Chamber and committees

It is entirely a matter for home educators to decide how a child receives home education. Local authorities may, and often do, provide assistance to home educators with regard to teaching materials, although they are under no statutory obligation to do so. Authorities do have a duty to ensure that children who have been withdrawn from school continue to receive an efficient and suitable education and appropriate contact will be made to that effect.

Ministers have had no discussions with Westminster in respect of the report as it concerns changes to the provision of education in England and Wales and as such has no relevance to Scotland.

The number of job applications newly qualified midwives should make before applying to the One Year Job Guarantee Scheme is not specified in guidance. However, applicants may be asked by NHS Education for Scotland (who administer the scheme) to provide written evidence of up to three applications made, such as copies of application forms, letters and/or details of other contacts.

The number of newly qualified midwives who have applied to and received assistance under the One Year Job Guarantee Scheme since its inception is set out below:

One Year Job Guarantee Scheme - Midwifery

2002-03	22
2003-04	25
2004-05	7
2005-06	7
2006-07	23
2007-08	29
2008-09	43
2009-10 (to date)	32

 

All those who apply to the scheme receive assistance to find a job although the majority of newly qualified staff secure a job through their own efforts.

EventScotland, the national events agency, has met with representatives from Sail Inverclyde on three occasions to discuss ways in which the Tall Ships Races in 2011 could be supported when the event returns to Scotland, taking place between Greenock and Lerwick.

These discussions continue, although EventScotland has already committed to invest £25,000 in the Cruise in Company leg of the races. This is a non-competitive event with ships sailing from Greenock to Lerwick visiting ports along the Scottish coastline and within Scotland''s island communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31015 on 2 February 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Callers to the Energy Assistance Package helpline do not make an application as such. Where appropriate, the local Energy Saving Scotland adviser takes them through an assessment to determine whether they should be referred to stages two, three, and four of the package. On referral, their eligibility is then assessed by specialist advisors and responsibility for appeals passes to the different service providers.

Stage 2:

(a) EST Referral Process

The EAP advisor makes a preliminary assessment of eligibility before referring callers, as appropriate, to the Pensions Service, Citizens Advice Direct, or to their energy supplier. If a caller insisted on being referred for a benefits check or a social tariff check, the EAP advisor would refer them, even if it appeared that they were not eligible.

One person has complained to EST about social tariffs, but not about the referral process itself.

(b) Individuals Referred to Stage 2 Service Suppliers

The results of stage 2 referrals to the Pensions Service, Citizens Advice Direct, or energy suppliers, are only reported in summary statistics, not individual cases, due to data protection issues. Any appeals would be dealt with under the appeals process of the relevant organisation.

Stage 3

(a) EST Referral Process

If callers appear to be eligible for stage 3, but not stage 4, they are referred directly to energy suppliers, who will determine their eligibility for stage 3 measures. When callers appear to be eligible for both stages 3 and 4, they are referred directly to stage 4 for an eligibility survey. If it is found that they are not eligible for stage 4, they are referred to energy suppliers, who will determine their eligibility for stage 3 measures.

(b) Households Referred to Energy Suppliers for Stage 3 Measures

Any appeal would be dealt with under the appeals process of the relevant energy supplier.

Stage 4

(a) EST Referral Process

EST has had some complaints about not being referred to stage 4, but no formal appeals. In the case of such complaints, EST:

undertakes a full investigation of the client''s status regarding stage 4 eligibility and if not referred due to a disputed energy rating, offers a reassessment;

explains as clearly and sympathetically as possible why the household is not S4 eligible;

explains that their details can be stored so that if eligibility conditions are changed in future they can be contacted;

recommends that they should call again if there is a change to their circumstances or to their heating system;

assesses what other assistance may be available to them via stages 1, 2 and 3 and re-offers this if it has not been taken up initially, and

thanks the caller for their feedback, and lets them know that it will be recorded.

(b) Households Referred to Managing Agent

When households are referred to Scottish Gas, the managing agent for stage 4, they are offered an eligibility survey to assess both the eligibility of the household and the SAP rating of the dwelling. Of the households rejected following the eligibility survey, 599 have appealed. Of these, 529 have subsequently been accepted for stage 4 measures, for the following reasons:

- proof of household eligibility not provided at survey, supplied at appeal = 427;

- amendment to regulation meant that the dwelling, correctly assessed at the time of survey as ineligible, became eligible as being energy inefficient from 21 December = 69

- dwelling became inefficient post-survey = 33; various reasons recorded here, but most commonly that a Gas Safe Registered Engineer confirmed in writing that the boiler had broken down or been condemned.

Callers to the Energy Assistance Package helpline do not make an application as such. Where appropriate, the local energy adviser takes them through an assessment to determine their eligibility for stages two, three, and four of the package.

Up to the end of November, the helpline received enquiries from 30,981 households, with 47,716 people in 28,242 households taking up offers of help, including energy savings advice.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31012 on 1 February 2010 which contains the data requested. NHS boards have been advised that funding continues to be available to support the One Year Job Guarantee scheme for nurses and midwives 2009-10. This is a demand led scheme and requests for funding are still being received from NHS boards.

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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

To date, in financial year 2009-10, nine newly qualified midwives are being supported at a cost of £223,660. They have all been recruited by NHS Lanarkshire.