Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to retain the service industry apprenticeships that have been abolished for people aged over 20 as well as maintaining the 50% increase in apprenticeships in the construction industry.

Fiona Hyslop: Service industry apprenticeships have not been abolished for people aged over 20. Employers are still able to use the modern apprenticeship frameworks to train their staff if they so choose. Not all apprenticeships can or should be funded by taxpayers.

The Scottish Government has refocused public sector contributions for adult modern apprenticeships to construction and engineering related sectors where investment delivers economic results. Skills Development Scotland have been tasked to develop and deliver improvements in Scotland’s skills performance for the benefit of individuals and employers, ensuring that our skills interventions continue to meet the needs of the economy, individuals and employers in Scotland.

It is not possible to cost a notional programme of activity given the complexity of modern apprenticeship funding. In any case, specific funding of the modern apprenticeship programme is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland.

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to maintain service industry apprenticeships that have been abolished for people aged 16 to 19.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not abolished service industry apprenticeships for people aged 16 to 19.

British Irish Council

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the British-Irish Council summit held in Edinburgh on 26 September 2008.

John Swinney: On 26 September 2008, Scotland hosted the 11th British Irish Council Summit. We had a very successful meeting attended by ministers from all the member administrations. The focus of the summit included useful discussions on energy, demography and the global economic situation.

As with previous summits, the meeting received progress reports and agreed a plan for future work on the other subjects currently being taken forward by council members. These are drugs; environment; minority and lesser-used languages; transport, and social inclusion.

The council agree to the establishment of a new work stream on Early Years and recognised the valuable work that had been achieved by the work streams on tourism, the knowledge economy, and eHealth and agreed that these three subjects could now be concluded.

I am placing a copy of the communiqué that was issued by the British Irish Council after the meeting in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46719).

Child Protection

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14053 by Adam Ingram on 19 June 2008, what progress has been made on its plan to consult on the possibility of a truth and reconciliation forum for victims of historical abuse.

Shona Robison: Following discussions with the national reference group set up to take forward SurvivorScotland, the national strategy for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, the Scottish Government has developed a discussion paper for a truth and reconciliation forum, renamed "Acknowledgement and Accountability" which is about to issue.

Culture

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the promotion in Scotland of European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009.

Linda Fabiani: Scottish Government officials have had discussions with the UK Government on the Year of Creativity and Innovation which have led to the appointment of Professor Irene McAra-McWilliam of the Glasgow School of Art as a member of the steering group of national experts on creativity and innovation for the year.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with stakeholders in Scotland regarding the promotion of the European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009.

Linda Fabiani: Scottish Government officials have held discussions with Scotland Europa and its key stakeholders on drawing up proposals for the Year of Creativity and Innovation.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to showcasing Scottish Enterprise’s Proof of Concept programme as part of the European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009.

Linda Fabiani: Consideration will be given to showcasing a number of programmes from the Scottish Government and its agencies in the proposals to the European Commission.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the appointment of national co-ordinators for the European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009.

Linda Fabiani: As part of the discussions on the Year of Creativity and Innovation, Scottish Government officials and Scotland Europa have discussed the appointment of national co-ordinators, but no decisions have yet been taken. These discussions have however led to the appointment of Professor Irene McAra-McWilliam of the Glasgow School of Art as a member of the steering group of national experts which is considering proposals for the year, including the appointment of national co-ordinators.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested funding to support the European Year of Innovation and Creativity 2009.

Linda Fabiani: Funding for events and programmes under the Year of Creativity and Innovation will come from existing funding arrangements under the proposals agreed by the European Commission and member states.

Football

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage an increase in participation in youth football.

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Football Association about how schools and parents can encourage children to become involved in youth football.

Stewart Maxwell: The Youth Football Action Plan implementation steering group, which includes the Scottish Football Association, sportscotland, the Scottish Government, affiliated national football bodies and a representative from local authorities, meet regularly to discuss the progress and direction of the action plan, which was launched in 2004 to increase participation levels in Scottish football. Player pathways, including the encouragement of young people to take up the game, is a core consideration of the group.

The Scottish Football Association, which leads the implementation of the action plan under guidance from partner members of the group, has instigated a series of projects that encourage school pupils to become involved in football. The SFA McDonalds Primary School Football Programme, which focuses on taking coaching into primary schools and creating new boys and girls teams within all participating schools, is a prime example. The Bank of Scotland Soccer One is another programme aimed at increasing participation. The scheme will make regular coaching and competitive matches available to all first year pupils, both girls and boys, across participating secondary schools in Scotland. Details of these and all Youth Football Action Plan projects can be obtained directly from the Scottish Football Association.

