- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the project to redevelop Parliament House in Edinburgh.
Answer
A comprehensive review of the options for the redevelopment of Parliament House has been underway since December 2004, when the project was halted. The Scottish Court Service has now agreed an interim approach, which involves criminal appeal business moving from Parliament House to the nearby building at Lawnmarket, and other criminal business being accommodated in Lawnmarket and Edinburgh Sheriff Court. This will ensure better security arrangements for criminal business in the short term, and will enable backlog maintenance and upgrade work to continue in Parliament House itself. An announcement on the long-term plan for Parliament House will be made in due course.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nora Radcliffe on 19 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what support it gives to parliamentary appointees to resist political pressure.
Answer
The SPCB is not aware of what is meant by political pressure.
In any event, the legislation establishing the various offices provides that Crown appointees are not subject to the direction or control of the SPCB, any member of the Scottish Executive or any member of the Parliament.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nora Radcliffe on 16 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what avenues are open to parliamentary appointees to refer to the Parliament for assistance.
Answer
There are no specific avenues provided for under the legislation for appointees of the Crown nominated by the Parliament to refer to the Parliament for assistance.
Provision does, however, exist in the legislation establishing the various offices for officeholders to lay annual reports before Parliament. It is open to the office holders to determine what is included in the reports, subject to the statutory provisions.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nora Radcliffe on 16 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what avenues are open to parliamentary appointees to refer to the Parliament approaches made to them seeking to influence their decisions for political ends.
Answer
Crown appointees are independent officeholders and should be able to deal with any such approaches by having a robust policy in place.
Provision does exist in the legislation establishing the various offices for officeholders to lay annual reports before Parliament. It is open to the office holders to determine what is included in the reports, subject to the statutory provisions.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nora Radcliffe on 16 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what measures are in place to protect parliamentary appointees from political pressure.
Answer
To ensure their independence and to protect them from any political pressure the legislation establishing the various offices provides that crown appointees are not subject to the direction or control of the SPCB, any member of the Scottish Executive or any member of the Parliament.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the subjects previously offered in the vocationally based Highers and Advanced Highers now being withdrawn will be taught within any other Higher or Advanced Highers offered in schools.
Answer
The Scottish Qualifications Agency (SQA) has not yet made any announcement concerning the withdrawal of specific National Courses. However, it is anticipated that the SQA will shortly be communicating with all centres to provide an update on the development of the catalogue of National Courses. This letter will explain how the SQA intends to develop a dynamic portfolio of qualifications which meet the needs of Scottish learners.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 15 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14458 by Mr Tom McCabe on 15 March 2005, what the 40 capital projects referred to in the answer are.
Answer
The 40 major projects referred to in the reply to S2W-14458 are:
30 trunk road construction projects
One railway project (Airdrie to Bathgate Rail Link)
Seven IT – enabled business change projects for the Executive (including e-RDM, e-HR, systems integration and server maintenance)
One building project for Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency at Gartcosh
One estate development project at Jordanhill School
Details of the projects and ministerial responsibility are included in the following table:
| Programme/Project | Ministerial Responsibility |
| Trunk Roads | |
| A9 Crubenmore Extension | Enterprise And Lifelong Learning |
| M80 Stepps-Haggs (Phase 1) Low Wood | “ |
| M80 Stepps-Haggs (Phase 2) Auchenkilns -Haggs | “ |
| M80 Stepps-Haggs (Phase 3) Moodiesburn Bypass | “ |
| A876 Kincardine Bridge | “ |
| A90 Balmedie - Tipperty | “ |
| A68 Pathhead –Tynehead Junction | “ |
| A75 Dunragit Re-Alignment | “ |
| A75 Hardgrove - Kinmount | “ |
| A90 Glendoik Interchange | “ |
| A90 Kinfauns Interchange | “ |
| M74 Raith Interchange | “ |
| M8 Baillieston – Newhouse and Associated Development | “ |
| A77 Symington And Bogend Toll | “ |
| A9 Ballinluig Junction | “ |
| A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass | “ |
| A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route | “ |
| M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh | “ |
| M74 Completion | “ |
| A80 Auchenkilns Junction | “ |
| M8 Whitecart Viaduct | “ |
| A898 Erkine Bridge –All Phases | “ |
| A830arisaig to Loch Nan Uham | “ |
| M8 Kingston Bridge Stobcross On Ramp | “ |
| M74 Raith Bridge | “ |
| A96 Coachford Climbing Lane | “ |
| A9 Helmsdale Phase 1 | “ |
| A77 Dutch House to Bog End Toll (Inc Symington) | “ |
| A9 Kincraig to Dalraddy Carriageway Widening | “ |
| A9 Helmsdale Phase 2 | “ |
| Rail | |
| Airdrie Bathgate Rail Link | Transport |
| It | |
| Systems Integration | Finance and Public Service Reform |
| Supply Of ICT Contractors | “ |
| Server Maintenance | “ |
| Electronic Records and Document Management | “ |
| Electronic Human Resources | “ |
| Ssi Broadband | Enterprise and Lifelong Learning |
| Scottish Schools Digital Network | Education and Young People |
| Building | |
| Project For Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency At Gartcosh | Justice |
| Estate Development | |
| Project at Jordanhill School | Education and Young People |
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed analysis was carried out prior to the decision to withdraw up to 20 vocationally-based Highers and Advanced Highers from the school year beginning in 2006.
Answer
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has a statutory responsibility to keep under review and to develop its qualifications portfolio. SQA has developed a set of criteria for reviewing “low uptake” subjects – this policy has been endorsed by the National Qualifications Steering Group which is made up of representatives from across the educational sector. A summary of this policy is available to download from SQA’s website (
www.sqa.org.uk) – this outlines the criteria and sets out the position on retaining courses which have particular cultural, economic, social or political value.
The SQA has not yet made any announcement concerning the withdrawal of specific National Courses. However, it is anticipated that SQA will shortly be communicating with all centres which deliver courses to provide an update on the development of the catalogue of national courses. This letter will explain how SQA intends to develop a dynamic portfolio of qualifications which meet the needs of Scottish learners.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed analysis was carried out prior to the decision to offer within the school system the vocationally-based Highers and Advanced Highers which are now being withdrawn and whether this analysis identified a demand.
Answer
The current system of National Qualifications was introduced by the Higher Still Development Programme in 1999, and involved extensive consultation with stakeholders from across the educational spectrum. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has not yet made any announcement concerning the withdrawal of specific National Courses. However, it is anticipated that the SQA will shortly be communicating with all centres to provide an update on the development of the catalogue of National Courses. This letter will explain how SQA intends to develop a dynamic portfolio of qualifications which meet the needs of Scottish learners.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation there has been with industry and further education colleges prior to the withdrawal of vocationally-based Highers and Advanced Highers.
Answer
The Scottish Qualifications Authority’s (SQA) low uptake policy has been agreed by key strategic groups (such as the National Qualifications Steering Group, the SQA Qualifications Committee and the SQA Advisory Council) which include representatives from industry and the further education sector. The SQA has not yet made any announcement concerning the withdrawal of specific National Courses. However, it is anticipated that the SQA will shortly be communicating with all centres to provide an update on the development of the catalogue of National Courses. This letter will explain how the SQA intends to develop a dynamic portfolio of qualifications which meet the needs of Scottish learners.
