Chamber and committees

The information requested is not held centrally. However, current legislation provides for pupils with Records of Needs to have a future needs assessment between the ages of 14 and 15 years and three months. According to the 2001 School Census a total of 16,137 pupils have a Record of Needs.

The national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for teachers is on target to be established by August 2003.The framework will be relevant throughout a teacher's career. The framework will help teachers to maintain their professional status and to adapt to changing circumstances and pupils' needs. An Education Inclusion Group is ensuring that issues relating to special educational needs and all aspects of equality are considered fully in the development of the framework.The CPD Framework will not dictate a definitive training programme. It will encourage teachers and schools to access a broad range of quality CPD opportunities. I would expect local authorities to recognise development activities relating to autistic spectrum disorders as appropriate opportunities within the framework.

As part of the review of the assessment and recording system for children and young people with special educational needs, proposals for change will be published in a draft bill early next year and this will be for public consultation.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32405 today. 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/search_wa.

I published an update to our broadband strategy last week and it shows the actions we are taking. I also announced a new initiative, worth up to £24 million, aimed at accelerating and extending broadband provision in Scotland. This should help take us closer to realising our vision of a nation with affordable and pervasive access to broadband.

An appropriate remit, which addresses all the key issues, is currently being developed for the second stage of the review. This development work includes a scoping review to be conducted by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education which was announced by the Minister for Education and Young People in October 2002. This scoping review work will be completed early in 2003.The second stage of the review of initial teacher education will be completed with the report available by the end of 2003.

Scoping work to develop an appropriate remit for the second stage of the Review of Initial Teacher Education is currently being carried out. This will address all the key issues, including special education needs. The second stage of the review will be completed with the report available by the end of 2003.

Members of the National Special Educational Needs (SEN) Advisory Forum as at November 2002 are:

Mrs Jane Ansell	Director Sleep Scotland, Member of Enable's National Children's Committee
Ms Jane Arrowsmith	Head Teacher, Oakbank Special School, Aberdeen
Dr Lindsay Burley*	General Manager, Borders Health Board
Miss Jeanette Cochrane	Deputy Regional Councillor, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
Mr Fernando Diniz*	Chair, Minority Ethnic Learning Disabilities Initiative (MELDI)
Ms Heather Fisken*	Policy Analyst, Disability Rights Commission
Mr Paul Hamill	Head of SEN Department, Strathclyde University
Mr Jimmy Hawthorn	Association of Directors of Social Work
Ms Ros Hunter	Midlothian Council
Dr Patricia Jackson	Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Mr Bryan Kirkcaldy	Association of Directors of Education
Mr Ian Liddle	Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists
Ms Dorothy Macdonald*	Equity Group
Mrs Arlene Mooney	Scottish President, National Association for Special Educational Needs
Mr Frank Newall	COSLA (West Dunbartonshire Council)
Professor Sheila Riddell	Chair of Social Policy, (Disability Studies), Glasgow University
Mr Bruce Robertson	COSLA (Highland Council)
Mr Bill Sadler	President, Scottish Support for Learning Association
Mr Kevin Tansley	Head Teacher, The Royal Blind School, Edinburgh
Dr Kay Tisdall	Director of Policy and Research, Children in Scotland
Ms Janice Walker	Scottish Association of Pre-School Home Visiting Teachers for Children with Special Educational Needs
Mrs Shirley Young	Parent, and information worker for families, of children with special needs

Note:* Co-opted as new or replacement member Nominations for membership of the forum were received in early 2000 from over 60 individuals or organisations with expertise in special educational needs. From these ministers appointed 19 members to serve as members of the forum for three years. Ministers, subsequently, co-opted a further three members. The membership covers a broad range of SEN interests, including local authority and health agencies, teaching, learning support and educational psychology, parents, the independent and voluntary sectors, training providers and academic interests. Ministers will review the future work and membership of the forum in early 2003.

The Executive has received 10 applications for the post of Policy Officer in the Additional Support Needs Division of the Scottish Executive Education Department. The post has not yet been filled.

Following publication of the Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report a reference group was set up to meet twice yearly to share ideas and advise ministers as work on autism is taken forward by the Scottish Executive. Although it is not intended to publish the agenda and action points from meetings, the work of the group is not confidential and members are free to share information with others.