Chamber and committees

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Enterprise and other key agencies on strategic issues, to ensure that their activities and resources are focused on the matters likely to make the most significant contribution to delivering sustainable economic growth. However, the Scottish Government is not involved routinely in detailed matters connected to the funding or refocusing of specific interventions. These are matters for the agencies themselves to determine, taking account of this overarching purpose and the need to optimise the value derived from their spend.

I refer the member to the question S3W-30783, answered on 27 January 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.

As an autonomous institution, the University of Edinburgh is responsible for managing its own estate. The Scottish Government does not have any role in such matters. From discussions with the Scottish Funding Council and the University, we understand that the estates strategy for the University of Edinburgh does not currently include plans to dispose of its Moray House School campus.

The following is the original answer (published on 27 January 2010); see below.

We understand from the Scottish Funding Council that the estates strategy for the University of Edinburgh includes plans over the longer term to dispose of its Moray House School campus. However, as an autonomous institution, the university is responsible for managing its own estate. The Scottish Government does not have any role in such matters.

The funding of specific provision within the higher and further education sectors is an operational matter for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

The SFC requires all institutions to make proper arrangements for financial management and accounting to ensure its funding is used in a manner consistent with the purpose for which it was provided.

We understand from the Scottish Funding Council that the estates strategy for the University of Strathclyde includes plans over the longer term to dispose of its Jordanhill College of Education campus. However, as an autonomous institution, the University is responsible for managing its own estate. The Scottish Government does not have any role in such matters.

We believe that the current legislation governing changes to bus timetables as administered by the Traffic Commissioner strikes the right balance between maintaining a stable network and allowing operators to adjust services to meet commercial needs. A strength of bus as a mode of transport is its ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances when compared to fixed route modes. We also welcome partnership working between operators and local authorities that leads to increased stability of networks.