the arrangements for funding the Foreign Language Assistants programme. British Council Scotland report that there will be 73 Foreign Language Assistants in Scotland in 2012…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to increase the number of foreign language assistants and whether it will provide funding toward this.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government funds British Council Scotland to administer the Foreign Language Programme in Scotland, including promoting the value of Foreign Language Assistants to local authorities who are responsible for employing assistants in their schools. As a …

31 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07033 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 May 2012, what the nature is of the "other priorities".

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s priorities are set out in our Programme for Government announced by the First Minister on 7 September 2011 – Renewing Scotland: The Government’s Programme for Scotland 2011-12.

31 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07030 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 May 2012, when it will consult again on the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Succession.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will consult formally on the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Succession when other priorities allow.

31 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the recommendations in the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Succession will be taken forward.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is considering the options arising from the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Succession and will consult formally when other priorities allow.

31 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07030 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 May 2012, which stakeholders have real concerns about some of the recommendations in the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Succession.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government officials have met informally with members of the legal profession. That informal preparatory dialogue revealed that a number have concerns about some of the recommendations in the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Succession. Given the …

31 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07030 by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 May 2012, which of the recommendations in the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Succession it considers controversial.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s preparatory dialogue on the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Succession confirmed that the most divisive issue considered by the commission was whether adult children should continue to be protected from disinheritance by a parent…