Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-10415

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the provision of fertility services across NHS boards with regard to (a) waiting times for treatment, (b) the number of cycles of treatment provided and (c) the number of couples seeking treatment.

The National Infertility Group, set up in April 2010, is considering the provision of infertility services across NHS Boards in Scotland. The Group will submit its report, with recommendations, to Ministers by the end of December 2012.

Methods for measuring (a) waiting times for treatment, (b) the number of cycles of treatment provided and (c) the number of couples seeking treatment, will be considered as part of the implementation planning in order to meet the Scottish Government commitment to a 12 month maximum waiting time for IVF treatment, for eligible patients, by 31 March 2015.

Question reference: S4W-10360

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine whether a capital spending project is "shovel-ready".

Question reference: S4W-10357

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what 30 organisations will benefit from its Autism Development Fund and how much each will receive.

Question reference: S4W-10422

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its role is in improving physical health across the country.

Question reference: S4W-10359

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with Scottish Natural Heritage regarding the spread of muntjac deer.

Scottish Natural Heritage was in communication with the Scottish Government in relation to a report from a member of the public on the sighting of Muntjac deer in Dumfries and Galloway in May 2012. Scottish Natural Heritage investigated this report but did not find any evidence of Muntjac in the vicinity. Scottish Natural Heritage also advised the Scottish Government in October 2012 that they had made enquiries concerning the licensing of a private collection reportedly containing Muntjac.

Question reference: S4W-10358

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken under the Muntjac Keeping (Scotland) Order 2011 to limit the spread of muntjac deer.

The Muntjac Keeping (Scotland) Order 2011 was revoked when the non-native species parts of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 were commenced on 2 July 2012. However, the effect of the Order is maintained under the new legislation.

The requirement for anyone keeping Muntjac to do so under licence is maintained, as is the requirement for anyone who becomes aware of Muntjac deer to report them. Scottish Natural Heritage is both the licensing authority for this purpose and the body to which sightings should be reported.

One collection of Muntjac deer is currently kept under licence in Scotland, under a licence that was issued under the old legislation. Scottish Natural Heritage have not, so far, issued any licences under the new legislation.

In addition, Scottish Natural Heritage investigated a report of Muntjac deer in Dumfries and Galloway this summer. The answer to question S4W-10359 on 1 November 2012 provides more details.

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.

Question reference: S4W-10100

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve discipline in schools.

The Scottish Government takes seriously the need constantly to improve behaviour in schools. Curriculum for Excellence has encouraged schools to focus on creating a positive school ethos as the starting point for learning and the Scottish Government has supported schools and local authorities in implementing a range of strategies and programmes which promote positive behaviour. The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2012 found that the vast majority of staff see pupils as generally well behaved and this has been consistent over the last three surveys in 2006, 2009, and 2012. Over the same period school exclusions have dropped by 40%.

The research identified areas where there is room for further improvement. The Scottish Government, in partnership with the Scottish Advisory Group on Behaviour in Schools, is developing an action plan which will address these areas. The plan will be published in the new year.

Question reference: S4W-10423

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 31 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-05558 by Shona Robison on 9 February 2012, whether the national performance centre will be developed along similar lines to the St George's Park National Football Centre in England.

Question reference: S4W-10099

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many college places were available in welding in the current academic year compared to the previous four academic years.

The latest figures on students studying welding at colleges are for 2010-11.

Table 1a: The Total Number of Students Studying Welding in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Headcount).

College

Headcount

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

Aberdeen College	32	35	14	12	26
Adam Smith College	156	146	126	130	99
Angus College	83	84	72	87	73
Anniesland College	140	105	47	40	57
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	196	159	121	206	177
Barony College	18	11	2	8	0
Borders College	0	0	5	2	9
Carnegie College	224	205	105	92	61
Clydebank College	0	0	0	43	101
Cumbernauld College	31	47	39	14	18
Dumfries and Galloway College	0	0	9	43	26
Dundee College	132	112	163	164	88
Edinburgh's Telford College	42	24	26	22	34
Elmwood College	0	18	36	59	31
Forth Valley College	21	24	61	67	62
Inverness College	63	113	127	120	93
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	0	10	12	0	0
Jewel and Esk College	24	44	46	60	81
Kilmarnock College	49	42	61	99	123
Langside College	0	0	14	0	0
Lews Castle College	22	31	17	20	58
Motherwell College	162	138	269	231	175
North Glasgow College	28	58	68	96	108
North Highland College	13	7	18	25	42
Oatridge College	0	0	30	33	0
Orkney College	0	2	5	0	0
Perth College	0	0	16	24	20
Reid Kerr College	36	55	58	31	57
Stevenson College Edinburgh	3	18	10	10	11
Total	1,475	1,488	1,577	1,738	1,630

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 1b: The Total Number of Students Studying Welding in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Full Time Equivalent).

