- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns of local book and map sellers that their support from tourist information centres could be more effective if stock control and competing demands on staff time in the centres were improved.
Answer
This is anoperational matter for VisitScotland.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans VisitScotland has to change its retail book and map-buying policy from one of local supply to central purchase; what benefits such a policy would achieve, and how it will ensure that local suppliers do not lose out as a result.
Answer
VisitScotlandalready sources locally books of particular interest, and will continue to doso. While procurement requirements contain no obligation for VisitScotland tocater specifically for local publishers, it nevertheless took great care in thepreparation of its recent procurement process for books and maps to ensure thatit could be open to both local and national suppliers, large and small.
Any main supplierappointed by VisitScotland would be expected to procure books and maps from awide range of sources, but VisitScotland intend to retain the option ofcontinuing to buy a range of local interest titles directly from localsuppliers, when that would be appropriate. This arrangement will allow itstourist information centres to continue to procure locally books, maps and,indeed, other merchandise of local interest; some of these may not be availablefrom other stockists. Through this process VisitScotland aims to offer localbooks and maps that some visitors wish to purchase, as well as maximising itseffectiveness through improved procurement, as required by government.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet representatives of local book and map sellers and whether it will discuss with them how VisitScotland can support them more effectively through the purchase of local books for sale in tourist information centres.
Answer
VisitScotland metwith Publishing Scotland recently on the matter of its tender process for booksand maps. The meeting sought to address issues raised by Publishing Scotland’smembers and led to a discussion on opportunities for better working andcommunication.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 16 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive who pays for autopsies carried out in cases where wildlife crime is suspected.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentpays for the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme, which is operated by the ScottishAgricultural Science Agency with autopsy assistance from the Veterinary Servicesof the Scottish Agricultural College.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1899 by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2007, what further consideration it has given to supporting deer farming through Common Agriculture Policy support schemes and when it will make an announcement on any decisions on this matter.
Answer
The issue ofsupporting deer farming through Common Agricultural Policy support schemes wasincluded in the recent consultation: Reform of the EU Fruit and VegetableRegime and Deer Farming: Proposed Changes to the Single Farm Payment Scheme. Followingclosure of the consultation (12 October 2007), considerationwill be given to the responses received.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1902 by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2007, whether it has held further discussions with the European Commission about including deer farmers in Common Agriculture Policy support schemes and, if so, what the results were of those discussions.
Answer
Although nofurther discussions have been held specifically about deer farmers, we did makesuccessful representations at the time of the June Agriculture Council thatwill allow us flexibility to operate the National Reserve within Scotland. This flexibility is reflected in our recentconsultation paper: Reform of the EU Fruit and Vegetable Regime and DeerFarming: Proposed Changes to the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with representatives of the deer farming sector and what was discussed.
Answer
There have been no meetingswith representatives of the deer farming sector since January 2007, butofficials have maintained informal dialogue.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the quality of education received by children with autism.
Answer
The Education(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004(the act) came into force in November 2005 with the aim of creating a stronger,better system for supporting children’s learning. The act aims to ensure thatall children and young people, including those with an autism spectrum disorder(ASD), are provided with the necessary support to help them meet theirindividual needs and to help them make the most of their education.
In light of both the National Autistic Society (NAS) Scotland’s makeschool make sense report and the Her Majesty's Inspectorate ofEducation (HMIE) report Education for pupils with autism spectrum disorders reportan autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Education Working Group has been establishedto take forward the recommendations in both reports. The membership of thisworking group includes representation from NAS, the Scottish Society for Autism(SSA), the HMIE autism advisory group and Initial Teacher Education providers. Theintended outcome of this group is the production of a resource pack/tool kitfor education authorities (EAs) which will include: strategic planning forfuture service provision; guidance on the information EAs should be publishingfor parents, and guidance to schools.
Through initialteacher education and continuous professional development we expect allteachers to be able to fully support children and young people with autism inour classrooms.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 1 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4002 by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007, what representations it has made to British Airways and Loganair Ltd and what the response was from the airlines.
Answer
My officials havebeen in close touch with Loganair and I shall raise the issue with the airline whenI meet them in October. We will follow up with British Airways in light of thatmeeting.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the lives of children with autism.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentworks collaboratively with voluntary sector organisations, service users and carersto develop and inform appropriate and responsive services for children and youngpeople with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This includes working with the nationalASD Reference Group to improve diagnosis, training and information provision andfunding projects to meet the diverse needs of children and adults with ASD. Thesepilot projects aim to inform service development across Scotland.
The ASD EducationWorking Group is taking forward the recommendations from Her Majesty’s Inspectorateof Education’s Education for Pupils with Autism Spectrum Disordersreport and the National Autistic Society Scotland’s make school make sense report. The intended outcome of thisgroup is the production of a resource pack for education authorities which willinclude: strategic planning for future service provision; guidance on the informationthey should be providing for parents, and guidance to schools.
The Education (AdditionalSupport for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on education authoritiesto identify, meet and keep under the review the additional support needs of allpupils, including those with ASD. In 2007-08, the Scottish Government is providing£44.7 million specifically for the implementation of the 2004 act, inclusion, andthe training and development of staff working with pupils with additional supportneeds.
