- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has given to the request from a range of academics, historians and others for support in order to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first voyage of the Charlotte Dundas on the Forth and Clyde Canal.
Answer
A reply was sent to Professor Harvie, explaining that the Scottish Executive does not directly fund projects of this nature. His expectation that the event be commemorated by debate in the Parliament is precluded because of the imminent dissolution.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Scottish Qualifications Agency to review the Higher Still art examinations with the aim of introducing detailed moderation at the school of a portfolio of work from each student that is representative of achievement throughout the year.
Answer
No. This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority itself.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated total cost of provision of free part-time places for every three- and four-year-old has been in each year since the scheme for such provision began.
Answer
Prior to 2002-03, the Scottish Executive administered funding for pre-school education. It was made up of three elements, grant per place, rural and development. Grant per place was claimed by local authorities on the basis of the number of sessions undertaken by children. The rural element was allocated to 12 authorities in recognition of the difficulties and increased costs associated with operating in a rural setting. The development funding was allocated to expand the provision available for three-year-olds to meet the target of full participation. Funding for the provision of pre-school education for all three-year-olds came on stream from 1999-2000.The pre-school education grant issued to local authorities to administer since 1998-99 are shown in the following table.
| Year | Distributed Per Capita (£ million) | Rural Element(£ million) | Development(£ million) | Total(£ million) |
| 1998-99 | 42.7 | 3.9 | 5.5 | 52.1 |
| 1999-2000 | 85.6 | 5.8 | 20.8 | 112.3 |
| 2000-01 | 105.3 | 6 | 18 | 129.3 |
| 2001-02 | 118.2 | 6.3 | 11.6 | 136 |
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum level of subsidy is available per child in private sector, voluntary sector or local authority pre-school centres to provide a free part-time place for every three- and four-year-old.
Answer
Resources amounting to £137 million were transferred to the local government settlement from 2002-03. No maximum figure has been set for the provision of a pre-school education. However, an annual minimum payment per child has been set for 2002-03 and 2003-04 of £963 and £987 respectively.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum number of sessions of free nursery provision is available per child per week and how many children are receiving this level of free provision.
Answer
Each eligible child is entitled to up to 412.5 hours of free pre-school education per year. The following restrictions have been imposed on the provision of pre-school education in the interests of the child:no child should have more than three continuous hours of pre-school education without a clear rest period;education provision should not exceed five hours in any one day, andthere should not be any more than five sessions of 2.5 hours of education in any one week.Many centres, of course, provide care to complement this education provision.The number of children undertaking pre-school education is shown in Table 1 of the 2002 Pre-school and Daycare Census, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 24310). A total of 123,007 children were taking up their full entitlement to 412.5 hours of funded pre-school education in 2002.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of free nursery places for all three- and four-year-olds includes a guarantee of a minimum number of hours of free provision per child.
Answer
Local authorities have a duty to secure pre-school education amounting to a minimum of 412.5 hours over the school year. Parents are free to ask for fewer hours but that does not relieve the authority from their duty to secure appropriate pre-school education provision.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities are implementing waiting lists for the provision of nursery places and, if so, how many children are on such lists, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Information received from local authorities indicates that none are implementing a waiting list for pre-school education.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average weekly cost to parents is of full-time nursery provision in pre-school centres run by (a) the private sector, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) local authorities.
Answer
Information on the costs of full-time pre-school education and child care is not collected centrally.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether overseas people seeking to conduct genealogical and historical research in historical archive centres are informed in advance of travelling to Scotland of any archive material that will be unavailable due to repair work being carried out on damaged documents.
Answer
I have asked Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:In its publicity material, the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) advises readers travelling from a distance to enquire in advance of their arrival as to the availability of particular records. Where a record requested is undergoing conservation treatment, NAS makes every effort either to accelerate the work or to provide a satisfactory copy in its stead.The Executive cannot respond in relation to local, private or other archives which are outwith its responsibility.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 25 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed local authority one-stop shops for ancestral research will provide the detailed local information needed for researchers to visit the actual historical sites of their ancestors.
Answer
The nature of the information resources and services to be offered by the local authority one-stop shops proposed as part of the Scottish Family History Service project will be a matter for individual local authorities to determine. Consultation is on-going with local authorities and other interested bodies as to the structure and contents of local centres.