College

FTEs

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

Aberdeen College	7	6	5	4	5
Adam Smith College	78	80	66	81	60
Angus College	22	15	19	19	14
Anniesland College	72	34	15	17	21
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	43	34	24	29	37
Barony College	0	0	0	0	0
Borders College	0	0	0	0	0
Carnegie College	103	124	64	56	39
Clydebank College	0	0	0	9	27
Cumbernauld College	28	31	32	6	11
Dumfries and Galloway College	0	0	0	1	1
Dundee College	41	52	42	40	20
Edinburgh's Telford College	20	7	18	14	27
Elmwood College	0	1	2	2	1
Forth Valley College	11	12	28	32	33
Inverness College	39	52	84	88	78
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	0	1	1	0	0
Jewel and Esk College	1	4	14	23	12
Kilmarnock College	15	8	11	12	16
Langside College	0	0	7	0	0
Lews Castle College	15	9	15	6	19
Motherwell College	59	56	96	84	73
North Glasgow College	8	20	27	29	20
North Highland College	1	0	1	1	3
Oatridge College	0	0	1	1	0
Orkney College	0	0	0	0	0
Perth College	0	0	1	1	1
Reid Kerr College	8	11	11	13	28
Stevenson College Edinburgh	0	1	0	0	0
Total	570	556	585	571	545

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Note: Places for welding are not set in advance by the Scottish Government or the Scottish Funding Council; this is a decision for individual colleges.

Question reference: S4W-10098

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many college places have been available in science, technologies, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects in the last five years, broken down by institution.

The latest figures on students studying science, technologies, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects at colleges are for 2010-11.

Table 1a: The Total Number of Students Studying Information Technology in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Headcount).

Headcount

College	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Aberdeen College	2,772	3,704	4,351	4,430	4,377
Adam Smith College	3,662	3,707	5,667	5,758	5,788
Angus College	1,129	1,237	1,401	1,718	1,543
Anniesland College	564	700	890	1,241	1,219
Ayr College	566	690	1,051	1,194	1,481
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	459	512	803	918	970
Borders College	368	363	551	481	587
Cardonald College	569	667	746	759	701
Carnegie College	552	1,013	966	962	1,010
Central College Glasgow	1,185	1,210	1,517	1,488	1,533
Clydebank College	791	1,033	1,218	1,402	1,446
Coatbridge College	202	238	317	445	435
Cumbernauld College	857	1,471	1,433	1,367	1,555
Dumfries and Galloway College	1,134	1,438	1,322	1,569	1,359
Dundee College	986	1,655	1,323	2,131	2,180
Edinburgh’s Telford College	312	382	412	644	707
Elmwood College	330	591	734	809	863
Forth Valley College	1,693	1,902	2,071	2,018	2,295
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	120	121	141	162	217
Glasgow Metropolitan	1,391	1,384	1,275	1,200	1,271
Inverness College	541	423	268	346	369
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	963	1,013	1,037	1,459	1,783
Jewel and Esk College	971	1,071	984	968	1,157
John Wheatley College	4,353	4,275	5,276	4,184	3,569
Kilmarnock College	306	589	808	1,173	1,051
Langside College	391	532	610	575	623
Lews Castle College	171	127	145	164	224
Moray College	1,064	945	887	872	962
Motherwell College	1,004	1,567	1,389	1,362	1,497
North Glasgow College	141	239	175	178	380
North Highland College	1,099	1,319	1,806	1,469	1,583
Orkney College	127	68	111	220	229
Perth College	591	719	1,005	930	1,002
Reid Kerr College	2,928	2,187	2,595	2,772	3,240
Shetland College of Further Education	563	612	589	590	672
South Lanarkshire College	284	451	940	560	1,182
Stevenson College Edinburgh	509	377	537	450	679
Stow College	743	633	1,157	1,096	1,073
West Lothian College	355	543	632	769	625
Total	36,746	41,708	49,140	50,833	53,437

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 1b: The Total Number of Students Studying Information Technology in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (FTE).

