- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements will be made to ensure that any inspection undertaken by the Office for Standards in Education conforms to Scottish practice and procedure given the different inspection regimes in place in Scotland and in England.
Answer
Inspections of educational provision in Scotland are not carried out by inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation permits inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education to operate in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33881 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.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education would operate in Scotland.
Answer
Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education would operate in Scotland if Scottish ministers were to exercise their power under section 66 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to appoint persons other than HM Inspectorate of Education to conduct inspections.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about any use of inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education to inspect education provision for refugee children and whether any presence of these inspectors conforms with the letter and spirit of current educational legislation in Scotland and with the devolution settlement.
Answer
The inspection of education provision for refugee children in Scotland has been conducted by HM Inspectorate of Education.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given any permission for inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education to work in Scotland and, if so, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
Inspections of educational provision in Scotland are conducted by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE). HMIE has on occasion invited inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education to accompany them in an advisory or observational capacity.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what dealings it has had, or any of its agencies have had, with Workability Ltd and Business Link (Virtual Services) Ltd whose registered offices are at 9 Kitchener Street, Wishaw.
Answer
The Scottish Public Pensions Agency has a contract with Workability Ltd for the provision of medical advice, primarily recommendations as to whether early retirement should be granted on medical grounds under the Scottish Teachers Superannuation Scheme and the NHS Pension Scheme in Scotland. It has no contract with Business Link (Virtual Services) Ltd which is a supplier of administrative services to Workability.The contract was placed in 1997 with Workability under its previous name, Lanarkshire Health Executive. The contract expires in 2004 and is shortly to be re-tendered.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what declarations of interest have been made by employees of, or advisers to, the Scottish Public Pensions Agency with regard to their directorship of any companies undertaking contracted work for the agency in the field of health assessments or any other area of work.
Answer
None. Except in so far as the directors and employees of Workability Ltd provide medical advice to the Scottish Public Pension Agency under its contract with them.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what contracted arrangements exist, or have existed, between Lanarkshire Health Executive Ltd, Workability Ltd and Business Link (Virtual Services) Ltd and any executive agency.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33614 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.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has undertaken regarding the awareness by teachers of the need to complete a form to report an incident of violent or threatening behaviour in order that such an incident can be included in local authority and national statistics.
Answer
The Executive issues guidance to all education authorities regarding how schools should record incidents. The guidance makes it clear that all incidents should be reported to the head teacher and on to the education authority. The Executive has not undertaken any assessment regarding the awareness by teachers of the need to record an incident of violent or threatening behaviour. However, we do know that a number of authorities have adopted a zero tolerance policy and have encouraged school staff to report all incidents of violence and anti-social behaviour, which would include threatening behaviour.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 14 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules govern the use of outside contractors working for the Scottish Public Pensions Agency on health assessments of employees seeking early retirement from posts covered by the agency and, in particular, what declaration of interest any employees of, or advisers to, the agency have to make if they are directors of any such contracting companies.
Answer
Outside contractors working for the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) are subject to normal public sector procurement arrangements. The Chief Executive of Workability Ltd is the medical adviser to SPPA under the contract and other staff of Workability may also advise SPPA under it. Employees of or other advisors to SPPA would be expected to declare any interests in its contractors in the usual way.
