- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 2 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support has been provided to the National Library of Scotland to assist in the development of its information and communication technologies facilities in each year since 1999, as referred to in key priority 2.2 of strategic objective 2 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
The financial support provided to the National Library of Scotland by the Scottish Executive from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 is set out in the table. Increases in running costs for 2001-02 to 2003-04 were awarded in November 2000 to allow the National Library of Scotland (among other things) to address the development of the hybrid library and education and access initiatives in line with the National Cultural Strategy. The proportion of funding to be used for these developments is not prescribed by the Executive.
| Year | Grant (£ million) | Total Grant-in-Aid (£ million) |
| Running Costs | Purchase Grants | Capital Grants |
| 1999-2000 | 8.737 | 0.958 | 2.100 | |
| 2000-01 | 8.737 | 1.058 | 2.100 | |
| 2001-02 | 9.706 | 1.058 | 0.604 | |
| 2002-03 | 9.856 | 1.058 | 2.750 | |
| 2003-04 | 10.056 | 1.058 | 0 | |
In the Scottish Budget 2003-06, the Executive has announced a further £10.8 million over three years for cultural activities across Scotland, to widen participation and foster world class activity.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it is making in respect of the proportion of S2 pupils that did not meet the required grades in reading, writing and mathematics.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is continuing the drive to raise standards through National Priority targets set at both local authority and school level and by streamlining the assessment of individual pupils through the Assessment Development Programme.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a national film charter has been established, as referred to in key priority 1.2 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
As reported in the Scottish National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2002, Scottish Screen is encouraging and working with local authorities to develop a film charter for Scotland. Scottish Screen is liaising with COSLA in the preparation of guidelines to local authorities on the National Cultural Strategy, which will include advice on the adoption of the charter. As soon as these are launched, Scottish Screen will renew its campaign to roll out the charter to all local authorities and appropriate national agencies, and will consider how best to involve the private sector.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on establishing a national product design network, as referred to in key priority 1.2 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
A number of meetings took place with potential members to progress the idea of a national product design network, as part of the Glasgow Design Project, but this network has not yet been established.However, the Lighthouse's Creative Entrepreneurs Networking Club, which is supported by NESTA, Scottish Enterprise and Cap Gemini, has over 600 members, which include a substantial number of product designers. The club meets monthly and members are offered professional development, industry updates and access to a range of advice as well as contact with others in the field across Scotland.Also, over the next three years, the newly formed European Design Forum, which is funded by Culture 2000, will mount six workshops on a range of matters related to product design and manufacturing. During that period 30 Scottish design companies will have opportunities to network with their peers and meet a variety of businesses based in Europe.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions have been taken to promote the contribution of new technologies to cultural life, as referred to in key priority 1.2 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
As reported in the Scottish National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2001, there are in place a number of actions to promote the contribution of new technologies to cultural life. There are further examples in the Scottish National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2002.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action has been taken to create opportunities for networking amongst those working in the culture sector to stimulate sharing of experience and good practice and the agreement of common objectives, as referred to in key priority 1.1 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
As stated in the second annual report of Scotland's National Cultural Strategy, reviews of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen will report shortly. These have considered the sectoral interface and opportunities for networking and creative dialogue, and the findings will be reported. Specific examples of networks engaging the cultural agencies, local authorities and the sector appeared in the first annual report.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been made available to support the production of education resources that encourage language diversity in each year since 1999, as referred to in key priority 2.1 of strategic objective 2 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
As stated in the second annual report of Scotland's National Cultural Strategy, published 12 November 2002, core funding of £80,000 from the Scottish Arts Council, with £30,000 for establishment costs, has secured the new body, Scottish Language Dictionaries, offering a definitive resource relating to the Scots language.The first annual report of the strategy referred to Stòrlann - a national resource for Gaelic teaching materials. In 1999-2000 the Executive provided £80,000 to Stòrlann; in 2000-01 £120,000 in 2001-02, £145,000, and in 2002-03 £160,000.I can also report that since 1999 the Scottish Arts Council has granted a total of £2,312,392 towards education resources designed to encourage language diversity in Scots and Gaelic. This breaks down into £409,321 in 1999-2000; £545,013 in 2000-01; £746,233 in 2001-02, and (to date) for 2002-03, £611,825.Further support of resources encouraging language diversity and learning is evidenced in the Executive's specific funding of Gaelic-medium education, modern language teaching resources, and of Glasgow's International Language School: £7,902,000; £1,145,532, and £962,000 respectively covering the three-year period from April 1999 to March 2002.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action has been taken to promote partnerships by public and private bodies that support the production of the highest standards of cultural work, as referred to in key priority 1.3 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
As stated in the second annual report of Scotland's National Cultural Strategy, published 12 November 2002, Arts and Business Scotland's New Partners funding scheme, supported by Government, continues its good work investing in projects which promote partnerships between private businesses and all branches of the arts. The national institutions also seek and receive valuable support from the private sector for projects of the highest standard. Again, examples appear in the recent report.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to examine the feasibility of a centre for the languages of Scotland, as referred to in key priority 2.1 of strategic objective 2 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past and what conclusions have been drawn from any such examination.
Answer
A feasibility study is being undertaken with the support of the Carnegie Trust and this will report later in the year.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 26 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action has been taken to identify and promote the national roles and responsibilities and realise the full potential of the funded companies that work across Scotland, as referred to in key priority 1.3 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past.
Answer
The Scottish Arts Council provides core funding to those arts bodies it considers have strategic national and regional roles to play. The council works closely with those bodies to ensure that such responsibilities are fully discharged. One hundred and ten arts bodies and organisations across Scotland are to receive core funding totalling some £27.8 million in 2002-03.
