- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects are being considered for the Horizon Prize.
Answer
The Horizon Prize is now termed as the Saltire Prize. No projects are currently being considered as the competition is not yet open to entries. The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008.
In addition to the Saltire Prize, the Saltire Innovation Fund will be used to create an entrepreneurial competition. This programme is currently being developed by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The launch is expected in spring 2009.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reopen the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme to further applications and, if so, when.
Answer
It is our intention to deliver further and significant grant support for wave and tidal projects. This needs to be based on a clear route map setting out the path and obstacles to 2020, and a robust assessment of need. For example, not all in the sector are at the stage where a repeat of the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme would be of material benefit. We are working with the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) and with all those who have an interest in the sector to deliver these assessments as soon as possible.
In the meantime, we are proposing to maintain high levels of support for wave and tidal power through the introduction of banding to our Renewables Obligation.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria are for entry to the Saltire Prize competition.
Answer
The Saltire Prize challenge will be announced by the First Minister on 2 December 2008 and draft competition guidelines including eligibility criteria will be made available as part of the consultation process shortly following this announcement.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 13 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities that introduce free school meals for all P1 to P3 pupils will still be able to give priority to those children most in need.
Answer
Yes. Our children and young people most in need are already entitled to free school meals and this government is taking action to extend entitlement so that more children in need will benefit from free nutritious school meals.
As well as the jointly agreed concordat commitment with COSLA that all local authorities will provide free nutritious school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils from August 2010, we also have a commitment to extend entitlement to free school meals to all primary school and secondary school pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit from August 2009.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13127 by John Swinney on 4 June 2008, when it will be able to publish details of how many ministerial engagements have been held in the Aberdeen Central parliamentary constituency since 16 May 2007, broken down by (a) ministerial portfolio, (b) date and (c) location.
Answer
I refer the member to the letter issued on 30 October 2008, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45740).
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 12 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital or revenue support Scottish Enterprise provided to the (a) Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), (b) Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and (c) Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) in 2007-08 and whether any such financial support will be provided within the current spending review period.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to the member in this regard.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses are eligible to apply to the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
Answer
Information on small businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme is available from the Scottish Assessors Portal (
www.saa.gov.uk). This information is as follows:
Total Number of Non-Domestic Properties
| | Rateable value of property |
| Up to £8,000 | £8,001-£10,000 | £10,001-£15,000 | Total up to £15,000 |
| Scotland | 125,520 | 11,650 | 17,489 | 154,659 |
Source: Scottish Assessors Portal as at 1 October 2008.
Note:
The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties, because some businesses will have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:
the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland for which the business is the ratepayer;
whether the property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and
the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have applied to the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
Answer
Information on the number of applications for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme is not held centrally. Information will be available in due course on the number of business properties which have been awarded relief under the scheme, using information provided routinely by local authorities in regular statistical returns.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to local authorities on developing after-school activities.
Answer
Building the Curriculum 3: a framework for learning and teaching underlines the importance of recognising that the curriculum comprises more than subjects alone, but is also about other types of experiences such as outdoor learning, work-related activities and out of school hours learning. There is, however, no prescription since one of the intentions of Curriculum for Excellence is to provide teachers with the freedom to provide experiences in creative and imaginative ways that take account of local needs and circumstances.
The draft experiences and outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence, which were published between January and June 2008 for trialling and engagement, contain a range of opportunities for schools and other educational establishments to encourage activities outwith the normal school day. For example, within health and wellbeing it is clear that the outcomes for physical activity and sport will take place in addition to planned PE sessions, at break times and lunchtimes and beyond the school day.
The full set of finalised experiences and outcomes, supported by exemplification materials is due to be published in 2009.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the development of after-school activities in primary schools.
Answer
The role of the Scottish Government is to set the framework for learning and teaching. We are doing this through the Curriculum for Excellence programme.
Building the Curriculum 3: a framework for learning and teaching underlines the importance of recognising that the curriculum comprises more than subjects alone, but is also about other types of experiences such as outdoor learning, work-related activities and out of school hours learning. To support this, the experiences and outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence contain a range of opportunities for schools and other educational establishments to encourage activities outwith the normal school day.
It is for local authorities and schools to bring the experiences and outcomes together and apply the entitlements in Building the Curriculum 3 to provide experiences in creative and imaginative ways that take account of local needs and circumstances.
