Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government Stud Farm Knocknagael (which includes Balrobert) is 259.55Ha, used for arable cropping, production of winter fodder and grazing.

As part of the modernisation of the Stud Farm, 20.3ha (50.15acres) of agricultural land has been identified as surplus to requirements of the modernised Scottish Government Stud Farm Knocknagael. Although this land is currently being used for agriculture production, this production is not necessary to support the running of the improved facility.

In order to derive best value to the taxpayer, it is Government policy that surplus assets should be identified and released subject to value for money requirements in order to generate capital receipts. This surplus land has been identified as suitable for housing and green space, particularly so given the surrounding land uses and the topography of the area.

The remaining land at the Scottish Government Stud Farm Knocknagael will continue to support the facility through arable cropping, production of winter fodder and grazing.

We are unable to provide information relating to staff or information relating to the occupation of dwelling houses at Knocknagael and Balrobert. Due to the sensitive nature of the information involved it may be possible to identify individuals, even if the information were grouped by directorate/division, because of the very small numbers. This detail is therefore withheld under paragraph 38 1 (b) (personal information) of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act.

There were seven dwellings at Knocknagael and two at Balrobert. One of the dwellings was a small bothy and is now used as a workshop for one of the dwelling houses, another dwelling has been sold to an individual. The remaining cottages and the farmhouse are owned by Scottish Ministers.

Due to the sensitive nature of the information involved it may be possible to identify individuals, even if the information were grouping by directorate/division, because of the very small numbers. The information is therefore withheld under paragraph 38 1 (b) (personal information) of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act.

We can confirm that the Scottish Government have a no compulsory redundancy policy.

The total area of Beechwood was 86.773 ha or thereby. 83.57has of this was in agricultural use, utilised for arable cropping, winter fodder production and grazing.

The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2012 requires public bodies to exclude a company from bidding where it has been convicted of one of the criminal offences laid out in the Regulations. The Regulations also permit exclusion, where it is reasonable and proportionate to do so, if a company meets any of the specified criteria set out in the legislation. One such criterion is where a company has not fulfilled its obligations relating to the payment of taxes.

The Scottish Government’s standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire requires companies bidding for public contracts to disclose if they have failed to comply with their statutory obligations relating to the payment of taxes.

The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2012 permits public bodies to exclude bidders who have a relevant criminal conviction or have failed to fulfil obligations relating to the payment of taxes.

Companies are asked to disclose this information when completing the Scottish Government’s standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (SPQQ) which is available for use across the public sector. If the bidding company has not fulfilled its tax obligations, it will be asked to demonstrate any remedial action taken and any information provided by the company may be taken into account by the public body when deciding whether to exclude that company from the bidding process. The SPQQ makes clear that failure to disclose the relevant information or serious misrepresentation in relation to the information disclosed will result in exclusion from the procurement process or the termination of any subsequent contract.

In the event of a member being dissatisfied with an answer received from the Scottish Government, it is open to the member concerned to pursue the matter by lodging a further question, via correspondence or by lodging a motion for debate.

The Scottish Ministerial Code makes clear that ministers have a duty to hold the Parliament to account, and be held to account, for the policies, decisions and actions taken within their field of responsibility. In addition, the Code requires ministers to provide accurate and truthful information to the Parliament. These principles are respected in terms of all answers given to parliamentary questions.

There are currently 343 teachers teaching through the medium of Gaelic in all levels from Nursery through to Secondary. In 2012 we saw 24 probationers graduate which was the largest number of Gaelic Medium Teachers ever to come through training in a single year.

However, we are aware that the recruitment of teachers to the Gaelic sector remains a challenge. To help address this challenge Bòrd na Gaidhlig has set up the Gaelic Teachers Recruitment and Retention Group which is made up of representatives from the Scottish Government, all the Teacher Education Institutions and a number of local authorities who provide GME. The Group seeks to identify recruitment, promotion and retention opportunities in the sector whilst seeking to remove any barriers to individuals who wish to teach. The Group is making good progress and a new Gaelic Teacher Immersion Course is being developed through its work. The aim of this course will be to enable teachers to transfer to Gaelic Medium teaching.

In addition the Scottish Government has written to the Scottish Funding Council asking it to support initiatives which could improve effectiveness and widen access to Gaelic teacher education. In response to this request the Council have agreed to support The University of the Highlands and Islands with the funding of 20 additional student places for Gaelic Teacher Training.

The Children and Young People Bill, currently being developed, includes provisions to increase the current entitlement to 475 hours per year of funded pre-school education for 3 and 4 year olds, to a minimum of 600 hours per year of funded early learning and childcare for 3 and 4 year olds, as well as 2 year olds who are looked after or subject to a kinship care order, from 2014.

We expect that providers of Gaelic medium early learning and childcare will have an important role to play in delivering the entitlement to those eligible children whose parents wish to make use of this type of provision.

Scottish Ministers aim to see the expansion of Gaelic medium education at all levels and see Gaelic early years as playing a key role. Gaelic early years are also a key priority area listed in the National Plan for Gaelic. In view of this, and the forthcoming expansion of the funded early learning and childcare hours set out above, we are working closely with local authorities and Bord na Gaidhlig to expand this sector.