- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33713 by Michael Russell on 2 June 2010, how many hours of an inspector's time will be diverted as a result of the postponement of the inspection of (a) secondary schools, (b) primary schools and (c) early years centres in the next five years, in order to assist with the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer
Following the autumn programme of support to which S3W-33713 referred there are no further planned postponements of inspection activity to assist with the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. Support for Curriculum for Excellence is a major part of Education Scotland’s remit and is embedded within its programmes of activity planned.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considered a merger between the Scottish Qualifications Agency and Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) before the merger of LTS and HM Inspectorate of Education.
Answer
Then, as now, the Scottish Government keeps the public bodies landscape under continuous review and explores all potential options as part of its ongoing commitment to reduce costs and bureaucracy and improve service delivery.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and whether the establishment of defibrillators in public and private sector ferry vessels will be on the agenda.
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly meets the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to discuss a range of issues. David MacBrayne Ltd officials were planning to discuss this issue with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in February this year but the meeting was deferred and a new date is being arranged.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff (a) were employed by HMIE and (b) are employed by Education Scotland to carry out school inspections.
Answer
At 30 June 2011, HMIE had 82 Inspectors; 10 Assistant Chief Inspectors; four Health and Nutrition Inspectors; and nine Assistant Inspectors involved in inspections.
As of 1 July 2011, when we became Education Scotland, we had 80 Inspectors; nine Assistant Chief Inspectors; four Health and Nutrition Inspectors; and eight Assistant Inspectors. Since then, the figures have reduced further so that at 30 September 2011, Education Scotland had 73 Inspectors; six Assistant Chief Inspectors; three Health and Nutrition Inspectors, and seven Assistant Inspectors.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive to whom Education Scotland's schools inspectorate is accountable.
Answer
Education Scotland is accountable to Scottish ministers, the Director-General for Learning and Justice and to the Scottish Parliament and its committees.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many days per annum inspectors spend carrying out school inspections.
Answer
Inspectors were deployed for a total of 4,404 days to carry out school inspections during 2010-11. This figure does not include pre-school inspections as, in the main, seconded pre-school practitioners carried out inspections in this sector.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) consulted in relation to the effectiveness of the Offshore Supplies Office in manufacturing a Scottish supply chain in oil and gas projects.
Answer
The Official History of North Sea Oil and Gas by Professor Alex Kemp, published on 4 September 2011, provides an in-depth analysis of the development of UK policies towards North Sea oil and gas industry from the early 1960’s to 1993. Professor Kemp reports that the work of the Offshore Supplies Office lead to an increase in the share of the UKCS (UK Continental Shelf) market obtained by British industry and many companies obtained benefits which enabled them to flourish both domestically and overseas in later years. The publication cites the development of sub-sea technologies as a particular success story.
Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies continue to support the growth and development of Scotland's supply chain capability, both domestically and internationally and help to ensure that businesses seek and develop opportunities in new and emerging sectors such as offshore wind.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland is compliant with the 2001 EU framework decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings.
Answer
Scotland was largely compliant with the European Framework Decision on the Standing of Victims in Criminal Proceedings when it was promulgated. A detailed response to the framework decision, Victims in the Scottish Criminal Justice System: The EU Framework Decision On The Standing of Victims In Criminal Procedure, The Scottish Perspective, was published in 2002. Further work was done to ensure compliance with articles that did not need to be implemented until 2004.
Following research and consultation the European Commission concluded that the framework decision needed to be updated. Consequently, a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the council on establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime to replace the 2001 framework decision, was adopted by the European Commission on 18 May 2011. The UK Government is currently involved in negotiations on the draft directive.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to create minimum standards for services to victims.
Answer
The Scottish Government is planning a victims and witnesses bill to strengthen the position of victims and witnesses in the justice system. Decisions on the overall content of the bill will be informed by the final shape and scope of the draft directive of the European Parliament and of the council aimed at establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime.
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 October 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce new legislation to protect victims and witnesses.
Answer
The Scottish Government will introduce a victims and witnesses bill during this parliament.