Chamber and committees

On 23 November I announced the formation of a Ministerial Group on Tackling Sectarianism to coordinate the Scottish Government’s long term work to tackle sectarianism. This group will work across all portfolio areas to ensure that our approach to tackling sectarianism is joined up, cross cutting and covers all policy areas.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03238 on 25 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I met with the Show Racism the Red Card and Show Bigotry the Red Card on 22 June to discuss issues relating to sectarianism including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill.

I have held meetings with 28 third sector organisations to discuss issues relating to sectarianism including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill. In addition I addressed a stakeholder engagement event on the Bill on 17 June which included many representatives from third sector organisations.

The Scottish Government announced a package of £527,000 of funding to organisations working to tackle sectarianism in 2011-12 on 8 March 2011, information on this is provided in the document Funding to Tackle Sectarianism 2010-11: Scottish Government Press Release: a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 53302). http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/03/08152206. No funding decisions have been taken beyond the current financial year.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03235 on 25 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Curriculum for Excellence, the national curriculum for Scottish schools, aims to provide the right environment to enable young people to develop as informed and responsible citizens. Curriculum for Excellence challenges schools to develop children and young people as responsible citizens who show respect for others; who can understand different beliefs and cultures; and who are developing informed, ethical views of complex issues.

Curriculum for Excellence also challenges schools to support the health and wellbeing of their pupils. Learning through health and wellbeing promotes confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes. It supports children and young people to develop respect for others, to acknowledge diversity and to understand that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge discrimination.

Anti-sectarian education plays a really important role in all of this. Many different curriculum areas can be involved.

Since 2007, the Scottish Government has provided funding to a wide range of organisations to delivered projects to tackle sectarianism and all forms of religious intolerance across all aspects of Scottish society. A number of these organisations have offered support to schools and local authorities.

Education Scotland, a Scottish Government agency, is the national body responsible for supporting quality and improvement in learning and teaching from early years to adult and community learning in Scotland.

In 2007 Education Scotland, the then HMIE, published a report: Count us in Promoting Understanding and Combating Sectarianism Practical Examples from Primary, Secondary and Special Schools which aims to promote inclusive practices. The booklet brings together some examples of successful practice in promoting mutual understanding and combating sectarianism. It offers guidance on good practice and examples of resources to combat sectarianism. The report can be found at http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/cuipepss.html.

Education Scotland, and previously HMIE, will comment and publish reports on schools which are of good practice or where areas for improvement are identified in regard to sectarianism and twinning approaches where appropriate.

The Education Scotland website also offers lesson plans, resources and aspects of good practice in teaching and learning with regards to tackling sectarianism.

As part of the work being taken forward in Scotland to tackle sectarianism we will work with partners to support use of sectarianism as a context for learning which inspires and engages young people.

On 18 November the Scottish Government published A breakdown of religious aggravations charges (section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2010) in Scotland in 2010-11. We are also committed to annual analysis of the data collected in relation to religiously aggravated offences. The report can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/11/17154035/0.

The actions set out in the Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, introduced by the last Scottish Labour-led administration, have been completed and this document is therefore historic. There are no plans to use this as the basis for future Scottish Government work to tackle sectarianism.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the total number of public sector procurement contracts awarded in Scotland and cannot, therefore, specify the proportion of contracts that have been awarded through Public Contracts Scotland.

The Public Contracts Scotland portal was launched in October 2008, since which a total of 3,583 contracting opportunities were published on the site in Financial Year 2009-10, and 6,539 contracting opportunities were published in Financial Year 2010-11.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Before 1 August 2011, this information was not collected on a comprehensive basis.

Since the introduction in public sector prisons on 1 August of the new national literacy and numeracy screening and levelling tool, until 30 September, 77% of prisoners who opted to be assessed under this tool were assessed as lacking in functional literacy.

Private sector prisons, HMP Addiewell and HMP Kilmarnock will adopt the new national screening as from 1 November.