The action plan is being delivered with a total investment of £31.1 million, which includes contributions from the Scottish Government, lottery funding, the Scottish Football Association and local authorities.

In addition, the Scottish Government is investing over £2.5 million in the Scottish Football Association through our Cashback for Communities programme. This investment aims to offer school aged children opportunities to take part in football through community and school based activities rather than being involved in antisocial activities.

Further and Higher Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated to colleges and other providers of further education in Glasgow to provide courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08, broken down by institution.

Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Funding Council main grants to Scotland’s colleges are not ring-fenced, therefore colleges are free to allocate funds according to their own priorities. Core grant allocations to Glasgow colleges for 2005-06 to 2007-08 are shown in the following table. For most colleges in Glasgow, ESOL is a priority area of provision.

Furthermore, additional ESOL funding of £5 million was allocated in 2007-08 for colleges and community learning and development partnerships across Scotland in support of the Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland. The college element of this is routed via the Scottish Funding Council, which allocated additional ESOL funding to Glasgow colleges as shown in the following table.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to colleges and other providers of further education in Glasgow to provide courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11, broken down by institution.

Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Funding Council main grants to Scotland’s colleges are not ring-fenced, therefore colleges are free to allocate funds according to their own priorities. Core grant allocations to Glasgow colleges in 2008-09 are shown in the following table. For most colleges in Glasgow, ESOL is a priority area of provision.

In addition, I announced in February 2008, additional ESOL funding of £3 million per annum, for the period 2008-11, for colleges and community learning and development partnerships across Scotland in support of the Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland. The college element of this is routed via the Scottish Funding Council, which allocated additional funding to Glasgow colleges as shown in the following table:

Core grant and ESOL allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be determined in due course.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many part-time students there are at college or university studying at 50% or more of the time needed to complete a full-time HNC, HND, or undergraduate degree (SCQF Level 7 to 10).

Fiona Hyslop: The number of students studying for an undergraduate higher education qualification (SCQF level 7 to 10) in part-time mode (50% or more of a full-time equivalent) at Scottish institutions was 25,810. Of these 8,640 studied at colleges and 17,170 at higher education institutions (including 7,550 at the Open University in Scotland).

The data relate to the academic year 2006-07.

Health

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network will work with the Scottish Muscle Network to develop guidelines for the management of neuromuscular conditions.

Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is working on clinical standards for all neurological conditions including neuromuscular conditions such as Muscular Dystrophy.

SIGN is responsible for developing its own work programme, and is always willing to consider proposals for new guidelines. Submissions can be made via the SIGN website, at www.sign.ac.uk.

Homelessness

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many indicators explicitly referring to tackling homelessness are included in single outcome agreements, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities address homelessness through a wide range of approaches which will often extend beyond specifically housing issues. As such, there will be a number of indicators which local authorities would see as contributing to addressing and tackling homelessness. Each local authority single outcome agreement is published and available on the Improvement Service Website www.improvmentservice.org.uk.

Nuclear Power

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was made aware of the fire hazard at the Hunterston nuclear power station identified by Her Majesty’s Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials are in regular touch with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on issues which may impact on civil nuclear contingency planning arrangements. HSE produce regular summaries of site inspections for the local liaison committees on which Scottish Government officials are represented.

HSE reviewed the fire arrangements for Hunterston in May 2007 as part of their normal inspection arrangements. Officials were aware that the review was taking place, that HSE considered that issues arising did not have any immediate impacts on nuclear safety and that HSE considered that operations could continue without affecting nuclear safety. They were not specifically informed at the time of the details of the review of fire arrangements. They are currently discussing with HSE mechanisms for ensuring transparency on such issues where this is required.

Vaccinations

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on national negotiations over GP involvement in delivering the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme.

Shona Robison: The arrangements for contracting with GPs to deliver the HPV immunisation programme are being taken forward through local negotiations at NHS board level. On 16 July 2008, the Scottish Government circulated a model locally enhanced service for boards to use in local negotiations. This will remain the model on which the Scottish Government would recommend that local negotiations take place.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GPs have agreed to take part in the Scottish Government’s human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Practice level data is not held centrally, but routine monitoring at board level suggests that an increasing number of GPs are participating in the HPV programme.

The following questions were given holding answers:

S3W-16510

S3W-16511

S3W-16525

S3W-16534

S3W-16535

S3W-16541

S3W-16542

S3W-16544

S3W-16552