- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 27 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1925 by Mr Tom McCabe on 1 September 2003, whether the Care Commission will be responsible for ensuring that the European Convention of Human Rights is complied with at the Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre in all areas within its responsibility.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1626 on 12 September 2003. 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/webapp/search_wa.In addition, the nationalcare standards which the Care Commission must take into account in carrying outits duties include dignity, privacy, equality and diversity among their mainprinciples. If they had concerns in these areas they would raise this with theservice provider and copy that correspondence to the Home Office for theirinformation.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when it first became aware of the proposed extension to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre and whether there are any further plans to (a) extend or (b) make alterations to the centre which the Executive, or the planning authority, will require to be informed about.
Answer
The Executive became awarethat the Home Office was considering the expansion of Dungavel in February2003. We are not aware of any further plans to expand or alter the centre.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations regarding the impact of the proposed extension to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.
Answer
The Executive has not madeany representations on this issue.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2534 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 September 2003, whether it will raise the specific issue of fingerprinting and photographing of visitors to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre during its next contact with the Home Office.
Answer
I will raise this issue atmy next meeting with the Home Office.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2532 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 September 2003, whether it was given any indication that asylum interviews would be held in Glasgow again in the near future.
Answer
No such indication was givenby the Home Office.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with local residents who live near Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre about any responsibilities the Executive may have in respect of persons held at the centre.
Answer
The operation of Dungavel isa matter for the Home Office. The Executive has no such plans at this time.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with local residents who live near Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre about any representations it intends to make in respect of the centre.
Answer
The Executive has no suchplans at this time.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the resolution of the Parliament on 11 September 2003, it is now committed to advocating and lobbying for the end of the system of detaining children at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.
Answer
The issue of detainingchildren at removal centres is the responsibility of the Home Office. However,the Scottish Executive is discussing with the Home Office theimplementation of the HMCIP/HMIE report recommendations.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has consulted higher education stakeholders on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), in light of the conclusions of the Bologna follow-up seminar “Exploring the Social Dimensions of the European Higher Education Area” which expressed “the need for transparency in the GATS negotiations and that GATS negotiators should consult closely the higher education stakeholders”.
Answer
The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) has lead responsibility for all matters related to GATS on behalf of the UK, as the regulation of international trade is areserved area. Scottish Executive officials arranged an opportunity for representatives from the further and higher education sectors in Scotland to meet with DTI’s leading GATS negotiator in January this year to discuss matters related to education and the GATS. The initial EC offer issued on 29 April 2003 does not propose any new commitments for the education sectors and, as such, further meetings have not been required. DTI are in regular contact with the devolved administrations and other stakeholders on matters related to the GATS. This will continue as appropriate throughout the negotiating process.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on the position of higher education in the General Agreement on Trade in Services, in light of the statement by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture that only one third of European ministries have developed such a policy.
Answer
The Department for Trade andIndustry has lead responsibility on all matters related to the GATS as theregulation of international trade is a reserved area. The Department of Tradeand Industry consult with devolved administrations and other stakeholders at UK level forinput on matters related to education policy as appropriate. The Executivesupports the UK policy line that no commitments should be made underthe GATS which would undermine governments’ ability to fund or regulate public sectoreducation services. The European Commission’s initial GATS offer which was submittedto the World Trade Organization on 29 April 2003 fully protects public servicesand proposes no new commitments in relation to education, which includes highereducation, services.
With regard to privatelyfunded higher education services, the UK has already taken full commitments during the Uruguayround of GATS negotiations in 1993, with the exception of Mode 4 which relatesto the temporary movement of natural persons.
