Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2O-05549

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 24 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the number of pupils leaving school in Glasgow with no job to go to.

The National Qualifications framework offers all learners a range of vocational courses to help them prepare for employment. The present provision is being extended by the introduction of new skills-for-work qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds. In addition, Careers Scotland works in partnership with schools to achieve positive outcomes for young people making the transition from school to the labour market, with additional support programmes available to schools in areas of higher unemployment.

Question reference: S2W-13763

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it allocated to each local authority specifically targeted to assist them in the delivery of education services for refugees and asylum seekers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Question reference: S2W-13762

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of additional funding over the planned allocation was granted to each local authority specifically targeted towards delivering essential services for refugees and asylum seekers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004, expressed also in comparison with that allocated to local authorities in each year by the National Assembly for Wales.

Question reference: S2W-13764

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it allocated to each local authority specifically targeted to assist them in the delivery of social work services for refugees and asylum seekers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Question reference: S2W-13932

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it plans to invest in programmes to reskill and retrain refugees, broken down by local authority area.

Scottish Executive is considering what resources are needed in 2005 to helprefugees reskill and retrain in the future.

The Executive is working with key stakeholders (the Enterprise Networks, Jobcentre Plus and many others) to develop a framework for employability interventions which will enable individuals to access training for work, get into employment and to continue to develop their skills once in work.

In 2004-05 the Scottish Executive funded a total of £323,913 for a range of programmes, mainly in Glasgow where most refugees live, to help improve refugees’ employment prospects. Another round of funding for 2005-06 will be announced in spring 2005 which will include projects with a focus on reskilling and retraining refugees.

Question reference: S2W-13765

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 8 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it allocated to each NHS board specifically targeted to assist them in the delivery of health services for refugees and asylum seekers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

No additional funding has been allocated to NHS boards to assist in the delivery of health services for refugees and asylum seekers. Funds are allocated to NHS boards to meet the healthcare needs of their resident populations. It is for each NHS board to deliver services to its resident population, including refugees and asylum seekers, from these funds.

As part of the NHS Scotland’s Fair for All programme, NHS boards are specifically required to ensure that the services they provide are equipped to deal with the needs of ethnic minority communities, including refugees and asylum seekers. A National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health has been established with annual core funding of £330,000 to support the development of frontline services. A further £86,550 has been provided in the current year to allow the centre to develop a programme which specifically addresses inequalities in health provision to asylum seekers and refugees.

Question reference: S2W-13760

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 7 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its Fresh Talent initiative, how many expatriate Scots did not secure employment on their return to Scotland in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Question reference: S2W-13759

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 7 February 2005

Question reference: S2W-13758

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 7 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its Fresh Talent initiative, what type of employment expatriate Scots secured, broken down by profession, in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Question reference: S2W-13756

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 7 February 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive which police forces have their own diversity unit whose objective is to promote equality in the areas of sexual orientation, race, age, religion/faith, disability and gender issues.

All Scottish police forces are taking forward work on diversity. In April 2004, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) launched a Diversity Strategy for the Police Service in Scotland. This takes account of the dual role which the police have as both employer and service provider. The strategy provides a framework for developing and sustaining a diverse workforce within anenvironment which is both supportive and inclusive and offers direction to the service to support the development of a climate of equality and sensitivity in its service provision.

Each Chief Constable is to draw up a force action plan for the implementation of the Diversity Strategy at force-level and to report back to the ACPOS Diversity Standing Committee which will be monitoring the progress of each force against their respective action plans.