- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 16 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive which events it will be directly represented at as part of the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union.
Answer
Several hundred events and meetings will take place throughout the UK and in Brussels and Luxembourg during the United Kingdom’s Presidency of the European Union. The Scottish Executive will be directly represented at the 30 confirmed events taking place in Scotland on which information is available on the Executive website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/InternationalRelations/Europe/Page10. Final decisions have not yet been taken on which of the other events will have direct Scottish Executive representation.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 16 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive at which events Scottish ministers will be present as part of the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union.
Answer
The following table provides details of the events taking place in Scotland during the UK Presidency of the European Union, which Scottish ministers currently plan to attend. Final decisions on Scottish ministerial attendance at other events taking place during the Presidency have not yet been taken.
| Event | Dates |
| European Social Services Conference: Partnership and Performance in Social Care and Health in a Changing Europe | 4 - 6 July 2005 |
| Heads of Agencies Human and Veterinary Medicines Meeting | 13 - 14 July 2005 |
| 3rd World Youth Congress | 30 July – 8 Aug 2005 |
| The European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference | 29 Aug -2 Sep 2005 |
| Policing with Young People Conference | 5 - 7 Sept 2005 |
| Chief Veterinary Officers Informal Meeting | 6 - 9 Sept 2005 |
| Informal Meeting of EU Fisheries Directors | 7 – 9 Sept 2005 |
| International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Annual Science Conference | 19 - 25 Sept 2005 |
| COREPER II Informal Meeting | 22 - 24 Sept 2005 |
| European Technical Working Group on Credit Transfer in Education | 22 - 23 Sept 2005 |
| EU Nature Directors Meeting | 5 - 7 Oct 2005 |
| European Forum on Architectural Policies | 13 - 15 Oct 2005 |
| EU Poverty Round Table Conference | 17 - 19 Oct 2005 |
| EU Employment Committee (EMCO) | 18 - 19 Oct 2005 |
| EU Social Protection Committee | 18 - 19 Oct 2005 |
| Transport Meeting on Public-Private Partnerships | 19 - 21 Oct 2005 |
| Civil Justice Conference | 24 - 26 Oct 2005 |
| Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) Policy Committee Meeting | 9 - 10 Nov 2005 |
| Confronting Demographic Change Conference | 28 - 29 Nov 2005 |
| UK Committee of the Regions (CoR) Annual Meeting | 5 Dec 2005 |
| European Judicial Network (Criminal) | 5 - 7 Dec 2005 |
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to contribute to the UK Government's national reform programme under the European Commission's revised Lisbon strategy and, if so, what form this contribution will take and whether it will be made public.
Answer
In accordance with existing practice, the Executive will contribute to any UK consultation exercise relating to the revised Lisbon strategy and national reform programme.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it will consult in the preparation of a national reform programme, or in contributing to the UK national reform programme, under the European Commission's revised Lisbon strategy.
Answer
The Executive consults regularly with key stakeholders through various forums, ensuring that all views are represented. Many of the reforms necessary to meet the Lisbon objectives have already been through a consultation process in Scotland and the UK as part of their implementation. Any new commitments will follow a similar process in accordance with normal government practice.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce and publish a national reform programme under the European Commission's revised Lisbon strategy independently of the UK Government.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will not produce or publish a separate national reform programme relating to the revised Lisbon strategy.
The UK position on economic reform is consistent with that of the Executive. The refocus of the Lisbon Strategy towards growth and employment aligns policy priorities in the EU with those that currently exist in the UK and in Scotland. The Executive’s priorities are outlined in the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland and A Smart, Successful Scotland.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 11 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16063 by Mr Tom McCabe on 27 April 2005, on what date individuals will be able to apply for visas under the Fresh Talent initiative.
Answer
The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be launched in summer 2005 and students will be able to apply immediately the scheme in launched.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 11 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16063 by Mr Tom McCabe on 27 April 2005, what the position is in respect of students who complete their studies prior to the launch of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme in summer 2005 and whether these students will be able to remain in Scotland until the scheme is launched and, if so, whether they will be able to remain in Scotland whilst their applications are being considered.
Answer
The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be launched in summer 2005 and students who successfully complete a Higher National Diploma (HND), undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree up to 12 months prior to launch will be eligible to apply under the scheme and can remain in Scotland until their existing leave to remain/enter the UK expires or while their application is being processed. Students who graduated more than 12 months before the scheme is launched will not be eligible to apply for the scheme. However, it will be open to them to seek further leave to remain under one of the other UK managed migration categories.
Students who graduate from summer 2005 may apply to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme from within Scotland prior to expiry of their leave to remain/enter or choose to return home and submit an application within 12 months of completion of their studies.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its commitment in its financial services strategy, Success, to "develop a scorecard approach" to monitor competitiveness against international benchmarks, when this scorecard will be developed, produced and published.
Answer
The scorecard approach will be developed over the course of this year and will be published once an approach has been agreed with the Financial Services Advisory Board.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its commitment in its financial services strategy, Success, to "develop a scorecard approach" to monitor competitiveness against international benchmarks, who will audit the scores.
Answer
The Financial Services Advisory Board will monitor and audit Scotland’s relative performance. Wherever possible, material will be drawn from the public domain so that anyone with an interest will be able to assess its quality.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its commitment in its financial services strategy, Success, to "develop a scorecard approach" to monitor competitiveness against international benchmarks, who will carry out the scoring exercise.
Answer
The work will be carried out by members of the Financial Services Advisory Board and its implementation group, drawing in external expertise where necessary.
