- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any regulations in place on health and safety standards for youth and backpackers' hostels.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to health and safety matters.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how the use of digital technology in business is being encouraged.
Answer
In February 2000, Henry McLeish launched a series of initiatives to accelerate the uptake of e-commerce by Scottish businesses. These were the First Steps into E-Commerce workshops, Digital Advantage workshops, Ecomm2000 consultancy packages, a national e-promotion campaign, and the creation of a Director of E-Commerce at Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise also runs a Winners at the Web competition to highlight examples of best practice, organises high profile events such as E-Commerce week and offers advice and signposting through its own website. Highlands and Islands Enterprise offers a similar range of assistance including advice, seminars and workshops.The Executive was involved in the establishment of 10 local support centres in Scotland which provide the delivery mechanism for these initiatives. Most are now integrated within the Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is progressing digital inclusion initiatives for adults.
Answer
Through its Digital Scotland initiative, the Scottish Executive is working towards pervasive and affordable access to the web for people in Scotland. We are committed to achieving universal access to the web by 2005. We are promoting digital inclusion in Social Inclusion Partnerships
, including establishing a network of locally based ICT champions and supporting ICT facilities, in consultation with local communities and partners.Specific actions to ensure all people may take advantage of the opportunities that ICTs present are the Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) programme and the learndirect scotland initiative.The CALL programme is funded by the New Opportunities Fund. CALL has been established to engage more adults in learning at a community level by developing support for ICT access to information and learning opportunities. Some £23 million has been earmarked for spending in Scotland.People need to learn how to use new technology effectively if they are to feel comfortable with it and reap the benefits it offers. To that end, anyone, anywhere in Scotland can now get access to learning at a time and a place to suit them. The Executive's flagship for lifelong learning - learndirect scotland - has been operational since October, simplifying access to learning at all levels. Through its services anyone aged 18 or over can also register for an Individual Learning Account to help them pay for the learning they do. Discounts of 80% are available for basic IT skills courses to help adults grasp and exploit the opportunities that ICT presents.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is progressing digital inclusion initiatives for children.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is committed to major improvements in the ICT infrastructure in schools. Over £80 million has been made available to Scottish local authorities to develop the National Grid for Learning in schools which will ensure that all school pupils will have access to computers, the Internet and e-mail. Internet access is already available in 49% of primary schools and 97% of secondary schools, compared to 22% and 73% in 1998, and all schools will be connected by 2002.The Scottish Executive is also looking at how to provide broadband links to Scottish schools, so that pupils and teachers everywhere in the country will be able to benefit from equal access to e-mail, videoconferencing, high-quality educational materials and other resources and services.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult interested parties before issuing guidance on physical accessibility strategies for schools, as detailed in section 13 of Her Majesty's Government's Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill.
Answer
Unlike the other disability provisions of the UK Government's Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill, which are reserved, clause 13 is concerned with local authority organisation and management which is devolved. The clause will therefore not extend to Scotland. The Executive is considering how best to introduce similar provisions here.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 3 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8630 by Henry McLeish on 31 July 2000, what progress has been made in discussions with telecommunications companies on plans for the provision of broadband technology.
Answer
Officials in the Executive undertook a round of informal discussions with telecommunications companies on their plans for the provision of broadband technology. Further consultations have recently taken place at a UK level. We are in close contact with Whitehall departments to ensure co-ordination of policy.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether fiscal fines are included in the crime statistics.
Answer
All crimes and offences recorded by the police are covered in the published statistics on recorded crime, including those which result in a fiscal fine. Totals of the number of criminal reports concluded by way of a fiscal fine are given in the annual Scottish Executive Justice Department statistical bulletin on criminal proceedings in Scottish courts and also in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Annual Report. Information on the numbers of fiscal fines paid is included in the annual statistical returns made by the district courts.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 14 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of Procurators Fiscal in Glasgow and to monitor the impact of any increases in workload within the criminal justice administration system.
Answer
The number of Procurators Fiscal in Glasgow has increased over this year, with three additional deputes. A further depute and five precognition officers have just been added to the structure and will be in place by early January. The resource planning process which will set staffing levels and other resource allocations from April 2001 onwards is under way, and will be completed early next year. During that process current and projected workload statistics, including an increase in reports of serious crime in Glasgow, will be carefully taken into account.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 December 2000
To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to ensure that the business sector has telecommunications technology of the highest specification available to it.
Answer
The Scottish Executive recognises the high importance of ensuring businesses have access to the telecommunications they need to help them achieve maximum competitiveness. This will largely be achieved through the promotion of competition.There are, however, actions falling to the Executive which may contribute. These will include building on public sector demand for higher bandwidth services to encourage the spread of appropriate infrastructure. The Executive is now in discussion with UK departments on these issues.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what input black and ethnic minority communities will have to the inquiry to be led by Dr Raj Jandoo to review liaison with victims' families in the justice system in the light of the experience of the Chhokar family.
Answer
It will be for Dr Jandoo to determine the extent and form of the input that he seeks during his inquiry. I understand he intends to consult with representatives of the ethnic minority communities and his remit requires him to consult with the Chhokar family and their representatives and the Commission for Racial Equality.