- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage more young people to study science and technology subjects.
Answer
The Executive is preparing a Science Strategy which will cover science education. We have also revised guidelines on Science and Technology within the 5-14 programme and made a wider range of technology courses available through the Higher Still programme.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken by the Scottish Arts Council to promote the creative industries.
Answer
This week the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Enterprise announced their Creative Industries Company Development initiative, an exciting joint programme, delivering a total of £120,000 in support of small Scottish-based record companies and book publishers.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 15 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what it intends to do to support the work of the Scottish Council for Research in Education.
Answer
The Scottish Executive have agreed a service level agreement with the Scottish Council for Research in Education for research and related services on behalf of the Executive until 31 March 2003.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the regulation of bus services and whether it will consider creating a Scottish bus watchdog and customers' council, on the same lines as regulators of rail, water and other services.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's proposals for the improvement of bus services in Scotland are contained in the document The Integrated Transport Bill - The Executive's Proposals published on 10 February 2000. We are currently considering what may be the most appropriate arrangements for securing bus user representation.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will send copies of all consultation documents to each Scottish Parliament partner library.
Answer
Yes. All partner libraries have direct access to all Scottish Executive consultation documents though the Internet. The Scottish Executive will also provide hard copies of consultation documents to any partner libraries which request them.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the development of anti-racist education since the publication of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report and whether it will include a provision to promote equality of opportunity in the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Bill.
Answer
Increasing social inclusion and tolerance is already an important aim for all schools. To help schools evaluate of their practice in combating discrimination and achieving equality of opportunity, HMI and South Ayrshire Council together published, in February 1999, A Route to Equality and Fairness: a self evaluation guide using performance indicators.The Executive will shortly be funding a project aimed at providing all teaching staff with materials to support more effective delivery of anti-racism education.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 17 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is putting in place to ensure family friendly employment practices operate within the NHS.
Answer
A Guideline Development Group (GDG) has been set up under the auspices of the NHS in Scotland Partnership Forum to develop principles and practices on family friendly policy issues together with model policies for use Scotland wide. The GDG is expected to report in the first half of the year.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 3 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to review nursery nurses' pay, conditions and career structure to ensure that these are commensurate with and appropriate to the qualifications, skills and duties required by their employment.
Answer
The pay and conditions of nursery nurses are the responsibility of their employers, whether local authorities or operators in the private and voluntary sector; and as such are determined through local pay bargaining.
The Executive is working with the early years sector to develop the careers structure for nursery nurses and other staff in early education, childcare and playwork. To date, this work has included:
- The establishment of an Early Years National Training Organisation;
- The development of a new qualification suitable to senior practitioners;
- Improved careers information.
The Executive will bring forward proposals for further action later in the year.
- Asked by: Cathy Peattie, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 25 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the elimination of age discrimination in relation to personal loans and other banking facilities.
Answer
Legislation on equal opportunities and the regulation of financial services are both reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is working with the Scottish financial institutions to encourage the promotion of more inclusive practices.
