- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 18 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it has used to encourage expatriate Scots to return to Scotland to live and work and what funding has been provided in relation to any such measures.
Answer
Fresh Talent has identified returning Scots as a particular target group who could make an important contribution to Scotland’s economic and social future. We are therefore taking forward promotional activities to encourage such individuals to consider returning to Scotland. The Relocation Advisory Service is also available to assist returning Scots in making the move back to Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 16 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many training seminars have been organised by Work Permits UK and the Executive for Scottish employers in the last year.
Answer
There were no training seminars promoting the work of Work Permits UK organised by Work Permits UK and the Executive for Scottish employers in the last year. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14915 on 14 March 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 16 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13040 by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005, why the Public Defence Solicitors' Offices (PDSO) percentage share of the Edinburgh Sheriff Court plan was reduced to 28% when, according to a letter from the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to agents dated 24 December 2004, the PDSO's share would be reduced to 25% as a result of discussions between SLAB and the Edinburgh Bar Association on 22 December 2004; who made the decision to change the percentage share; when and to whom this decision was intimated, and what action it will take to ensure that the percentage share remains as it was discussed and agreed with the Edinburgh Bar Association.
Answer
The difference in percentage shares of the Edinburgh Sheriff Court plan arises from the issue of whether court days or court slots (of two or three days, either midweek or over a weekend) are used in the calculation.The Scottish Legal Aid Board had no intention of substantively altering the percentage share mentioned in the letter of 22 December 2004. In the light of subsequent discussions, however, the board has now further reduced the PDSO’s allocation by 12 days. A revised duty plan has been sent to the Edinburgh Bar Association for approval.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any direct input into or influence on the UK Government's contribution to the G8's Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14893 on 9 March 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken as a result of recommendations made by the G8's Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative (SAFTI).
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14893 on 9 March 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what influence or direct input it will have on the UK Government's contribution to the G8 summit's discussions on the G8's Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative (SAFTI).
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14805 on 9 March 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 14 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many exhibitions have been organised in Scotland by Work Permits UK (WPUK) in the last year in order to promote the work of WPUK to Scottish businesses and employers.
Answer
Work Permits UK (WPUK) promoted legal employment routes in Scotland in the last year by inviting Scottish employers and immigration advisors to their annual conference in Islington in November 2004. WPUK met with Scottish Executive staff in September 2004 and they co-ordinated work across Immigration Nationality Directorate (IND) to assist in the production of an Employer’s Toolkit (factsheets on all routes to migration including work-related) for use on the Scottish Executive website and at Relocation Advisory Service.
WPUK also send a copy of the “Scotland – Fresh Talent” leaflet to all successful applicants to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.
In addition, the publicity information published on the WPUK website is all fully accessible to Scottish employers, as are the printed leaflets.
WPUK attended a “Fresh Talent” exhibition in 2003 involving an invited audience from CBI. Since then WPUK have also been trying a more targeted approach of meeting with individual employers on request in an effort to promote understanding.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 14 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how (a) it and (b) VisitScotland will be represented at the International Tourism Exchange convention in Berlin in March 2005.
Answer
VisitScotland will be present at this event, and view it as an excellent opportunity to forge new contacts, as well as meeting with existing contacts. VisitScotland’s branding for the new “Scotland – Welcome to our life” campaign will be fully evident at the convention. VisitScotland will use this opportunity to highlight all that Scotland has to offer as a great destination to visit.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 14 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many "champions" have been appointed since October 2004 to encourage students to consider staying in Scotland after graduation.
Answer
Sir David Lane has been appointed as our first Fresh Talent “ambassador” while on sabbatical in Singapore. We will be working with Sir David to identify opportunities to promote Scotland and the Fresh Talent initiative during his time in Singapore. We are also currently looking to identify more ambassadors and champions at both home and abroad, as well as considering how to develop their role in the longer term.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers from forces outwith Scotland will be deployed during the G8 summit, who will be in overall control of these officers at a local and operational level, whether a Scottish officer will be in command of individual units or be attached to such units for liaison and advisory purposes and what advice or instructions will be given to these officers on the police service and its links with the community it serves.
Answer
It is too early to be precise about the number of officers from forces outwith Scotland who will be deployed in Scotland during the G8 summit. That will depend on operational decisions to be taken in due course by the Scottish Police Service. Those officers, for example, who are deployed in this way around Gleneagles will be directly under the command of the Chief Constable of Tayside Police and will receive, through him, advice and instructions appropriate to the specific circumstances of their deployment.
