Chamber and committees

The information requested isnot held centrally.

The National Farmers Union forScotland and the then, Scottish Landowners’ Federation were represented at a workshopheld in October 2001 to discuss the findings of Scottish Executive research entitledPotential Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in Scotland. Since thisworkshop, we have disseminated widely, including to representatives of Scottishfarmers, the findings of a number of climate change research projects, includingClimate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom. 

In common with other sectorsin Scotland, one of the threats to farmers is an increased risk of flooding and,in recognition of this, the Scottish Property and Business Association (formerlythe Scottish Landowners Federation) was invited to sit on the Executive’s NationalTechnical Advisory Group on Flooding Issues.

Audit Scotland andthe Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) both produce reports on wastedata. The reports can be accessed at the SEPA website, http://www.sepa.org.uk/publications/wds/index.htmand the Audit Scotland website, http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pubs2004.htm.

The target for recycling andcomposting 25% of municipal solid waste by 2006 applies to Scotland as awhole, rather than individual local authorities. Audit Scotland figuresshow that in 2002-03 Scotland recycled 9.6% of such waste.

This information is not heldcentrally. The environmental regulation of landfill is a matter for the ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency.

The capital allocations madeavailable by the Executive to local authorities for work associated with implementationof the contaminated land regime that came into force in 2000 are shown in the table.

Year	Total Allocations (£ Million)
2000-01	1.5
2001-02	3.7
2002-03	4.5
2003-04	5.0
2004-05	5.0

 

These resources are primarilyintended to assist local authorities carry out activities such as site investigationand remediation where the owners of the land cannot be traced or cannot pay forthe work or where the council owns the land. In addition, a further £3.9 millionwas issued to 15 local authorities in December 2002 for specific projects aimedat cleaning up derelict and contaminated land which was causing public health risksor blighting communities.

The Scottish Environment ProtectionAgency has been given additional Grant‑in‑Aid to cover revenue expenditureincurred in operating the contaminated land regime. 

In conjunction with the UK Governmentand other devolved administrations, SEPA, the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forumfor Environmental Research, the UK Climate Impacts Programme and other stakeholders,we are constantly reviewing the programme of climate change research that we commission.Arising from this process we have set in hand research on understanding the roleof agricultural and other land uses on greenhouse gas emissions from Scotland’s soilsand are also working with the UK Government to take forward a number of climatechange adaptation research projects.

The Executive carried out a reviewof its Agricultural and Biological Research Strategy in 2003, which involved extensiveconsultation with stakeholders. Climate change research needs will be reflectedin the new research strategy for 2004-08, which will be published later this year.

Adaptation policydevelopment is informed by a number of Executive research studies and the latestUK climate change scenarios. The Executive isworking closely with the UK Government and the UK Climate Impacts Programme to developa comprehensive adaptation strategy to ensure that Scotland is prepared for thethreats that are posed by climate change. Many of the strands of that strategy arenow in place and we shall report further in our review of the Scottish Climate ChangeProgramme later this year.

Yes. The new school census collectsinformation on the number of teachers teaching Gaelic or able to teach throughGaelic medium. This information will be used to give a more accurate picture offuture changes in the teacher population in all of these areas. The Executive’sannual teacher vacancy survey, and the places offered by local authorities inthe Teacher Induction Scheme, will also be used to inform the teacher workforceplanning exercise of future local authority requirements.

In 2003-04 there were 1,972and 284 pupils in Gaelic-medium education at primary and secondary levelrespectively.

The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

Ann an 2003-04 bha 1972 agus284 sgoilear ann am foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig aig ìrean bunsgoile isàrd-sgoile fa leth.

Legislative provision is inplace to ensure that education authorities have continual regard to the expansionof Gaelic-medium education (GME). The Standards in Scotland’sSchools etc. Act 2000 requires education authorities to prepare and publishannual statements of improvement objectives and these must include an accountof the ways in which, or the circumstances in which, they will provide GME. Whereeducation authorities do provide GME, they must give an account of the ways inwhich they will seek to develop their provision. I announced steps in September2003 to encourage education authorities to improve further their planning ofGaelic medium education through the 2000 Act:

education authorities havebeen given a clear reminder of their duty to address Gaelic medium education intheir annual statement of improvement objectives and progress reports, and of the Executive’s expectation that they will do so.

education authorities havebeen asked to establish thresholds against which they will assess parentaldemand for Gaelic medium education within their area.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig and theManagement Review Group of local authorities have been invited to establish ajoint sub-group to review the performance measurement against which Gaelicmedium education development is measured.

I take the advancement ofGaelic medium education very seriously. I will not hesitate to use my powers toissue statutory guidance under the 2000 Act if the further development ofeducation authority improvement plans in relation to Gaelic medium educationdemonstrates that is needed.

The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

Tha ullachadh reachdailsuidhichte gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil diù leantainneach aig ùghdarrasanfoghlaim dha meudachadh foghlaim tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig (GME) Tha AchdInbhean ann an Sgoiltean na h-Alba 2000 a’ cur riatanas air ùghdarrasanfoghlaim aithrisean bliadhnail le amasan leasachaidh ullachadh isfhoillseachadh is feumaidh cunntasan air na dòighean no na suidheachaidheananns an tabhainn iad GME a bhith annta sin. Far a bheil ùghdarrasan foghlaim a’tabhann GME feumaidh iad cunntas a thoirt air na dòighean anns an tèid ant-ullachadh sin a leasachadh. Dh’fhoillsich mi ceumannan anns an t-Sultain 2003airson ùghdarrasan foghlaim a bhrosnachadh gus tuilleadh adhartas a thoirt airplanadh foghlaim tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig tro Achd 2000:

thathas air fios soilleir athoirt dha ùghdarrasan foghlaim mun dleastanas ann a bhith a’ dèiligeadh rifoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig nan aithris bhliadhnail air amasan leasachaidhis cunntasan adhartais, agus mu shùileachadh an Riaghaltais gun tèid sin adhèanamh.

chaidh iarraidh airùghdarrasan foghlaim stairsichean a stèidheachadh ris an tomhais iad iarrtasanphàrantan co-cheangailte ri foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig taobh a-staigh ansgìre.

chaidh iarraidh air Bòrd na Gàidhlig is air Buidheann Stiùiridh (MRG) nan ùghdarrasan ionadailco-fho-bhuidheann a stèidheachadh gus ath-bhreithneachadh a dhèanamh air antomhais-coileanaidh ris a bheilear a’ tomhais leasachadh ann am foghlam tromheadhan na Gàidhlig.

Tha ùidh mhòr agam ann anadhartachd foghlaim tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Cha bhi mi mairnealach ann abhith a’ cur m’ ùghdarras an gnìomh gus stiùireadh reachdail fhoillseachadh foAchd 2000 ma sheallas tuilleadh leasachaidh ann am planaichean adhartaisùghdarrasan foghlaim co-cheangailte ri foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig gubheil feum air a leithid.