- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what local authorities are meeting set targets in the S1 and S2 curriculum in science, modern languages and writing and what steps it will take to address any problems highlighted by the number of local authorities failing to meet their targets in these subject areas.
Answer
Targets for S1 and S2 attainment are set for reading, writing and mathematics but not for science and modern languages. Progress against each of these targets, by authority, are detailed in the publication
Raising Standards - Setting Targets, Setting Targets in Scottish Schools National and Education Authority Information 1999 published by HMI Audit Unit in December 1999.
The framework for setting targets in secondary schools to raise levels of achievement in numeracy and literacy has offered a clear focus for improvement for schools and authorities which will help improve ability and raise attainment in these subject areas.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 1 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to simplify and speed up the process of creating a record of need; whether it is satisfied that equivalent cases are treated consistently by different local authorities, and whether the current length of time involved in creating a record of need is acting as a deterrent to parents in general and poorer parents in particular.
Answer
In their response to the Riddell Report in autumn 1999, Ministers set up a National Special Educational Needs Advisory Forum under the chairmanship of Peter Peacock, Deputy Minister for Children and Education. At its inaugural meeting on 28 March, the forum agreed that its initial priority would be to examine the whole Record of Needs process, including the issues to which the question refers.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to conduct a multi-modal corridor study covering the A82 between Anniesland and the Erskine Bridge and the A814 between Finnieston and the Erskine Bridge.
Answer
No. The A82 between Anniesland and the Erskine Bridge and the A814 between Finnieston and the Erskine Bridge are not trunk roads and are the responsibility of the relevant local authorities.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial and technical criteria are used in determining the best value for money solutions for specific schemes needed to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994.
Answer
The Scottish Water Authorities use a range of criteria in determining the best investment solutions for constructing schemes to serve their customers needs, including those schemes needed to meet the requirements of the 1994 Regulations.
These will include financial and technical criteria, but clearly other issues will also come into play, including planning and environmental considerations. At the top end of those projects necessary to meet Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requirements, are PFI/PPP projects. These are subject to rigorous scrutiny and assessment by the water authorities, using extensive guidance prepared by HM Treasury Taskforce for this purpose. However, the main criterion here is that of a demonstrable saving in project costs over the Public Sector Comparator.
In relation to those schemes which are undertaken directly and funded by the water authorities, the approach generally will be to identify the solution which offers best value for money, using a number of criteria. Scoping exercises will be undertaken to identify possible sites; assessments made of the environmental advantages and disadvantages of the sites, including cost considerations. Some sites will then be chosen for further detailed study, resulting in the identification of a preferred site.
Experienced contractors will then be invited to submit tenders for the required facilities, and that which best satisfies the criteria will be selected. The water authorities have to be satisfied that the requisite statutory standards can be achieved; that the project can be completed in a manner compatible with wider environmental considerations; and that the facilities will offer the most effective long-term cost.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 22 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many child deaths in the past five years were caused by (a) heroin and (b) methadone.
Answer
The information available is given in the table below.Deaths involving certain drugs, persons aged under 16, Scotland
| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
(a) heroin (including morphine) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
(b) methadone | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Notes:
1. The table gives the numbers of deaths where the drug specified was recorded as being present at the time of death, either alone or in combination with one or more other drugs. When a number of drugs are identified in a body it is not always possible to tell which of them made the major contribution to death.
2. For the overwhelming majority of cases where morphine has been identified in post-mortem toxicological tests, it is believed that its presence is a by-product of heroin.
3. The information for 1999 is provisional.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 19 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it submitted a response to the consultation document by Her Majesty's Government on the main regulations relating to Part (vi) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 19 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions have taken place with local authorities and other interested parties regarding the delivery and management of services which local authorities could be contracted to provide asylum seekers and their dependants.
Answer
This is a matter between the National Asylum Support Service and a consortium of Scottish local authorities.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 19 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it had in the development of the criteria used to determine to which areas asylum seekers and their dependants are sent in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 19 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what translation services are currently available to assist the successful induction of asylum seekers and their dependants into host communities.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6473.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 19 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure the adequate provision of specialist legal advice to asylum seekers and their dependants.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6473.
