- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what process or procedures need to be followed to allow the drug, low dose naltrexone (LDN), to be offered more widely to people with multiple sclerosis.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31365 on 24 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.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 11 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage children to swim.
Answer
This government firmly believes it is important that our young people have the opportunity to take part in swimming. We have increased investment into Scottish Swimming from £818,000 in 2007-08 to £1.3 million in 2010-11. The biggest ever single investment by sportscotland in a Scottish governing body of sport.
We have also provided Scottish Swimming with additional funding of £100,000 over two years to 2011 to support the appointment of two Healthy Living Managers to implement and deliver a healthy living strategy.
Since 2007 this government through sportscotland have invested over £8.4 million in swimming facilities. Our recent announcement of £5.5 million for the development of swimming pools and facilities in Fife and Tayside and our £5 million commitment towards a new 50m pool in Aberdeen, demonstrates this government''s commitment to increase participation in this sport.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 9 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans ministers have to replace the Graduates for Business scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Government is spending £3.5 million through the Scottish Funding Council in this academic year to support skills and employability initiatives focused on work-related learning and placements; entrepreneurship, and workforce development.
The closure of the existing Graduates for Business Scheme, which was administered by Scottish Enterprise, followed an independent evaluation which highlighted concerns about geographic coverage and the consistency of the programme. I therefore welcome Scottish Enterprise''s plans to have an alternative programme in place by the end of June that will address these issues and deliver even better value for money.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-30829, S3W-30830, S3W-30831 and S3W-30832 by Adam Ingram on 26 January 2010, what additional support needs advocacy service will be available to parents between July 2010 and the start of the autumn term.
Answer
Ministers are still to decide in the light of proposals which are currently being developed for the new national advocacy service to support parents and young people in Tribunal proceedings under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 5 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-30829, S3W-30830, S3W-30831 and S3W-30832 by Adam Ingram on 26 January 2010, whether ministers are aware of the support that organisations such as Independent Special Education Advice give parents and children with additional support needs over the summer months.
Answer
Yes.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support local newspapers and the cultural contribution that they make to Scotland’s communities.
Answer
The Scottish Government values the contribution made by local newspapers to Scotland''s communities and is committed to helping them survive and prosper in a time of immense change for the industry.
We are paying close attention to the responses we have received to the consultation on the future of Public Information Notices and will pay particular attention to the views expressed by Parliament last week. The consultation closes on 12 February 2010.
On the same day, Jim Mather will host an event for local newspapers to explore some of the challenges and opportunities which currently confront the sector. In addition, we will, of course, take very serious account of the findings of the inquiry into local newspapers being carried out by the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 4 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent the closure of Castle Toward as a residential facility for outdoor pursuits and courses in the expressive arts.
Answer
It is for Argyll and Bute Council to consider what the best interests and actions are in relation to Castle Toward. I understand that the council and Actual Reality, the operator, have held positive discussions about the reopening of the facility and its future ownership.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 4 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers are considering the inclusion of a compulsory modern languages component in initial teacher training.
Answer
The implementation of Curriculum for Excellence will increasingly make different demands on Scotland''s teachers and it is timely that we consider whether our existing arrangements for teacher education and development are best suited to developing the flexible, creative, learner centred teachers we need in the longer term; that is why we have set up the Donaldson Review.
The out‘going Senior Chief Inspector of HMIE has been commissioned to conduct a wide ranging review of teacher education and development. The review will start later this month and report towards the end of the year.
The scope of the review will be wide - nothing has been ruled out. The Scottish Ministers will consider the review''s recommendations in due course.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees of Scottish Enterprise will be affected by the decision to withdraw the Graduates for Business scheme.
Answer
I understand that no Scottish Enterprise employees will be affected by the closure of the Graduates for Business scheme, the administration of which was contracted to Glasgow Opportunities and Midlothian Enterprise Trust.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 4 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the number of teachers receiving Modern Languages in the Primary School training.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31088 on 4 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.
