Chamber and committees

The use of drift nets was prohibited in Scotland in 1962. Drift nets continue to be used off the West Coast of Ireland and off the North East Coast of England. It is estimated that of fish caught by the latter, 80% would have been destined for Scottish rivers. It has also been estimated that 40% of all Tweed fish caught are taken in the NE Coast drift net fishery.

Salmon netting rights are private heritable titles. In recent years exploitation by nets has markedly decreased. For example, netting effort decreased by 83% between 1975 and 1999.

The Scottish Executive has no plans to phase out these nets.

The number of salmon and sea trout taken in nets is recorded in the annual Statistical Bulletin prepared by the Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Small quantities of flounders and plaice may also be caught as well as, less frequently, lumpsucker, grey mullet and mackerel. The numbers of these fish are not recorded.

Estimates suggest that the west coast grey seal population increased by around 34% between the surveys undertaken in 1989 and 1998. The last two surveys of the west coast common seal population were carried out during 1988-1994 and 1996-97. In the intervening period, this population is estimated to have increased by around 19%.

I refer to the answer to question S1W-8696 which set out this information in detail.

Working with Children: A Guide to Qualifications, and Careers in Early Education, Childcare and Playwork published by the Scottish Executive Education Department in January 2000, describes different occupations, including that of nursery nurse, within the sector. It also presents a framework of qualifications available to nursery nurses and other workers. A copy of the document is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 6621).

Other relevant information is given in 'Childcare: The Training Challenge, An Action Plan for the Training and Development of Workers in Early Education, Childcare and Playwork' published by the Scottish Executive Education Department in July 2000. This sets out how the Executive intends to work with other bodies to help expand the workforce, widen training opportunities and enhance the quality of training. The Plan makes clear that it is for employers to provide suitable occupational outlets for those holding advanced qualifications. To support the Action Plan, £3.9 million will be available to local authorities and other bodies over this and next financial year. A copy of the document is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 7138).

The Scottish Executive set out its proposals for the regulation of early education and childcare in Regulation of Early Education and Childcare: The Way Ahead published in May. Providers will have to meet National Care Standards focusing on the quality of care but some input requirements, for example on staffing, will remain. The paper set out the intention to move to a fully qualified workforce but to retain in the short term the requirement that at least half of staff should hold an appropriate qualification. A range of qualifications is relevant including those leading to use of the term "nursery nurse". For pre-school education, we intend to repeal the relevant regulations of the Schools (Scotland) Code and introduce a system of guidance covering teacher involvement from the beginning of academic year 2001-02.

The Department does not collect data on the number of early education and childcare workers (often termed "nursery nurses") employed across the full range of local authority services. At September 1999, there were 4,103 full-time equivalent qualified early education and childcare workers employed in local authority pre-school education centres and partner pre-school education centres in the private and voluntary sectors.

Meeting Children's Education Needs: The Role of Staff and Staff Development by Christine Stephen, Sally Brown, Peter Cope and Steve Watherhouse of Stirling University was commissioned by the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department in 1997. It examines the roles of staff (including nursery nurses) working in pre-school provision in the voluntary, private and local authority sectors. A summary of the research can be found in Pre-school Educational Research: Linking Policy with Practice, published by the Scottish Executive Education Department in 1999, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 4023).

In addition the Scottish Executive has recently commissioned a wide-ranging workforce survey which will provide detailed information on those working in early education and childcare, including their qualifications.

The Scottish Executive intends that the proposed Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will regulate all providers of early education and childcare and that Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools will continue to inspect on a periodic basis.

Currently, those holding an SVQ 3 in Early Years Care and Education or an HNC in Childcare and Education are generally considered as nursery nurses. This is not expected to change. It is for individual employers to deploy staff appropriately to achieve quality standards and to meet staffing requirements. Employers are also best placed to judge additional training requirements for members of staff, including nursery nurses. This will not change when the proposals set out in The Way Forward for Care: A Policy Position Paper and Regulation of Early Education and Childcare: The Way Ahead are implemented. The ending of the statutory specification of teacher: pupil ratios in local authority nursery schools and classes will not of itself entail changes to the job role or training of nursery nurses.