- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive in which European Council meetings its ministers have led the UK delegation since May 1999, broken down by (a) minister, (b) subject discussed and (c) decisions taken.
Answer
The following table providesthe information requested:
| Date, Council and Lead Minister | Subjects Discussed | Decisions Taken |
| 8-06-2000: Education Council: | 1. The future challenges and training objectives of education systems in the learning society. | 1. To establish the European Year of Languages 2001. |
| Nicol Stephen | 2. Report of education ministers to the Stockholm European Council in spring 2001. | 2. That education and training policies would play a key part in follow up of Lisbon European Council. |
| | 3. The e-learning initiative. | 3. Need for education ministers to feed into the Luxembourg Employment Process. |
| | Also Considered: | |
| | 4. Quality indicators and evaluation in school education. | |
| | 5. Recommendation on Mobility within the Community. | |
| 12-02-2001: | 1. Strategies for lifelong learning. | To adopt a report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems, and to discuss the work programme arising from the report at the next Education Council meeting. |
| Employment and Youth Council: | Also considered: |
| Nicol Stephen | 2. Community Action Programme. |
| | 3. Leonardo da Vinci. |
| | 4. European Year of Languages 2001. |
| | 5.Trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education. |
| 5-06-2001: | 1. The EU public health framework programme. | To include certain rare diseases in the scope of the public health framework programme, and to call on member states to build on existing work on surveillance and prevention of all Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies as they affect human health. |
| Health Council: Susan Deacon | 2. Misuse of alcohol by children and young people. |
| | 3. Proposals for a tobacco Advertising Directive. |
| | 4. Research and information exchange on vCJD. |
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to poultry farmers about avian flu.
Answer
The Scottish Executive firstpublished a Biosecurity Code of Practice aimed at all livestock keepers in November2002. Since then additional biosecurity guidance has been developed in specificdocuments which have been published in the context of avian influenza. On 21 Februarythe Executive published a document drawing this information together. In additionto being published on the Scottish Executive website and being made available tostakeholder groups, it has also been sent to poultry‑keepers who have registeredon the new Poultry Register.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 2 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has provided to local authorities to attract more cruise liners to visit Scottish ports.
Answer
Cruise liners bring a significantnumber of visitors to particular areas of Scotland during the year. While no specific support is available to local authoritiesto help them attract cruise liners, VisitScotland is commissioning research whichwill assess both the market and the economic benefits of cruise tourism to Scotland. The findings from this research should be availableby the middle of next year.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20812 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005, when an announcement on its position in respect of maternity pay for student nurses will be made.
Answer
Following consideration of the support available for these students, I decided that, with effect from September 2005, the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme should be amended to include a concession that will allow nursing and midwifery students to continue to receive support if they have to suspend their studies in certain circumstances. These circumstances can include where they have caring duties, long term illness or illness or other issues arising from pregnancy and childbirth.
This approach is consistent with the current arrangements in Scotland for all other undergraduates including allied health professions, medical and dental students. The Higher Education Institutions and the Students Awards Agency for Scotland have been notified of this change to the bursary scheme.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £89 million budget in 2005-08 for flood prevention and coastal protection has been allocated and to what projects.
Answer
To date, the Executive has committed £14 million to Edinburgh City Council for the Braid Burn flood prevention scheme and £1.066 million to Perth and Kinross Council for schemes at Weem, Milnathort and Earnbank. We are aware of other schemes under preparation that are likely to begin construction during the next two years.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 3 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether specifications for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts will enhance the standards of landscaping on and around the trunk routes in Aberdeen.
Answer
Enhanced standards of landscaping at locations on and around trunk routes in Aberdeen are being considered for inclusion in the specification details for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts.
Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding funding for a new hostel for boarders from Aberdeen City Music School.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has indicated, in response to correspondence from the council, that it should not look to the Executive for a specific capital contribution to fund such a facility. Our response also made it clear to the council that it should address capital requirements within the context of their overall school estate management plan, utilising whatever funding streams and permissions we make available through prudential borrowing, Schools Fund and PPP funding.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 31 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority will have to pay to settle any retrospective pay claims.
Answer
This information is not held centrally by the Executive. Local authority retrospective pay claims are a matter for the relevant local authorities themselves.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 31 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and local authorities regarding retrospective pay claims and what the outcomes were of any talks held.
Answer
I met COSLA leaders on 23 January to discuss a number of funding issues for local authorities, including the cost implications of the Single Status Pay agreement and retrospective pay claims.
These discussions will continue, however, I have already made clear that the Single Status Pay agreement was a matter between local authorities and unions in which the Executive played no part and therefore it is for local authorities themselves to consider the implications of agreements that they have negotiated with other parties.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 31 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to help local authorities meet the costs of any retrospective pay claims.
Answer
Local authority pay claims as a result of the Single Status Pay agreement are a matter for local authorities. Discussions between the Executive and COSLA on a number of funding issues, including the impact of retrospective pay claims are continuing.
