- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities about health and safety issues on school trips.
Answer
Such guidance was issued by the Scottish Office in the form of a circular. This guidance is currently being reviewed by the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the Minister for Education and Young People decided which the subjects are where attainment is most important, as referred to in its news release SEED244/2003 of 25 June 2003.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's response to the national debate "Educating for Excellence" emphasised our commitment to better standards of literacy and numeracy and to make the best use of specialist teachers in both primary and secondary. Those commitments are reflected in the Partnership Agreement. We are also committed to increase the number of visiting specialists in primary schools. Discussions will be held with education authorities as to the subjects in which a visiting specialist would be most helpful.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the Millennium Volunteers programme will be extended beyond September 2003.
Answer
I have asked Volunteer Development Scotland to undertake an assessment of the effectiveness of our current strategy for volunteering, including the future of the Millennium Volunteers programme. Accordingly, funding for the programme will extend until 31 December 2003 while the review is undertaken.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce proposals for the training of additional teachers in mathematics and English in order to reduce class si'es in these subjects to 20 in S1 and S2.
Answer
Discussions will be held with education authorities as to their requirements for additional teachers. Intakes to teacher training courses are a matter for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. The Scottish Executive offers advice to the council on the overall number of newly trained teachers and that advice will take account of additional requirements arising out of the Partnership Agreement.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how training for the additional 2,800 teachers needed to meet its target of 53,000 teachers by 2007 will be funded.
Answer
Funding for any additional teachers required by the Partnership Agreement will be delivered through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, probationer teachers trained in the north east received places in that region under the Teacher Induction Scheme.
Answer
Two hundred and sixty-four Aberdeen University students applied to join the Teacher Induction Scheme in August 2003. One hundred and thirty-two (50%) have been allocated either to Aberdeen City Council or Aberdeenshire Council.Of the other 132, 60 (23% of the total) were allocated to an authority higher on their preference list than either Aberdeen City Council or Aberdeenshire Council and 55 (21% of the total) did not indicate a preference to work with either of those authorities. The remaining 17 (6% of the total) indicated a preference to work in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire. However, no vacancies existed for these teachers and they were allocated to other authorities on their preference lists.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be set aside to improve procedures, services and support for adoptive and foster parents, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer
In the spending review the Executive has allocated over £20 million for 2003-04 to 2005-06 to improving outcomes for looked-after children, which will include elements to support adoptive parents and foster carers. In addition, the Executive has allocated £30 million for 2001-02 to 2003-04 to improving family placements, including foster care.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants to the Teacher Induction Scheme have not taken up the place offered to them.
Answer
One thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five students were offered places on the Teacher Induction Scheme at the beginning of June. As at 7 July, 75 have indicated that they will not take up the places they have been offered.The table indicates the reasons why people will not be taking up their places.
| Reason for Not Taking Up Place | Number of Students |
| Withdrawn from or not completed course | 34 |
| Deferral till 2004 scheme | 5 |
| Going outwith Scotland | 9 |
| Joining independent sector | 7 |
| Personal/family reasons | 7 |
| Other/not specified | 13 |
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will allocate to youth cafis.
Answer
Funding for Youth CAFEs (Community Alcohol Free Environments) is provided within resources allocated to local authorities and NHS boards but is not identified specifically by the Executive. The plans of Alcohol Action Teams will allow us to assess the current provision and future plans for such facilities.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2003
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to schools to ensure the safety of pupils on school trips.
Answer
Local authorities and other managers of schools are responsible for taking reasonable care of pupils in their charge, and it is for them to consider what support it is necessary to give to schools in that context.
