I refer the member to question S2W-10846 answered on 4 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

As part of the normal process of inspection, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) consider the adequacy of provision for special educational needs, including that for autism. The Scottish Executive has commissioned HMIE to conduct a specific inspection of educational provision for autism across Scotland. This will take place over 2005-06 with some preliminary work starting later this year. It is a matter for the professional judgement of HMIE to determine how they conduct inspections. Further information on current proceduresis available at www.hmie.gov.uk.

The table below sets out the ethnic mix of applicants for vacancies in the Executive in each year since 1999, broken down by grade and expressed also in percentage terms.

	Total Applications Received	Applications received from Minority Ethnic Candidates
Year/Grade
1999
Band A	3,569	56
		1.60%
Band B	5,796	120
		2.10%
Band C	1,081	18
		1.70%
SCS	179	5
		2.8%
2000
Band A	3,084	35
		1.10%
Band B	3,109	119
		3.80%
Band C	1,397	34
		2.40%
SCS	519	0
		0.00%
2001
Band A	3,650	78
		2.10%
Band B	4,810	175
		3.60%
Band C	786	18
		2.30%
SCS	148	*
		*
2002
Band A	496	8
		1.60%
Band B	530	33
		6.20%
Band C	1,600	29
		1.80%
SCS	118	*
		*
2003
Band A	848	21
		2.50%
Band B	2,732	124
		4.50%
Band C	1,224	26
		0.90%
SCS	175	6
		3.43%
2004
Band A	81	*
		*
Band B	737	32
		4.34%
Band C	75	*
		*
SCS	860	16
		1.86%

Notes: *Figures marked with an asterisk cannot be published separately to preserve confidentiality.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) repealed parts of the Disabled Persons (employment) Act (NI) 1945. This means that there is no longer a register of disabled people.

The Scottish Executive asks applicants to self declare whether they have a disability and this information is recorded. The table below sets out the number of applicants applying for vacancies in the Scottish Executive since 1999 who have self declared a disability, broken down by grade and also expressed as a percentage of the total number of applicants.

Year/Grade	Applications
Total Applications received	Applicants Self Declaring a Disability
1999
Band A	3,569	139
		3.90%
Band B	5,796	95
		1.60%
Band C	1,081	12
		1.10%
SCS	179	0
		0.00%
2000
Band A	3,084	156
		5.10%
Band B	3,109	53
		1.70%
Band C	1,397	23
		1.60%
SCS	519	0
		0.00%
2001
Band A	3,650	176
		4.80%
Band B	4,810	87
		1.80%
Band C	786	9
		1.10%
SCS	148	*
		*
2002
Band A	496	21
		4.20%
Band B	530	14
		2.60%
Band C	1,600	20
		1.30%
SCS	118	0
		0.00%
2003
Band A	848	58
		6.80%
Band B	2,732	74
		2.70%
Band C	1,224	33
		1.20%
SCS	175	0
		0.00%
2004
Band A	81	6
		7.41%
Band B	737	30
		4.07%
Band C	75	0
		0.00%
SCS	860	5
		0.58%

Notes: *Figures marked with an asterisk cannot be published separately to preserve confidentiality.

The Quality Assurance in Initial Teacher Education document establishes a comprehensive and unitary set of benchmark statements which are the requirements of each programme of initial teacher education in Scotland. This is the standard for initial teacher education in Scotland.

The standard for ITE also sets a series of key principles and covers the curriculum, education systems and professional responsibilities, principles and perspectives, teaching and learning, classroom organisation and management, individual pupil assessment and professional values and personal commitment.

One of the benchmarks on teaching and learning sets the expectation that student teachers can demonstrate the ability to identify and respond appropriately to pupils with difficulties in, or barriers to, learning, including autism and can recognise when to seek further advice in relation to their special educational needs.

The Executive’s Diversity Strategy, launched in November 2000, set demanding targets for the recruitment of under-represented groups, including staff from a minority ethnic background. Progress towards these targets is set out in the table.

Scottish Executive Permanent Staff, Percentage and Numbers of Staff froma Minority Ethnic Background April 1999 to April 2004

	April 1999	April 2000	April 2001	April 2002	April 2003	April 2004	April 2005 Target **
SCS	*	*	*	*	*	*	1.7%
Band C	*	*	0.9% (7)	1.6% (13)	1.2% (11)	2.1% (21)	1.7%
Band B	0.4% (9)	0.4% (9)	0.4% (12)	1.5% (45)	0.9% (30)	1.4% (49)	1.7%
Band A	0.6% (16)	0.6% (16)	0.6% (18)	1.4% (40)	1.2% (35)	1.6% (45)	1.7%

Notes:

*Figures marked with an asterisk cannot be published separately to preserve confidentiality.

**As published in the Scottish Executive Diversity Strategy (November 2000).

The information requested is not collected centrally.

I refer the member to question S2W-10843 answered on 4 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

If a parent believes that an education authority is failing to discharge any of its duties under education legislation then they can make a complaint to Scottish ministers in terms of section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. If Scottish ministers are satisfied that the education authority has failed to discharge any statutory duty relating to education then they may make an order declaring them to be in default in respect of that duty and requiring them, before a date stated in the order, to discharge that duty.

If there is an allegation of negligent performance of any duties, whether common law or statutory, then recourse would be through the courts.

The SPCB does not maintaininsurance for this matter.

The Manual of Good Practice in Special Educational Needs identifies the key features of effective practice in developing Individualised Educational Programmes (IEPs) for children and young people with special educational needs, including autism. The manual can be viewed at

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/gpsenm-00.asp.

In addition, the Scottish Executive has funded extensive training on the development and use of IEPs through the Success For All project. The handbook, developed as part of the project, contains guidance on the key principles for planning, designing and implementing IEPs and for setting appropriate targets. The handboook and more information and guidance on IEPs can be found on the Learning and Teaching Scotland website at http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/inclusiveeducation/.