- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated schedule is to deliver the enhanced park-and-ride facilities at Croy railway station.
Answer
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport was awarded Scottish Executive funding in 2002. SPT is responsible for the delivery of the car park extension at Croy railway station. SPT is working with First ScotRail to develop a final design, which is necessary before a delivery date can be determined.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done by Skills Development Scotland to develop initiatives to encourage young people into employment, education and training in (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire, (c) Falkirk and (d) East Ayrshire.
Answer
Each of these local authorities is implementing 16+ Learning Choices, our new model for ensuring that all young people have an appropriate offer of post-16 learning well before they reach their school leaving date. A range of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) services is available to support young people who need more choices and more chances. The detail of that provision at a local level is an operational matter for SDS and I have asked them to write to you with this information.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, how it monitors best value and the use of public money in relation to the Improvement Service.
Answer
Core funding for 2005-08 was subject to a three year grant agreement, with detailed use agreed on an annual basis through the business planning process. Expenditure and performance were monitored through regular reports and meetings between Scottish Government and Improvement Service officials.
Projects for which separate funding is awarded are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Grant agreements set out the expected deliverables against which funding is released. The progress of grant-supported work is monitored and assured as part of regular meetings between Scottish Government and Improvement Service officials. External evaluations are also commissioned where appropriate.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, what the level of funding to the Improvement Service has been in each financial year since its inception.
Answer
The funding provided by the Scottish Government to the Improvement Service is as follows:
| 2005-06 (£ Million) | 2006-07 (£ Million) | 2007-08 (£ Million) | 2008-09 (£ Million) |
Core funds | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | - |
Project funds | 0.1 | 1.7 | 3.9 | Up to 1.6 |
Total | 1.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | Up to 1.6 |
Figures for 2005-2008 relate to actual monies paid. Figures for 2008-09 are grant awards.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, what the financial contributions to the Improvement Service were of (a) COSLA and (b) individual local authorities prior to the local authority settlement for 2008-09.
Answer
COSLA did not make any financial contributions to the Improvement Service prior to the local authority settlement for 2008-09. Contributions were made by individual local authorities during this period in relation to training programmes and fees for attendance at courses or seminars. Details of these contributions are recorded in the Improvement Service accounts and are not held centrally.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much SMART:Scotland funding was allocated by the Improvement Service to assist the creation of North Lanarkshire Council’s approved trader scheme since its inception.
Answer
The SMART: SCOTLAND scheme, delivered by the Scottish Government''s Innovation and Investment Grants Division, has allocated no funding to North Lanarkshire Council''s Approved Traders Scheme.
The Improvement Service set up a SMART Ideas Fund with grants of up to £10,000 per project. Funding was awarded to North Lanarkshire Council to assist the creation of an Approved Traders Scheme. Information on the amount of individual grants is not held centrally, but details of the project are available on the Improvement Service website at:
http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/innovation-exchange/introduction/innovation-exchange-and-smart-ideas.html.
Further information can be obtained by writing to the Chief Executive of the Improvement Service.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, whether it will provide the dates of board meetings of the Improvement Service since its inception, also showing who represented the Scottish Government at those meetings.
Answer
Scottish ministers were represented at Improvement Service (IS) Board meetings by:
Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform: Director of IS - July 2005 - May 2007.
Ruth Parsons, Public Service Reform Director: Director of IS - September 2006 - March 2008.
With the agreement of the board:
Ruth Parsons represented Mr McCabe at one meeting prior to her joining the board.
Rab Fleming, Deputy Director, Public Service Delivery Division, represented Ruth Parsons at two meetings in 2007.
Dates of board meetings and representation is as follows:
Date | Scottish Government Representative |
21 November 2005 | Tom McCabe MSP |
27 March 2006 | Tom McCabe unable to attend, apologies given |
23 May 2006 | Ruth Parsons for Tom McCabe MSP |
19 June 2006 | Tom McCabe MSP |
21 November 2006 | Tom McCabe MSP |
22 January 2007 | Tom McCabe MSP, Ruth Parsons |
12 March 2007 | Tom McCabe MSP |
21 May 2007 | Ruth Parsons |
27 August 2007 | Rab Fleming for Ruth Parsons |
4 September 2007 | Rab Fleming for Ruth Parsons |
26 November 2007 | Ruth Parsons |
28 January 2008 | Ruth Parsons |
17 March 2008 | Ruth Parsons |
As part of the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA, it was agreed that the Improvement Service would be governed wholly by local government, through COSLA and SOLACE. Scottish ministers resigned from membership of the Improvement Service company in March 2008. Information on board meetings since that date is not held centrally.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the dates and locations of meetings and discussions that it has had with the leadership of the majority party in North Lanarkshire Council.
Answer
Meetings and discussions take place from time-to-time between the Scottish Government and the leadership of the majority party in North Lanarkshire Council. Recent examples include:
A meeting with the Leader and Deputy Leader of North Lanarkshire Council on 28 July 2008 in North Lanarkshire, and
A series of meetings involving the Leader of North Lanarkshire Council and leaders and elected members from other councils in Edinburgh on 26 November 2008, 17 December 2008 and 15 January 2009.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 22 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the report from Asthma UK Scotland commissioned by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, In their Own Words, Asthma services in Scotland from the perspective of children and young people, whether further training will be provided to non-healthcare professionals regarding the monitoring and treatment of children or young people with asthma.
Answer
Training for non-healthcare professionals is a local issue and should be provided through continuing professional development.
The Scottish Government issued guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools in 2001. The guidance emphasises that it is for NHS boards to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place with education authorities but is also clear that it is essential that NHS boards and education authorities work together to ensure that appropriate arrangements are put in place in relation to the administration of medicines in schools. The guidance recommends that staff in schools who are involved in the health care of children receive appropriate training.
In addition, the Health and Wellbeing in Schools project started in September last year there are four demonstration sites, each of which is at a different stage of implementation. The aim of the project is to increase healthcare capacity in schools.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional (a) financial or (b) professional support will be given to people with asthma by NHS Lanarkshire.
Answer
This is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire.