Chamber and committees

In common with otherpriority subjects, GM students who have undertaken previous postgraduatediploma level study are eligible for student support, where they otherwisewould not be.

To maximise GM student entryto courses of initial teacher education, Aberdeen University in partnershipwith Highland Council have introduced a primary part-time distance learningcourse where a number of students will graduate able to teach in GM. StrathclydeUniversity with Lewis Castle College are planning on piloting a similar coursefor GM teachers in 2004-05. The Executive welcomes these initiatives whichwiden access by providing GM teachers the opportunity to train in their localarea.

The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

Tha an àireamh thidsearan atha comasach air teagasg tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig (GM) fhathast naphrìomhachas. A’ comharrachadh a’ phrìomhachais seo, chan eil stiùireadh bhoRiaghaltas na h-Alba is maoineachadh bho Comhairle Mhaoineachaidh FoghlamÀrd-ìre na h-Alba, air casg a chur air àireamhan oileanach a tha comasach airteagasg ann an GM bho bhith air an gabhail airson trèanadh thidsear. Athuilleadh air sin, tha na h-Oilthighean a tha an sàs taiceil nan seasamh anco-cheangal ri tagraichean a tha comasach air teagasg GM a dhèanamh le bhith a’toirt agallamh dhaibh uile.

Mar ann an cuspaireancudthromach eile, tha oileanaich GM a th’ air rannsachadh for-cheum aig ìredhioplòmasaich a dhèanamh, airidh air taic oileanaich, far nach fhaigheadh iadsin ann an suidheachaidhean eile.

Gus innteart oileanaich GMgu cùrsaichean tòiseachaidh trèanadh thidsear os-mheudachadh tha Oilthigh ObarDheathain ann an com-pàirteachas le Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd air cùrsabunsgoile pàirt-ùine aig astar a thoirt a-steach, bhon ceumnaich grunnoileanach a bhios comasach air teagasg GM a dhèanamh. Tha Oilthigh SrathChluaidh còmhla ri Colaiste a’ Chaisteil an dùil dearbhadh a dhèanamh air cùrsaco-chosmhail dha tidsearan GM ann an 2004-2005. Tha an Riaghaltas a’ cur fàilteair na h-iomairtean sin a tha a’ leudachadh inntrigeadh le bhith a’ toirt a’chothroim dha tidsearan GM trèanadh fhaighinn nan sgìrean fhèin.

The following table shows the lengths in kilometres of non-trunk road dual carriageway within each local authority area.

Further information on thelengths of public roads can be found in Tables 5.1 and 5.2 of ScottishTransport Statistics No 22, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29044).

Such decisions would betaken centrally taking account of (a) or (b), but also such matters as competingdemands and budgetary considerations.

Total budgets are notavailable for each prison but are determined centrally and figures are onlyavailable from 2000-01, when £1.6 million was spent. Total SPS expenditure inthe succeeding years was £2.0 million in 2001-02 and £2.3 million in 2002-03.

They are the outcome of thecontractual negotiations with SPS’s education providers over the five yearperiod of the contracts which take into account such factors as basic skills assessment,individual learning plans or the prisoner learning that can be afforded.

The Executive is providing£1 million in this and each of the next two financial years to help localauthorities improve their HMO licensing systems and ensure that all existingHMOs are licensed. As part of the process of setting objectives for the use of thisfunding, each authority was asked to estimate the number of licensable HMOs intheir area. The total of these estimates was 18,312. However, this should onlybe taken as a rough indication of numbers, as the robustness of the estimate foreach local authority area depends on the level of identification activitycarried out to date. It will also include all those HMOs owned by public bodiesand social landlords. Effective identification of all HMOs in the localauthority area is the first objective for the additional funding.

The annual number of HMOlicences in force, broken down into various categories, is published in the Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin Housing Trends in Scotland forthe last quarter of each year, which is available in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre. Buildings converted into flats are not considered HMOs,provided each flat is self-contained and has its own kitchen and bathroom.

NPPG17 is underreview and the intended replacement, draft Scottish Planning Policy 17 (SPP17),has been issued for consultation. This document makes clear the importance ofdevelopment proposals contributing to safe, convenient and attractive cyclenetworks. Planning Advice Note 57 (PAN57) provides good practice guidance onhow that policy can be achieved.

The draft SPP17also requires a developer’s assessment of a proposal’s transport implicationsto consider cycling, walking and public transport.

The policy andguidance documents referred to above are all in the public domain. Developers,planning authorities and the Scottish Executive Inquiry ReportersUnit  (which is the Scottish equivalent to the Planning Inspectorate) shouldrefer to them during the development of proposals and in the making ofdecisions.