FTEs

College	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Aberdeen College	964	1,002	1,004	1,053	1,081
Adam Smith College	868	822	906	843	837
Angus College	265	271	264	252	227
Anniesland College	208	235	233	262	279
Ayr College	152	183	395	403	334
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	113	115	143	188	167
Borders College	54	24	84	36	36
Cardonald College	329	434	324	325	298
Carnegie College	191	322	328	311	333
Central College Glasgow	479	460	526	556	530
Clydebank College	120	155	155	190	222
Coatbridge College	103	117	136	165	95
Cumbernauld College	173	214	216	223	191
Dumfries and Galloway College	158	166	147	163	124
Dundee College	412	432	489	621	714
Edinburgh’s Telford College	218	226	216	325	304
Elmwood College	36	63	81	98	94
Forth Valley College	499	514	525	505	536
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	9	10	12	29	57
Glasgow Metropolitan	448	476	419	437	439
Inverness College	118	100	77	87	91
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	625	559	464	552	616
Jewel and Esk College	364	392	360	400	442
John Wheatley College	447	327	442	352	200
Kilmarnock College	114	144	160	212	192
Langside College	256	286	243	199	217
Lews Castle College	21	16	15	28	20
Moray College	224	156	146	138	163
Motherwell College	459	510	413	361	354
North Glasgow College	105	95	83	83	116

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 2a: The Total Number of Students Studying Science and Mathematics in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Headcounts).

Headcount

College	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Aberdeen College	236	262	189	180	227
Adam Smith College	344	235	350	311	378
Angus College	50	34	65	58	92
Anniesland College	46	42	193	184	204
Ayr College	137	121	64	73	69
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	151	774	726	612	204
Borders College	9	0	0	0	0
Cardonald College	528	660	719	575	435
Carnegie College	153	135	103	153	169
Central College Glasgow	69	39	37	35	35
Clydebank College	106	95	74	92	109
Coatbridge College	87	161	155	44	80
Cumbernauld College	17	0	19	0	0
Dumfries and Galloway College	91	105	59	55	36
Dundee College	295	295	204	192	186
Edinburgh’s Telford College	190	185	421	366	360
Elmwood College	21	9	3	18	28
Forth Valley College	516	575	621	592	510
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	51	76	72	71	10
Glasgow Metropolitan	0	144	290	180	212
Inverness College	26	122	70	50	20
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	832	905	1,408	1,470	1,002
Jewel and Esk College	29	58	70	60	67
John Wheatley College	0	0	0	0	6
Kilmarnock College	148	144	115	130	81
Langside College	303	339	279	244	343
Lews Castle College	1	11	9	20	18
Moray College	86	1,389	1,400	637	58
Motherwell College	178	172	304	248	197
North Glasgow College	96	104	83	99	109
North Highland College	133	152	198	237	234
Orkney College	16	1	6	6	12
Perth College	132	246	217	92	108
Reid Kerr College	115	98	127	130	119
Shetland College of Further Education	26	45	18	38	38
South Lanarkshire College	0	1	1	3	0
Stevenson College Edinburgh	236	472	502	632	550
Stow College	231	262	273	258	262
West Lothian College	92	154	191	141	56
Total	5,777	8,622	9,635	8,286	6,624

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 2b: The total Number of Students Studying Science and Mathematics in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (FTE).

FTEs

College	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Aberdeen College	194	178	110	99	97
Adam Smith College	103	90	76	79	84
Angus College	8	3	18	7	18
Anniesland College	10	10	20	20	20
Ayr College	97	64	49	49	51
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	4	11	12	11	12
Borders College	1	0	0	0	0
Cardonald College	210	246	344	344	222
Carnegie College	76	60	42	47	50
Central College Glasgow	35	39	37	35	35
Clydebank College	15	16	14	18	21
Coatbridge College	88	77	73	20	55
Cumbernauld College	4	0	4	0	0
Dumfries and Galloway College	9	13	7	4	2
Dundee College	131	117	108	99	91
Edinburgh’s Telford College	118	110	247	208	212
Elmwood College	4	1	1	6	3
Forth Valley College	156	167	111	131	142
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	3	4	4	4	1
Glasgow Metropolitan	0	17	27	18	21
Inverness College	16	42	31	38	4
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	294	328	277	222	211
Jewel and Esk College	2	4	5	4	4
John Wheatley College	0	0	0	0	4
Kilmarnock College	95	80	58	60	15
Langside College	237	259	246	207	280
Lews Castle College	0	2	2	2	3
Moray College	45	47	40	37	34
Motherwell College	19	19	83	76	54
North Glasgow College	25	38	30	29	32
North Highland College	20	37	38	52	70
Orkney College	1	1	0	0	0
Perth College	37	33	34	24	29
Reid Kerr College	42	39	34	42	38
Shetland College of Further Education	3	3	0	2	1
South Lanarkshire College	0	0	0	0	0
Stevenson College Edinburgh	99	118	102	256	227
Stow College	187	194	194	170	182
West Lothian College	27	21	23	12	6
Total	2,414	2,487	2,500	2,430	2,332

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 3a: The Total Number of Students Studying Engineering in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Headcounts).

