- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 11 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs would be of transitional arrangements for mature student teachers (a) currently in years 2, 3 and 4 of their Bachelor of Education degree course and (b) currently undertaking postgraduate courses, so that they will not be financially disadvantaged by any changes instigated under the McCrone settlement and when any such arrangements could be implemented.
Answer
The cost of transitional arrangements would depend upon their nature and to whom they would be paid. No such decisions have been taken. The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will meet on 31 January 2002 to give further consideration to salary placement regulations and transitional arrangements for those currently on courses of initial teacher education in Scotland.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 11 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation will take place regarding proposed revised placements on the salary scale for new teachers based upon their level of experience, what criteria will be applied to inform decisions on such placements and when any proposed changes will be made known.
Answer
New salary placement arrangements are being devised by the Conditions of Service Working Group of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). This body includes representatives of the Scottish Executive Education Department, local authorities and teacher organisations. All parties have received a significant number of representations on this issue and members of the SNCT met a delegation of mature students on 5 December 2001.New salary placement regulations are expected to be put before the next meeting of the SNCT on 31 January 2002 for consideration.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-18493 and S1W-18494 by Nicol Stephen on 22 November 2001 and to the Action Programme on the youth justice system referred to by the Minister for Education and Young People on 6 December 2001(Official Report, Col 4635), how the Action Programme and the recommendations made by the Report of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime will be (a) co-ordinated, (b) progressed and (c) funded.
Answer
The Action Programme will be co-ordinated and progressed by the Scottish Executive with the help of a multi-agency Youth Justice Steering Group. A three-year £23.5 million investment was made in early 2001 to implement the recommendations by the Youth Crime Advisory Group. The need for any additional funding will be kept under review.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-18493 and S1W-18494 by Nicol Stephen on 22 November 2001, how the national framework for tackling youth crime will relate to the "Action Programme" referred to by the Minister for Education and Young People on 6 December 2001 (Official Report, Col 4635).
Answer
The Action Programme provides a national framework for priority action over the coming year. It will cover the development of national objectives, standards and measures for youth justice practitioners and outcome measures for programmes.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been achieved by any Cabinet sub-committee dealing with children's services.
Answer
The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Children's Services met for the first time on Wednesday 19 December 2001, chaired by the First Minister. It discussed a range of issues relating to better integrated children's services and child poverty and agreed key priorities for the next 12 months. These include data collection, integrated assessment of needs, and the further development of partnership relationships between local government, the National Health Service and the voluntary sector.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 7 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funds will be made available for mental health services specifically for the provision of collective advocacy services; when any such funds will be made available, and how much any such funding is likely to be.
Answer
The provision of all forms of advocacy services are the responsibility of local NHS Boards and their local authority partners to support from within their existing allocations. This of course includes those with mental health needs. The recently published Renewing Mental Health Law Policy Statement recognises that NHSScotland and their local authority care partners should work together to provide support to "collective" advocacy groups. It is for these agencies to decide what support is needed in light of local circumstances.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 7 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide detailed guidance on the range and quality of writing that is to be internally assessed in the revised Higher Still assessment schemes in English and Communication.
Answer
This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority who provide guidance to centres.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 7 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to extend the definition of "text" in the Personal Study Component of the revised Higher Still in English and Communication to allow non-literary discourse in English and Scots.
Answer
This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority who provide guidance to centres about the requirements of courses.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 7 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to safeguard the role of Scottish literature in the revised Higher Still in English and Communication.
Answer
This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I endorsed the conclusions of the recent review of English and Communication which indicated that Scottish literature should remain a compulsory part of the course.
- Asked by: Irene McGugan, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-18493 and S1W-18494 by Nicol Stephen on 22 November 2001, whether all the recommendations in the Report of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime will be implemented in full and what the amended timescale is for such implementation.
Answer
We have already implemented most of the Youth Crime Advisory Group's recommendations. The Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002 to be published in January will set out how we intend to take this important agenda forward.
