- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a selection process for the position of interim Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council took place.
Answer
Both vice-chairs, unofficial appointments which had been made by the council itself from among the members, were interviewed for the interim position.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appointment of Esther Roberton as Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council required ministerial approval.
Answer
Yes.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when and where the position of interim Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council was advertised.
Answer
The position was not advertised. The previous Chair tendered his resignation on health grounds with effect from the end of May 2001.In such circumstances guidance allows for an appointment to be made from within the existing members of the council.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the announcement of Esther Roberton's appointment as Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council was made.
Answer
16 November 2001.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appointment of Esther Roberton as interim Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council was approved by ministers.
Answer
Yes. By both myself and the First Minister.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 4 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a selection process for the position of Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council took place.
Answer
Yes, in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments guidelines.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 3 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into the experiences of young people who have left the care system.
Answer
In 1999, we commissioned the University of York Social Work Research and Development Unit to undertake a two-year study of the way local authorities in Scotland are discharging their duties and powers to promote throughcare and aftercare services for young people.The study is nearing completion. We would hope to publish the findings early in 2002.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 3 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of young people who left the care system in each of the past five years had gained (a) three or more standard grades at level 3 or above and (b) at least one higher certificate.
Answer
We have not previously collected statistical information on the educational attainment of young people in care. However, this will change from next year and data will be available in 2002-03. In addition, authorities will be required from next year to report on educational attainment of children in their care as one of their statutory performance indicators issued by the Audit Commission. Improvement to educational attainment is also a performance measure in the new National Priorities Framework.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 3 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to young people with multiple disadvantages to access job opportunities.
Answer
Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing organisations.The New Deal for Young People was the first plank of the Government's welfare to work programme. The initial period on the programme, called the Gateway, has been re-designed to allow earlier identification of issues which may prevent the young person from taking full advantage of the programme. Locally, the Employment Service have a number of initiatives designed to engage with unemployed young people who are suffering from various forms of disadvantage in looking for work. Assistance is also available to disadvantaged young people through the New Deal for Lone Parents and New Deal for Disabled People.The Training for Work (TfW) programme, although targeted at jobless adults aged 25 and over, also offers help to particular groups of young people seeking to develop their job related skills. These groups include young people aged 18 to 24 who are lone parents or who have a disability, including learning difficulties. Last year 402 young people joined TfW and so far this year 225 have participated in the programme.In addition, in Scotland, the New Futures Fund helps unemployed young people who are facing serious disadvantage, such as homeless and drug misuse, in looking for work. Through intensive support and guidance individual projects are funded through this programme to help young people overcome their disadvantage and move towards the labour market.Following the recommendations of the Beattie Committee Report the Scottish Executive provided an additional £22.6 million over the period April 2001 to March 2004 to career service companies to develop, manage and co-ordinate multi-agency inclusiveness projects to assist disadvantaged young people between the ages of 16 and 24 in seeking further education, training and employment.
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 3 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people who left the care system in each of the past five years were given advice and assistance under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, broken down by local authority.
Answer
There were around 3,800 children who left local authority care in the year to 31 March 2000.Under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 authorities must, unless they are satisfied the young person's welfare does not require it, advise, guide and assist young people living in their area who were looked after by a local authority when the young person ceased to be of school age or at any subsequent time up to the age of 19. This responsibility may continue up to the age of 21 if the young person so requests and the local authority agrees. The type of local authority support available can include assistance in cash or in kind and help with accommodation. Information is not held centrally on the numbers of young people who receive this assistance.
