- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 11 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to modify the relevant computer systems to reflect the changes to the tuition fees system and who will meet these costs.
Answer
The computer system of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) already has the capability to handle the changes to tuition fee arrangements. However, some adaptation is needed to cope with the changes to loan entitlement. This work will be included with other system changes which were already planned and designed to enhance service to the public. At this stage the costs of activating the tuition fee payment arrangements cannot be separately identified but are expected to be low. System change costs are met from the Higher Education Vote.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 10 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for tackling the issue of food poverty in Scotland.
Answer
Our overall strategy for tackling poverty is set out in Social Justice: a Scotland where everyone matters.Through the Scottish Community Diet Project and Social Inclusion Partnerships the Executive funds a range of initiatives that address food poverty in ways responsive to local needs.We will shortly appoint a national dietary co-ordinator who will give priority to supporting primary producers and major retailers to maximise their potential contribution towards health with a focus on low income groups.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 9 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a comparative analysis between the costs of funding housing through (a) private finance and (b) the Public Works Loans Board.
Answer
No. Such a comparison would require comprehensive cost/benefit analyses on a project-by-project basis.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 7 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2041 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 28 October 1999, whether it will provide an itemised breakdown of the revenue budget for each Social Inclusion Partnership.
Answer
Detailed breakdowns of revenue budgets for 1999-2000 are not held centrally. Further details of the revenue spending in 1998-99 by those Social Inclusion Partnerships converted from former Priority Partnership Areas and Regeneration Programmes are set out in their annual reports. Copies of the annual reports for 1998-99 have been placed in the Information Centre.We will shortly be issuing a new monitoring framework for Social Inclusion Partnerships. The new framework will require each Social Inclusion Partnership to submit a detailed breakdown of its revenue budget for the year ahead. This information will be available when annual reports for 1999-2000 are submitted in the summer of 2000.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 4 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an evaluation of the Education Maintenance Allowance Programme being piloted by East Ayrshire Council.
Answer
Education Maintenance Allowances are being piloted in East Ayrshire over three years. The aim of the scheme is to encourage young people from low income families to stay in full-time education at school or FE college in order to achieve qualifications. The effect of EMAs on attendance and achievement rates will be monitored and evaluated during the pilot. A full evaluation will not be possible until the pilot is complete, but it is intended that an interim evaluation will be made at the end of the first year.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 4 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the Local Enterprise Companies which do not provide financial assistance for modern apprentices aged 18 and over.
Answer
Modern Apprenticeships, which are part of the Skillseekers programme, are primarily targeted at 16 and 17 year olds. Once LECs have provided training places for 16 and 17 year olds they have discretionary power to allocate funding to training for young people aged 18-24. All LECs do currently fund Modern Apprenticeships for 18-24 year olds but this funding is applied in each area according to specific criteria designed to meet the skills needs of the local and national economy and to take account of local labour markets.The funding of training for 18-24 year olds is being examined as part of the "Opportunities and Choices" consultation exercise on future developments in post-16 non-advanced education and training.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2636 by Henry McLeish on 2 December 1999, given its general responsibility for Scottish Enterprise, whether it will provide details regarding the points raised in that question and, if not, why not and whether it will state by what mechanism members should seek such information.
Answer
As the funding and performance monitoring of Scotland the Brand is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, I have asked the Chairman to write to the Member providing the information requested in his earlier question (S1W-2636). A copy of that reply will be placed in the Library. In terms of future requests for information pertaining to the enterprise networks, Ministers are happy to take questions. However, where these relate to operational matters it is more appropriate for the detailed information to be provided directly by Scottish Enterprise and/or Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 19 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the net cost to Scottish business of a 0.25% increase in interest rates.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not make such estimates.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2006 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 November, whether it will provide percentage staff turnover figures since April 1999 for Barlinnie Prison, Edinburgh Prison, Kilmarnock Prison, Perth Prison and Peterhead Prison.
Answer
The percentage of staff who have left each of these prisons from 1 April - 31 October 1999 is shown in the following table.
Prison | % Turnover |
| Barlinnie | 5.06 |
| Edinburgh | 4.62 |
| Kilmarnock | 14.7 |
| Perth | 5.8 |
| Peterhead | 3.98 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 17 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the plan to erect a new primary school in Galston, Ayrshire, and when the necessary works are scheduled to begin.
Answer
This is a matter for East Ayrshire Council as the education authority.
