- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication in May 2007 of HM Treasury’s consultation on the distribution of dormant funds, whether it has taken action to ascertain the true value likely to be apportioned for spending in Scotland.
Answer
We are in close discussionwith the UK Government and the other devolved administrations about the precisearrangements to be put in place to collect and distribute money in dormant bankaccounts. The overall sum likely to be collected is not known with any certaintybut we are confident that a fair share will be available to Scotland.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication in May 2007 of HM Treasury’s consultation on the distribution of dormant funds, what representations ministers are making to ensure that unclaimed assets identified in Scotland stay in Scotland to the benefit of the community and voluntary sector.
Answer
We are in close discussionwith the UK Government and the other devolved administrations about the precisearrangements to be put in place to collect and distribute money in dormant bankaccounts. The overall sum likely to be collected is not known with any certaintybut we are confident that a fair share will be available to Scotland.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 27 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with volunteering infrastructure bodies to ensure that it receives value for money.
Answer
The Scottish Executivefunds only Volunteer Development Scotland and the network of 32 volunteer centresas volunteering infrastructure bodies.
Value for money isensured by the agreement of a business plan, a sound grant application andon-going monitoring. Regular meetings are held with volunteering infrastructurebodies to discuss a range of topics, including best use of resources.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the demographic breakdown is of those entering the Project Scotland programme.
Answer
ProjectScotland isa company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims and objectivesare to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the population in Scotland by encouraging and assisting young people to providetheir skills and services voluntarily to charitable organisations.
ProjectScotland seeksto match the demographic pattern of its volunteers to that of the population atlarge.
Full information aboutthe work of Project Scotland is available from its Chief Executive at 49 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the national coverage of Project Scotland is and how this is determined.
Answer
ProjectScotland isa company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims and objectivesare to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the population in Scotland by encouraging and assisting young people to providetheir skills and services voluntarily to charitable organisations.
ProjectScotland placesits volunteers in areas and placements they choose. ProjectScotland seeks to operatein all parts of Scotland.
Full information aboutthe work of Project Scotland is available from its Chief Executive at 49 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are significant hot spots or slow areas for referral in relation to Project Scotland.
Answer
ProjectScotland isa company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims and objectivesare to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the population in Scotland by encouraging and assisting young people to providetheir skills and services voluntarily to charitable organisations.
ProjectScotland placesits volunteers in areas and placements they choose. No formal analysis of variationin placement by area has been carried out.
Full information aboutthe work of Project Scotland is available from its Chief Executive at 49 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase the punishment part of life sentences.
Answer
There is no statutory limit onthe length of a punishment part of a life sentence. The period imposed is a matterfor the sentencing judge and is the period which he or she considers appropriateto satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence. The punishment part isappealable both by the defence and by the Crown.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to increase statutory sentences for those convicted of serious and violent crime.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentkeep the sentencing limits for those statutory offences which are devolved underregular review. A substantial proportion of serious and violent crime in Scotland is prosecuted under the common law: this includes murder, culpablehomicide, rape and serious assault. There are no limits on the penalties that maybe imposed for common law crimes, other than the sentencing powers in the courtin which the offender is prosecuted.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 9 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools will benefit from the free school meals pilot scheme in each pilot scheme area.
Answer
The following tablesets out the total number of schools that could be involved in the free schoolmeals trial in each of the selected local authorities.
| Local Authority | Schools |
| East Ayrshire | 54 |
| Fife | 148 |
| Glasgow City | 198 |
| Scottish Borders | 65 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 35 |
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 9 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many school pupils will benefit from the free school meals pilot scheme in each pilot scheme area.
Answer
The following tablesets out the approximate total number of pupils that could be involved in thefree school meals trial in each of the local authorities taking part, though some of these pupils will alreadybe entitled to free school meals.
| Local Authority | Pupils |
| East Ayrshire | 3,860 |
| Fife | 11,210 |
| Glasgow City | 16,270 |
| Scottish Borders | 3,540 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 2,860 |
