- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 14 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) will report on the Teaching Funding and Research Policy and Funding reviews mentioned in the SHEFC's April 2001 meeting report.
Answer
The consultation period for both these reviews concluded at the end of March. On the Teaching Review, it is expected that revised proposals will be put to the council for consideration in the autumn and for the Research Review, by the end of the year.I have asked the council to keep me in touch with developments prior to any final decisions being taken.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12087 by Nicol Stephen on 4 January 2001, what progress has been made regarding the introduction in Scotland of provisions similar to those in clause 13 of the UK Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill.
Answer
The provision referred to has now become Clause 14 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill. Clause 14 requires local education authorities and schools in England and Wales to plan, to increase participation in the curriculum and physical access to school premises and also to improve the delivery of information for disabled pupils.The Executive is considering a number of legislative and other routes to give effect to the new duty in Scotland.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 11 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give consideration to standardisation of the Easter school holidays across Scotland to avoid annual variance in the length of the summer term given the adverse impact current arrangements may have on pupils from different year groups and local authorities sitting examinations.
Answer
Following representations received about different dates set in different areas, officials wrote to authorities in February last year to ask how holidays were currently co-ordinated between authorities and what could be done to improve liaison in the future. In response, most authorities indicated that they held discussions with their neighbours with a view to securing a consistent approach although complete consistency could not always be achieved because of local circumstances and local holidays. I am considering the detailed responses further.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to work with Her Majesty's Government and international authorities to legislate to end the global sex slave trade.
Answer
Responsibility for contacts with international authorities and for the laws on immigration and international trafficking in persons is reserved to the United Kingdom Government, with which the Scottish Executive is in regular contact on a wide range of issues.There are already provisions in Scots law to protect individuals from exploitation and abuse. No specific further legislation is presently planned, but the position is kept under review.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to seek out females entrapped through sex slavery.
Answer
The trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is a serious matter. The Police will rigorously investigate any information or complaints made to them about this. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information which relates to any suspected criminal activity in this area should therefore report it to the police.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking against those responsible for any incidence of sex slavery.
Answer
The Scottish Executive deplores trafficking in people for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Responsibility for the laws on immigration and international trafficking of this kind is reserved to the United Kingdom Government.However, those involved in sexual exploitation could, under Scots law, be committing one or more of a variety of crimes, the most serious of which can attract up to life imprisonment.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in conjunction with Her Majesty's Government to ensure that any victims of sex slavery in Scotland are returned to safety.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Home Office about a wide range of criminal justice matters. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information which relates to trafficking of women for sexual exploitation should report this to the Police. While the action taken by the Police is an operational matter for individual forces, the Police first need grounds to act. Thereafter, a number of agencies might be involved in providing support for any victims.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 3 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the establishment of a drug court.
Answer
The Drug Court Working Group, chaired by Sheriff Principal Bowen, submitted its report on 1 May. This set out its proposed model for a pilot Drug Court at Glasgow Sheriff Court and opens the way for the establishment of the first drug court in Scotland. The plans are for it to be in operation before the end of this year. I am placing a copy in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 13259).
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to support charities and voluntary organisations in relation to water and sewerage charges.
Answer
Phasing in of water charges to all organisations affected by the decision to withdraw reliefs is being made over a period of 5 years. Additionally, the water authorities have offered to install water meters free where this will reduce costs. This should have the effect of reducing further any additional liability that these organisations have to face.However, the Scottish Executive recognises the concerns of a number of organisations about the immediate impact of the first phase of withdrawals this year, and we are in contact with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations on this.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 1 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation paper on the proposed Title Conditions Bill will be published and how long the consultation period will be.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill Consultation Paper is published today. The paper is based upon, and contains a copy of, the draft Title Conditions Bill appended to the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Real Burdens (Scot Law Com 181), which was published on 26 October 2000. I would like to commend the Scottish Law Commission for their report, which covers a very complex and difficult area of law reform in a thorough and imaginative way.
The Bill will mark the second stage in the Property Law Reform Programme commenced by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. It will reform and clarify the law relating to non-feudal conditions and burdens on land which remain following the abolition of the feudal system.Copies of the consultation paper will be sent to the relevant parliamentary committees and be available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Further copies will be available from Iain Hockenhull, Scottish Executive Justice Department: Branch 5, Spur V/1, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD, telephone 0131 244 8228, or email [email protected].A 12-week consultation period will follow, with the closing date for responses being Monday, 23 July 2001.