Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-11897

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 3 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions or meetings it has held with representatives of City of Edinburgh Council regarding the planning application for the development of greenfield land adjacent to Edinburgh for a possible film studio and whether it has any plans to meet with council representatives to discuss the application and its progress once the council starts its inquiry into the application.

Question reference: S1W-11894

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 3 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what the nearest acute and maternity hospitals will be to (a) Abington, (b) Crawford, (c) Leadhills, (d) Lanark, (e) Carluke and (f) Biggar by the end of 2001.

Question reference: S1W-10633

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years, specifying the amount and date of each payment, and how these compared with the amounts and payment dates projected at the start of each financial year.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority receives grant-in-aid and grant for three areas of work: 5-14 Programme; Accreditation Unit running costs; and development work for the new national qualifications introduced in academic year 1999-2000. A detailed profile for these payments is not projected at the start of the financial year to provide flexibility. The amounts and dates of payments for each of the two previous financial years, and for the current year to 31 October, are given below. The tables are not directly comparable since further payments will be made during the current financial year.

SQA 5-14 Assessment Unit

1998-99 (£)

24 November 1998	333,231
6 January 1998	152,869
26 January 1998	63,662
25 February 1999	70,840
9 March 1999	196,098
Total	816,700

1999-2000 (£)

28 June 1999	38,741
22 July 1999	75,085
8 September 1999	56,287
27 October 1999	32,115
5 November 1999	27,244
6 January 2000	222,593
31 January 2000	171,370
4 February 2000	45,554
28 February 2000	114,762
23 March 2000	18,005
Total	801,756

2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

31 May 2000	54,993
29 June 2000	88,990
4 August 2000	58,848
13 September 2000	114,082
25 September 2000	35,923
19 October 2000	185,954
Total	538,790

Accreditation

1998-99 (£)

27 October 1998	180,000
18 November 1998	500,000
24 February 1999	393,917
16 March 1999	78,083
Total	1,152,000

1999/2000 (£)

26 August 1999	360,716
25 October 1999	144,853
21 January 2000	435,132
13 March 2000	194,299
17 March 2000	187,000
Total	1,322,000

2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

1 September 2000	260,781
17 September 2000	173,200
26 October 2000	98,416
Total	532,397

New National Qualifications

1998-99 (£)

5 March 1999	1,775,810
17 March 1999	74,190
Total	1,850,000

1999-2000 (£)

13 July 1999	250,000
20 August 1999	625,100
22 October 1999	318,563
11 January 2000	1,357,726
23 February 2000	942,265
15 March 2000	923,189
Total	4,417,203

2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

1 August 2000	718,782
12 September 2000	370,075
13 October 2000	240,948
27 October 2000	10,000
Total to date	1,339,805

The increase in funding for new national qualifications is a result of the introduction of these qualifications (Access, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and national qualification Higher) from the beginning of academic year 1999-2000. The extra funding covers support and assessment materials and training.

In addition to the above programme expenditure, the following one-off payments have been made:

£61,000 on 17 March 1999 to enable the SQA to establish a video conferencing facility;

£43,737 on 6 January 2000 for development work on Standard Grade Modern Languages and Standard Grade Technical Studies; and

£4,359 on 23 March 2000 for revision of Standard Grade Modern Languages.

Question reference: S1W-11793

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received and what actions it has taken regarding the redundancy of 14 staff presently working on the Gaelic news programme Telefios.

Question reference: S1W-11792

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it or Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig has received with regard to the proposed ending of a daily television news output in Gaelic.

Question reference: S1W-11791

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee to ensure that a daily news output remains part of the Gaelic television schedule.

Question reference: S1W-11398

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it collects on the prevalence of infestation by head lice among school pupils.

Question reference: S1W-11400

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with teachers, council education departments and others regarding the role of teachers in advising pupils and parents about infestation with head lice.

It is the responsibility of health boards to develop policies for dealing with head lice infestation and these policies include advice to teachers about their role in dealing with head lice infestation. These policies have been informed by multi-agency groups including education professionals.

The Scottish Executive plans to produce a national advice leaflet on the treatment of headlice infestation. In drawing this leaflet up it will take account of the views of a wide range of groups, including teachers.

Question reference: S1W-11695

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 14 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what is the current position with the implementation of the Gaelic Taskforce Report.

Question reference: S1W-10637

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 12 December 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what average time elapsed between the issue of invoices to local authorities by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and payment of such invoices in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years.