Chamber and committees

In December 2008, the European Commission published its Communication An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training. The Scottish Government has been in regular contact with the UK Government on proposed revisions to the Education and Training 2010 work programme. A revised framework covering the period to 2020 will be adopted by the Education Youth and Culture Council on 11 to 12 May.

Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with, amongst others, officials in Northern Ireland to discuss matters relating to the Cross Border Cooperation Programme.

In addition to routine meetings of the Programme Monitoring Committee, the Programme Steering Committees and the Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Group in which there is Scottish, Northern Irish and Irish Government representation, recent discussions have taken place on funding arrangements for approved projects and criteria for future project applications.

The Scottish Government is entirely supportive of the Small Business Act for Europe. We responded direct to the European Commission''s consultation on the EU Small Business Act providing examples of devolved activity in Scotland, and are in broad agreement with the UK Government position. Scottish Government Officials maintain regular contact with the lead Whitehall Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in respect of implementation of the EU Small Business Act.

Yes, officials from the Business Enterprise and Energy Directorate of the Scottish Government will attend the EU Finance Day for small and medium-sized enterprises event in London on 30 June 2009.

Scotland''s industrial museums do excellent work in preserving and allowing access to this important part of our heritage. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of these museums both locally and nationally. I look forward to discussing the work of the industrial, and other, museums at a summit I intend to hold in May.

Funding for non-national museums, including industrial museums, is routed through Museums Galleries Scotland. Planned funding for Museums Galleries Scotland in 2010-11 is £3.109 million. £600,000 of this is ring-fenced for the Scottish Mining, Maritime and Fisheries Museums. Funding for 2011-12 cannot be considered until the outcome of the next spending review is known.

Funding is available from Historic Scotland and local authorities, amongst others. Eligibility depends on the criteria which apply to the particular funds.

The Scottish Government funds Museums Galleries Scotland to work with museums across Scotland, including industrial museums, on their development and business planning and their financial requirements. Museums Galleries Scotland are working with the industrial museums on an on-going basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22065 on 31 March 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

North Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP) has been allocated a total of £106,000 for Safer Streets projects over the last three festive periods, which comprises £40,000 in 2006-07, £40,000 in 2007-08 and £26,000 in 2008-09. The CSP distributed this funding across a range of activities, based on local needs and priorities, for example high visibility policing activities to support the targeting of drink driving, provision of Safe/Night Zones to reduce risks for users of the night-time economy, youth events and taxi marshal schemes.

Taxi marshal schemes received a total of £13,750 out of the Scottish Government''s Safer Streets funding.

The Scottish Government is currently gathering information to gauge the impact of the Safer Streets initiative, including taxi marshals, based on evaluation reports produced by local authorities. Police and local authority reports suggest that these schemes have had a significant positive impact on reducing disorder around taxi-queues and in town centres over the festive period.