- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 13 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual budget for HM Inspectorate of Education is for 2003-04.
Answer
The Budget (Scotland) (No. 4) Bill includes a cash budget for HM Inspectorate of Education for 2003-04 of £8.2 million.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 13 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about why the United Kingdom entry in the listing of national websites in the European Culture Portal in the European Commission's area of the Europa website gives links only to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Arts Council for England and what role each of these bodies plays in promoting Scottish culture in Europe.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is investigating further the possibilities for establishment of a direct weblink to its site from the national website section within the European Culture Portal. Sport and art are devolved matters. Whilst the Executive takes responsibility for promoting Scottish culture both at home and abroad, in practice there are a number of bilateral links, at both ministerial and official level, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Arts Council for England.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 13 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average percentage salary increases for local authority chief officers and manual workers will be in 2003-04.
Answer
Under the terms of the pay agreement between the trade unions and local authority employers in 2001, chief officers will receive an increase of 2% and manual workers 4% with effect from 1 April 2003.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the aim of HM Inspectorate of Education of a "generational cycle" of school inspections, whereby every parent can expect both a primary and a secondary school report as their child moves through school education.
Answer
I have asked Graham Donaldson, Chief Executive of HM Inspectorate of Education, to respond. His response is as follows:We are aiming to complete the delivery of the first generational cycle by 2008 for secondary schools and 2009 for primary schools. In 2002, we inspected 370 primary schools (223 initial inspections and 147 follow-up inspections) and 97 secondary schools (36 initial inspections and 61 follow-up inspections).
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 12 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in each local authority area have been affected by weather-related school closures since 1 October 2002.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget (a) it and (b) the New Opportunities Fund has set for (i) creating and (ii) sustaining places in out-of-school clubs for each year from 2003-04 to 2005-06 and how many places will be created.
Answer
Scottish Executive Childcare Strategy funding is provided to local authorities to meet local child care needs, including out-of-school care. Allocations for the years 2003-06 are as follows:Financial year 2003-04: £19.25 million2004-05: £29.75 million2005-06: £40.65 millionIt is for the local authorities, with their Childcare Partnerships, to determine how these funds will be used to create and sustain child care provision, including out of school care.The New Opportunity Fund (NOF) Out-of-School Hours Childcare Programme has been extended until June 2003. £10.25 million is still available under the current programme for the creation of new child care places. Approximately £6 million is also available to provide extended two- or three-year funding to help sustain places. In addition, the NOF has made available a further £14.5 million under a new programme, New Opportunities for Quality Childcare, which could include out of school provision. The programme will run until June 2005.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent by (a) it and (b) the New Opportunities Fund on creating out-of-school club places and how many places have been created since July 1999, broken down by financial year.
Answer
Scottish Executive Childcare Strategy funding is provided to local authorities to meet local child care needs including out-of-school care.Funding has been allocated as follows:Financial year 1999-2000: £5.75 million2000-01: £13.75 million2001-02: £15.75 millionCurrent year 2002-03: £16.75 million We do not hold centrally information on how much of this funding has been spent by local authorities on out-of-school care, or on how many places have been created.The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) provides funding for the creation and expansion of out-of-school clubs through the Out-of-School Hours Childcare Programme. Since 1999, the programme has to date allocated over £15 million and created over 32,000 child care places.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 11 March 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will ensure that the Scottish Youth Parliament is given access to the debating chamber for its annual general meeting on 29 and 30 March 2003.
Answer
The Scottish Youth Parliament has booked a venue in Glasgow for their meeting on 29 and 30 March 2003 so the SPCB is not required to ensure access to the Chamber.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 11 March 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is keen to encourage the work of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and whether it will assist the SYP by ensuring that it has access to the debating chamber for its major meetings, subject only to the requirements of other parliamentary business.
Answer
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is keen to encourage the work of the SYP. SPCB staff have met with the SYP to discuss how this might be progressed. Hosting debates in the Chamber, whilst the Parliament is at the Mound, is an option that is still under discussion and it is hoped to stage a joint event later in 2003.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-3812, S1W-3813 and S1W-3814 by Mr Jack McConnell on 1 February, 24 January and 1 February 2000 respectively, when the last volume of the Scottish Abstract of Statistics was published and what plans there are for future volumes.
Answer
Scottish Abstract of Statistics was published annually up to 1996 and then in 1998. Following consultation with users, there are no plans to publish future volumes. Updated versions of information which appeared in the 1998 Abstract have already been published in a variety of ways, for example, on the Scottish Executive website.The Social Focus and Scottish Economic Statistics publications have replaced the Scottish Abstract of Statistics. Social Focus is an annual compendium that concentrates on a particular topic each year. The first edition of Social Focus concentrated on gender issues including health, education and the labour market. The 2003 edition will compare a range of statistics across urban and rural Scotland.Scottish Economic Statistics provides a range of data on the Scottish economy, as well as outlining the programme for economic statistics work in the Scottish Executive. In addition, it contains articles discussing current issues in economic statistics.