College	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Aberdeen College	1,464	1,477	1,327	1,438	1,384
Adam Smith College	5,437	4,866	5,901	6,707	5,254
Angus College	492	550	711	541	666
Anniesland College	710	767	615	680	633
Ayr College	447	468	359	291	332
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	2,437	2,858	2,533	1,935	1,042
Barony College	18	11	2	8	5
Borders College	108	118	149	155	173
Cardonald College	82	95	94	125	142
Carnegie College	1,315	826	785	1,310	1,320
Clydebank College	887	878	841	758	709
Coatbridge College	307	426	429	339	279
Cumbernauld College	459	575	376	417	347
Dumfries and Galloway College	415	458	415	621	485
Dundee College	791	793	876	837	740
Edinburgh’s Telford College	306	260	331	259	407
Elmwood College	3	27	36	73	40
Forth Valley College	1,067	1,130	1,136	1,188	1,245
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	552	580	651	570	478
Glasgow Metropolitan	52	43	12	22	34
Inverness College	557	504	611	526	484
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	577	892	876	786	931
Jewel and Esk College	576	587	601	593	642
John Wheatley College	0	0	0	0	3
Kilmarnock College	534	530	458	524	607
Langside College	65	56	134	290	210
Lews Castle College	269	224	178	156	157
Moray College	140	263	195	135	91
Motherwell College	2,029	2,096	2,331	1,877	1,726
North Glasgow College	509	553	574	623	586
North Highland College	214	162	209	130	112
Oatridge College	23	4	83	74	19
Orkney College	0	14	5	5	0
Perth College	383	431	423	397	333
Reid Kerr College	808	861	857	610	431
Shetland College of Further Education	253	220	217	260	282
Stevenson College Edinburgh	750	731	788	749	680
Stow College	389	447	539	1,011	609
West Lothian College	404	370	456	340	346
Total	25,829	26,151	27,114	27,360	23,964

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Table 3b: The Total Number of Students Studying Engineering in Scotland’s Colleges by Institution: 2006-07 to 2010-11 (FTE).

College

FTEs

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

Aberdeen College	841	896	742	756	812
Adam Smith College	619	563	579	571	588
Angus College	172	193	193	171	169
Anniesland College	450	418	377	430	360
Ayr College	312	303	249	221	212
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	642	578	539	543	476
Barony College	0	0	0	0	1
Borders College	39	43	47	44	37
Cardonald College	48	63	70	91	96
Carnegie College	539	586	488	432	396
Clydebank College	344	357	375	384	396
Coatbridge College	107	147	165	135	127
Cumbernauld College	254	228	206	176	108
Dumfries and Galloway College	207	184	169	164	147
Dundee College	326	326	322	345	387
Edinburgh’s Telford College	208	153	190	178	176
Elmwood College	0	2	2	3	1
Forth Valley College	831	829	837	854	835
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	422	441	618	564	475
Glasgow Metropolitan	2	1	0	1	1
Inverness College	263	258	234	228	240
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	467	523	441	455	540
Jewel and Esk College	335	322	335	310	309
John Wheatley College	0	0	0	0	0
Kilmarnock College	281	226	224	180	217
Langside College	58	44	76	184	114
Lews Castle College	59	59	50	46	47
Moray College	62	71	49	73	51
Motherwell College	925	914	904	861	808
North Glasgow College	353	289	299	309	282
North Highland College	90	65	80	55	56
Oatridge College	0	0	30	28	19
Orkney College	0	0	0	0	0
Perth College	227	238	224	208	163
Reid Kerr College	273	268	297	315	293
Shetland College of Further Education	39	50	21	33	28
Stevenson College Edinburgh	251	230	355	346	280
Stow College	272	299	255	305	315
West Lothian College	179	127	120	112	125
Total	10,497	10,293	10,165	10,111	9,685

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Note: Places for subjects are not set in advance by the Scottish Government or the Scottish Funding Council; this is a decision for individual colleges.

Chamber and committees