To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years, specifying the amount and date of each payment, and how these compared with the amounts and payment dates projected at the start of each financial year.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority receives grant-in-aid and grant for three areas of work: 5-14 Programme; Accreditation Unit running costs; and development work for the new national qualifications introduced in academic year 1999-2000. A detailed profile for these payments is not projected at the start of the financial year to provide flexibility. The amounts and dates of payments for each of the two previous financial years, and for the current year to 31 October, are given below. The tables are not directly comparable since further payments will be made during the current financial year.
SQA 5-14 Assessment Unit
1998-99 (£)
24 November 1998 | 333,231 |
6 January 1998 | 152,869 |
26 January 1998 | 63,662 |
25 February 1999 | 70,840 |
9 March 1999 | 196,098 |
Total | 816,700 |
1999-2000 (£)
28 June 1999 | 38,741 |
22 July 1999 | 75,085 |
8 September 1999 | 56,287 |
27 October 1999 | 32,115 |
5 November 1999 | 27,244 |
6 January 2000 | 222,593 |
31 January 2000 | 171,370 |
4 February 2000 | 45,554 |
28 February 2000 | 114,762 |
23 March 2000 | 18,005 |
Total | 801,756 |
2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)
31 May 2000 | 54,993 |
29 June 2000 | 88,990 |
4 August 2000 | 58,848 |
13 September 2000 | 114,082 |
25 September 2000 | 35,923 |
19 October 2000 | 185,954 |
Total | 538,790 |
Accreditation
1998-99 (£)
27 October 1998 | 180,000 |
18 November 1998 | 500,000 |
24 February 1999 | 393,917 |
16 March 1999 | 78,083 |
Total | 1,152,000 |
1999/2000 (£)
26 August 1999 | 360,716 |
25 October 1999 | 144,853 |
21 January 2000 | 435,132 |
13 March 2000 | 194,299 |
17 March 2000 | 187,000 |
Total | 1,322,000 |
2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)
1 September 2000 | 260,781 |
17 September 2000 | 173,200 |
26 October 2000 | 98,416 |
Total | 532,397 |
New National Qualifications
1998-99 (£)
5 March 1999 | 1,775,810 |
17 March 1999 | 74,190 |
Total | 1,850,000 |
1999-2000 (£)
13 July 1999 | 250,000 |
20 August 1999 | 625,100 |
22 October 1999 | 318,563 |
11 January 2000 | 1,357,726 |
23 February 2000 | 942,265 |
15 March 2000 | 923,189 |
Total | 4,417,203 |
2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)
1 August 2000 | 718,782 |
12 September 2000 | 370,075 |
13 October 2000 | 240,948 |
27 October 2000 | 10,000 |
Total to date | 1,339,805 |
The increase in funding for new national qualifications is a result of the introduction of these qualifications (Access, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and national qualification Higher) from the beginning of academic year 1999-2000. The extra funding covers support and assessment materials and training.
In addition to the above programme expenditure, the following one-off payments have been made:
£61,000 on 17 March 1999 to enable the SQA to establish a video conferencing facility;
£43,737 on 6 January 2000 for development work on Standard Grade Modern Languages and Standard Grade Technical Studies; and
£4,359 on 23 March 2000 for revision of Standard Grade Modern Languages.