- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of comments by former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, that European states were being “disingenuous” in indicating that they have no evidence of rendition flights through member states, whether it will make further representations to Her Majesty’s Government in order to clarify that no such flights have taken place through Scottish airports.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20910 on 7 December 2005. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage CBI Scotland to adopt and promote sex equality strategies amongst its members to eradicate sex discrimination in the workplace.
Answer
This is, of course, a matterfor Confederation of British Industry (CBI) themselves. We understand that the CBIacross the UK is already promoting sex equality strategies amongstits members to help eradicate sex discrimination in the workplace.
CBI has published severalpapers on the subject including its response to the Women and Work Commissionreport Choice at Work: Women, The Labour Market and the Gender Pay Gap. TheCBI is also engaged in a number of initiatives regarding women and the labourmarket and has board membership of the current Equal Opportunities Commissioninvestigation into the employment prospects of ethnic minority women. The CBIhas also issued a Diversity statement, which offers information and advice toemployers on how best to embed diversity in their organisations. The CBI’sEquality Forum meets three times a year to discuss legislative developments andexchange best practice on gender equality and other diversity issues.
Scottish Enterprise, onbehalf of the Scottish Executive, promotes equal opportunities policy in itsengagement with business and advises employers on compliance with equalopportunities legislation.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings officials and ministers have had with the Scottish Trades Union Congress in each year since 1999, specifically to discuss aspects of Executive policy.
Answer
Information on how manymeetings officials and ministers have had with the STUC since 1999 is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
There have been a verysignificant number of meetings since 1999. The Scottish Executive recognisesthe important role that trade unions play in promoting economic development andrepresenting workers interests in Scotland and we work closely with the STUC on matters ofmutual interest. In April 2002, the Executive signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding with the STUC and this underpins the Executive’s commitment toworking with the STUC across a wide range of policy issues.
Under the terms of the memorandum,ministers meet formally with the STUC twice a year to exchange informationabout policy issues. Ministers also meet with the STUC, as necessary, todiscuss specific issues around their portfolios. In addition, the Executive’sPermanent Secretary and Management Group meet the STUC on an annual basis, andother officials engage regularly with STUC to discuss specific policies.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings officials and ministers have had with representatives of CBI Scotland in each year since 1999, specifically to discuss aspects of Executive policy.
Answer
Avery considerable number of meetings between the Executive and CBI Scotland havetaken place since 1999, however the exact number is not held centrally andcould only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
OurPartnership Agreement for a Better Scotland, clearly sets out the Executive'scommitment to working in partnership with business. We value the skills,knowledge and experience of those in the Scottish business community and we arekeen to work closely with business to develop Scotland's economy and deliverreal growth and opportunities for the people of Scotland.
To foster this partnershipagenda, ministers and officials engage regularly with business organisations,including CBI Scotland, on a wide spectrum of Executive policy.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated specifically to the education and training of adult black and minority ethnic groups in each year since 1999.
Answer
Information on the targetingof other Executive education and training programmes is not held centrally. Fundingfor programmes such as Skillseekers andModern Apprenticeship programmes isdemand led, and therefore not targeted at specific groups. Funding forCommunity Learning and Development (CLD), including Adult Literacy and Numeracyis allocated through local CLD Partnerships who make funding decisions based onlocal need.
The Scottish Executive allocatedan additional £5.4 million (£1.4-£2 million to £2 million) to the ScottishFurther Education Funding Council (SFEFC) between 2001-04 to fund asylumseekers. This allowed the waiving of the three year residency rule for thesestudents so that they would be eligible for funding, fee waiver and hardshipfunds to attend college. £2 million was added to the SFEFC baseline in 2004-05as part of Spending Review 2004.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21616, S2W-21617, S2W-21619, S2W-21620 and S2W-21628 by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2006 and in light of the recent explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire, what discussions the Executive has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of the potential risk of radioactive contamination from by-products associated with the oil industry in the event of a similar explosion at a Scottish oil installation.
Answer
The Executive has regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on all matters relating to the regulation of radioactivity in Scotland. Guidance on the management of radioactive contamination can be found in the
UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents: 2005. This publication was produced by a partnership between the Scottish Executive, SEPA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment and Heritage Services, Environment Agency and Food Standards Agency. A link to the document is attached below.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rpd_002.htm.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bonuses have been paid to its employees in each year since 1999 and what the total cost has been of such bonuses.
Answer
Bonus payments made to staff within the Scottish Executive Core Departments since 1999 are as follows:
Special Bonus Scheme1
| Year | No. of Bonus Payments | Total Amount |
| 1999 | 333 | £93,190 |
| 2000 | 282 | £97,825 |
| 2001 | 375 | £107,750 |
| 2002 | 433 | £143,807 |
| 2003 | 329 | £114,566 |
| 2004 | 487 | £165,777 |
Note: 1. The Special Bonus Scheme rewards staff for special contributions made over a relatively short period of time. The scheme operates independently from the performance pay arrangements and is not linked to annual appraisals.
Performance Bonus2
| Year | No. of Bonus Payments | Total Amount |
| 2003 | 597 | £1,318,250 |
| 2004 | 670 | £1,701,884 |
Notes:
*Complete information on performance bonus payments prior to 2003 is not held centrally.
2. Performance bonus payments form part of the pay systems within which staff in Scottish Executive Core Departments and the Senior Civil Service are paid. Payments are made in line with performance management standards and are in recognition of performance during the appraisal year.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 20 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20910 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, whether it will recommend to Her Majesty’s Government that it monitors the international press coverage on rendition flights in order to be kept aware of the issue.
Answer
It is not necessary or appropriate for the Scottish Executive to make such a recommendation. The UK Government will decide for itself what action is required in this respect.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 20 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many equal pay claims it has settled in each year since 1999, broken down by department.
Answer
There have been no equal pay claim settlements within the Scottish Executive core departments since 1999.
- Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 20 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers were from a black or minority ethnic background in each year for which figures are available, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of social workers.
Answer
Of the 8,009 people registered as social workers with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) at 11 January 2006 (this includes people who have a social work qualification but are not practising as social workers), 6,237 had completed the equal opportunities form which is a voluntary part of the registration process. Of the 6,237, 123 declared themselves as being from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, representing 1.97% of the total who completed the form. Registration of social workers commenced in 2003 and this is the first year in which comprehensive data has been available. A report on registered social workers will be published by the SSSC in April 2006.
In 2005, information on staff ethnicity was collected for the first time as part of the Annual Census of Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services. The results of this census will be published in April 2006.
