Chamber and committees

This information is not heldcentrally. Individual fire and rescue authorities and joint fire and rescue boardsinclude target attendance times within their Integrated Risk Management Plans, whichare subject to wide consultation before they are implemented. Individual fire andrescue services are required to publish annual performance data in respect of responsetimes.

The purpose of the new dimensionprogramme in Scotland is to improve overall fire and rescue service capabilityand resilience to deal with major incidents, including terrorist-related incidents,and relatively less serious incidents which may occur. The programme has been establishedas a collaborative exercise between the Scottish Executive, as providers of appropriateequipment, training and support, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Authorities, asemployers of the staff to deploy the new resources in addition to their existingduties. This approach has been agreed with Chief Officers of all Scottish fire andrescue services.

The Scottish Executivecontinues to support this project by providing the necessary funding for two dedicatedstaff members within HM Fire Services Inspectorate. These staff co-ordinate andmanage the programme, including a planning and training liaison role with fire andrescue services, training establishments, emergency service partners and on relevantnational working groups.

This information is not heldcentrally.

We have been undertakingfurther work in respect of the issues raised in response to the consultationexercise on this issue. Ministers are considering a number of options and Iwill report the conclusions to Parliament in due course.

Recruitment and retention ofstaff is primarily a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities and jointfire and rescue board. The Scottish Executive provides central funding, supportand guidance. This has included two independent research programmes on issues affectingstaff on the retained duty system, including recruitment and retention. The resultingreports were publicised in 2002 Retained Auxiliary and Volunteer Firefightersin the Scottish Fire Service by the Central research Unit, and in 2003 Part-timeFirefighters by Scottish Executive Social Research, and can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Fire/15130/1027.

We have indicated in the Fireand Rescue Framework for Scotland 2005 that we will work with Fire and Rescue Authoritiesto implement the report’s recommendations.

The framework also states thatwe expect part-time staff to be given the same opportunities as their whole timecounterparts to participate in the Integrated Personal Development System and undertakedevelopment programmes commensurate with the requirements of individual fire andrescue authorities.

HM Fire Services Inspectoratefor Scotland is currently reviewing progress and identifying areas of best practicein the wider use of part time staff in all eight Scottish Fire and Rescue Servicesas part of their performance inspections arrangements.

Monthly information is not held or required centrally until the annual report is sent to the Executive from participating local authorities on 31 January 2006. As part of the grant process associated with the implementation of the antisocial noise regime, we are provided with a quarterly progress report from those local authorities which have introduced the service which, among other things, contains information on statutory action taken. The following table gives the number of fixed penalty notices issued in the first two quarters of this reporting year by the relevant authorities.

Local Authority	Fixed Penalty Notices Issued
	April to June 2005	July to September 2005
Aberdeen	1	8
Angus	0	0
Dumfries and Galloway	0	4
East Ayrshire	0	0
East Lothian	0	0
East Renfrewshire	0	0
Edinburgh	4	10
Falkirk	0	0
Glasgow	0	6
Inverclyde	0	0
Midlothian	0	0
North Ayrshire	0	0
North Lanarkshire	0	0
Renfrewshire	0	0
South Ayrshire	0	0
South Lanarkshire	0	0
West Lothian	0	0
Total	5	28

 

 

Information on the number ofworkers, split by public and private sector, who have left Scotland foremployment elsewhere is not held centrally.

This information is not heldcentrally.

This information is not heldcentrally.

The Scottish Executive has askedall Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas posts to advise us of any St Andrew’sDay events they are aware are happening in their country. We will make that informationavailable to you once we have received it. We are offering support to all FCO postsby making marketing materials available for use at events.

The First Minister will be sendinghis annual message to all FCO posts to be read not only at all FCO sponsored eventsbut events attended by Ambassadors and High Commissioners.

We are aware of the followingevents taking place:

(a) The Embassy in Dushanbe,Tajikistan, (Central Asia),the Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia and the Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia are holdingSt Andrew’s Day receptions.

(b) The event in Dunshanbe willbe used to mark the opening of the Residence, by inviting local expatriates, Non-GovernmentOrganisation’s (NGO’s) and other embassies. The others will also invite GovernmentMinisters, NGOs, expatriates and others.

The Scottish Executive are involvedin a St Andrew’s Day Ceilidh being held at The Hub, Edinburgh. The Scottish Executivewill provide support on branding and marketing. Posters will be circulated to universitiesto encourage international students to attend.