Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-07653

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03795 by Michael Matheson on 15 November 2011, whether the revised arrangements for alcohol and drug partnerships are now in place.

There was a requirement for ADPs to be established by October 2010.

ADPs are responsible for developing local strategies for tackling the problematic use of alcohol and drugs that are based on: a robust assessment of needs in their area; a transparent, evidence-based process for agreeing how funds should be deployed; and a clear focus on the outcomes that this investment is achieving within their communities.

The delivery framework for ADPs, jointly signed by the Scottish Government, NHS and COSLA in April 2009, outlined the responsibilities of NHS boards, local authorities and the Scottish Government. It clarified the lines of accountability which operate between government and community planning partnerships (CPPs) on delivery of outcomes for problem alcohol and drugs use, namely; through Single Outcome Agreements and NHS performance management arrangements. The framework placed the delivery of action on problem alcohol and drugs use in a clear outcomes context and was accompanied by an outcomes toolkit to help support partnerships in working with an outcomes approach. This reflected the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report on Alcohol and Drug Services, published in March 2009.

Since 2010, the Scottish Government has been working in partnership with ADPs to strengthen governance and accountability arrangements by developing and agreeing a set of core ADP outcomes and indicators. We have now agreed, in consultation with ADPs, that as of summer 2012 there will be a requirement for the annual submission of delivery plans and annual reports. It is expected that ADPs will already be providing this information to their local CPP.

The ADP Planning and Reporting Guidance for 2012-15 has been agreed by the Scottish Government, COSLA and NHS Scotland, following recommendations from a short life working group of key stakeholders, and consultation with ADPs and others. This guidance aims to support the embedding of outcomes based planning and reporting at local level, helping ADPs to self-assess their performance (including benchmarking against other ADPs) and to articulate their contribution to their local Single Outcome Agreement, as well as contributing to a national picture of our overall progress in supporting alcohol and drug prevention, support and treatment. Improved information flows and visibility of ADPs will also help inform national strategies and decision-making by Scottish Government and COSLA.

ADPs are expected to develop three-year local Delivery Plans covering the period April 2012 - March 2015, copies of which are currently being shared with the Scottish Government. These plans should be updated annually.

A copy of each ADP’s Annual Report (covering 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012) should be provided to the Scottish Government by 30 June 2012.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/Alcohol/TandS/ADPPlanningReporting2012-15.

Question reference: S4W-07475

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the Yes to Growth campaign will run and what the end date will be.

Question reference: S4W-07476

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many little books of yes Scottish Enterprise has produced and how they will be distributed.

Question reference: S4W-07480

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the (a) development, (b) staff time, (c) web development, (d) publications and (e) materials for Scottish Enterprise's Yes to Growth campaign cost.

Question reference: S4W-07645

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged between 18 and 24 who have been unemployed for 12 months or more have a (a) degree or (b) further education qualification, broken down by local authority area and also expressed as a percentage of long-term youth unemployment in that area.

Unemployment levels for 16 to 24 year olds in Scotland are published by the Office for National Statistics on a monthly basis from the Labour Force Survey, covering rolling quarters. The latest monthly figures were published on 16 May covering the period January to March 2012.

The Annual Population Survey (APS) combines elements from Labour Force Survey samples across a full year with an additional boost, and is the preferred source for detailed breakdowns of youth unemployment estimates in Scotland.

The latest APS estimates, covering October 2010 to September 2011, indicate that there were approximately 19,000 people age between 18 and 24 who had been unemployed for more than 12 months in Scotland.

Due to small underlying survey sample sizes, it is not possible to provide reliable further breakdowns for this group e.g. by qualifications or local authority.

Question reference: S4W-07644

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 12 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason no Community Jobs Scotland opportunities have been advertised since 30 March 2012.

The first phase of Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) was a one year pilot scheme aimed at helping long-term unemployed young people aged 16 to 24 into employment. Funding straddled financial years 2011-12 and 2013-14 and young people were recruited until 30 March 2012 with places and associated employability training fully funded until December 2012.

In February 2012, I announced a continuation of Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) which will focus on unemployed young people aged 16 to 19 and recruitment for the new phase of CJS will begin in August 2012.

Question reference: S4F-00760

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the First Minister how many new jobs have been created as a result of the modern apprenticeship programme.

Question reference: S4W-07564

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will receive Barnett consequentials arising from the UK Government's announced £82 million in available support for young entrepreneurs in England and, if so, how it will allocate it.

The £10 million pilot study for the fund will apply to England only and is being funded from within current Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) baselines. Thereafter, depending on the success of the pilot, the rest of the £82 million will be rolled out over 2013-14 and 2014-15. Should any additional funding be provided by HM Treasury to BIS for the rollout, Barnett consequentials would be made available to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S4W-07412

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) MSPs, (b) MPs and (c) councillors have been invited to regional action forums on youth employment in their respective areas.

Question reference: S4W-07409

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how the £25 million funding to tackle youth unemployment that it announced on 9 May 2012 will be allocated and whether this will be before its youth employment strategy is (a) finalised or (b) published.

The Scottish Government is considering how best to use the £25 million to support youth employment announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment on 9 May. Proposals for allocating the funds will be agreed after the publication of the finalised Youth Employment Strategy. Proposals need to be approved by the ESF/ERDF Lowlands and Uplands Programme Monitoring Committee.