Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s capital programme makes funding available to meet in full our commitments to implement the core phase of the Glasgow Fastlink Proposal. The core scheme improves bus services between the city centre, the Southern General Hospital, and the SECC, with obvious benefits for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The development and delivery of the Fastlink project as detailed within Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s final business case is the responsibility of SPT.

In addition, through Transport Scotland, the Scottish Government is supporting the redevelopment of Dalmarnock railway station, a vital transport hub in the East End of the city which will contribute to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and offer significant regeneration benefits.

We hold regular discussions with other devolved administrations, at Ministerial and official level, on matters of mutual interest including welfare reform.

Under the terms of the Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2011, the names of candidates will be arranged alphabetically in the order of their surnames on ballot papers for the 2012 local government elections. Only those party descriptions which have been registered under section 28 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 may be used.

We have designated 2014 as our next Year of Homecoming and planning is underway to ensure there is an inspirational year long programme of events.

Consideration is being given to mark the 700^th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

Scottish Government Officials recently met with stakeholders from Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland and Historic Scotland to discuss the Waverley paddle steamer. Following on from that meeting Scottish Government Officials have requested further information from Waverley Excursions Limited, the operators of the Waverley paddle steamer.

There have only been two prosecutions in Scotland, under the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, in relation to human trafficking. Of the cases prosecuted one trial was discontinued following a review of the available evidence in 2006. The other case concluded on, 9 September 2011, with guilty pleas being tendered at Glasgow Sheriff Court. This is the first conviction for the statutory offence of human trafficking in Scotland. The accused were sentenced, on 3 October 2011, to periods of imprisonment of 44 months and 18 months.

While these are the first convictions for human trafficking in Scotland, there have been a number of successful prosecutions for criminal offences against a background of people trafficking, such as identity offences, trading in prostitution, managing an immoral house, knowingly permitting premises to be used as brothel and knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution.

I am not aware of a Scotland Week or similar event being held in Cuba.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of maintaining good employee relations with the Council of Scottish Government Unions. A Partnership agreement operates that helps to promote a positive and effective working relationship between management and the unions.

The policy of facility time operating in the Civil Service rests with the Minister of the Cabinet Office. The UK Government are currently reviewing Trade Union facility time across the Civil Service and will publish its results in due course. Once the review is complete, Cabinet Office will consult with Trade Unions at a national level about how future facility time arrangements will operate within the Civil Service. When the UK Government publishes its results, these will be considered by the Scottish Government.

As I said in response to question S4O-00280 on 27 October 2011, we do not have any plans at present to develop links with Cuba in light of the signing of the bilateral agreement on cooperation between the UK and Cuba in July 2011. However, we are always willing to consider opportunities as they arise, prioritised to meet the need of our purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.

The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the parliaments website, the official report can be viewed at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=6482&mode=html#iob_59001.

The ICT in Education summit held in Stirling and accessible online, was open to all. The event was attended by a mixture of people across sectors in education in Scotland and beyond. A post-summit update has been posted on the Engage for Education blog which can be viewed at:

(http://www.engageforeducation.org/2011/10/ict-in-education-post-summit-update/). Included in the blog is a link to the ICT Summit Wiki which contains a full list of attendees:

(http://eduscotict.pbworks.com/w/page/45160775/ICT%20Summit%20-%2017th%20October).