Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government welcomes the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) conclusions on the risks associated with neonicotinoids and bees. We have asked the UK’s Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) to look urgently at EFSA’s evidence. On receipt of the ACP’s advice, we will look at whether additional restrictions are necessary.

Neonicotinoid seed treatments are aimed at two groups of pests on oilseed rape, flea beetles and aphids.

It is difficult to estimate the average yield loss from feeding damage caused by various flea beetle species as crop establishment depends on how favourable crop growth conditions are at the time of sowing.

However, aphids which transmit turnip yellow virus when feeding are estimated to cause a yield loss of up to 30% at an individual crop level.

The Scottish Government has regular on-going discussions on pesticide issues with its own scientists in SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture), our Scottish assessor on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, with Scotland’s Rural College and officials in the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemicals Regulation Directorate.

To gather the information for (a) and (b) could only be done so at a disproportionate cost.

The draft budget for the Scottish Police Authority, as set out in the Scottish Government's Draft Budget 2013-14 and laid in Parliament on 20 September 2012, reflects savings expected through Police Reform of £42 million in 2013-14. To support the delivery of the savings expected in 2013-14 and those for future years resource is being made available within the police central government budget.

From 1 April, 2013, the transfer policy for officers to vacancies within the service will be a matter for the Police Service to determine.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. This is a matter for the Police Authorities.

Curriculum for Excellence is giving educators the flexibility to teach history in creative and engaging ways. Children and young people are able to learn in a wide range of contexts; Scottish, British, European and worldwide and this breadth is reflected in all national qualifications in history.

To ensure there is a proper focus on the changes that have shaped Scotland, a required unit on Scottish history has been part of the Higher History qualification since 2010-11. This approach is being extended to the new National 4 and 5 qualifications from 2013-14.

The teaching and learning of history is thriving, and we have seen a 20% increase in uptake of Higher History since 2007.

In developing their peak and off-peak timetables for their Northern Isles ferry services tender, all bidders, including Serco, were required to analyse current and projected future demand and to design a timetable structure to meet and manage this demand. Under the new contract, timetables periods now differ from what was previously in place with the aim of meeting the demand increases that result from tourism and holidays.

In their bid for the Northern Isles contract, Serco met the requirement that, over the tariff year, tariffs must average to the relevant previously published tariff for each category.

In developing proposed peak and off-peak timetables for their Northern Isles ferry services tenders, all bidders were required by the Scottish Government to analyse current and projected future demand and to design a timetable structure to meet and manage this demand. The proposals put forward by Serco and all other bidders were discussed with Transport Scotland’s tender evaluation team during the procurement exercise.

The peak and low season periods established under the current Northern Isles ferry services contract were included in Serco’s original tender bid proposals. Therefore, the current contract has not been subjected to any variation in this regard.