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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-37535

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that corporate purchasers and consumers are able to identify and support produce that is (a) Scottish or (b) locally sourced

The Scottish Government launched the Provenance on a Plate website in March 2010. This is a toolkit that includes advice and guidance to Scottish caterers on how to bring out the origin and provenance of the food and drink on their menus.

The Food Standards Agency (Scotland) was asked by the Scottish Government to produce simple and understandable origin labelling guidance to consumers. The Consumer Guide to Country of Origin Information on Food Labels provides consumers with the information needed to make informed decisions about the food and drink they purchase at retailers. This was launched in June 2010.

We also have a number of Scottish products registered under the EU Protected Food Names Scheme, including Scotch beef and Arbroath smokies. We continue to support producers to apply to protect more of our iconic Scottish produce.

The Scottish Government continues to press for mandatory origin labelling for food and drink products important to Scotland in the ongoing negotiations on the EU Provision of Food Information to Consumers Regulation.

We have also worked with the Scotch whisky industry to ensure that it is given the best possible protection in domestic and overseas markets. That is why regulations came into force in November 2009 to protect Scotch whisky''s geographical indication (GI) of provenance. For example, the First Minister welcomed earlier in November 2010 the announcement that Scotch whisky has been given GI in China.

Question reference: S3W-37544

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in passenger numbers for each station on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow rail line since the introduction of a half-hourly rail service

Based on comparison of one-off ScotRail passenger counts conducted in March 2009 and March 2010, after introduction of the half-hourly service in December 2009, there have been the following changes in passenger numbers of each station on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow rail line:

Weekday	% Difference
Glasgow Central	55
Crossmyloof	70
Pollokshaws West	2
Kennishead	44
Priesthill and Darnley	N/A
Nitshill	12
Barrhead	18
Dunlop	93
Stewarton	116
Kilmaurs	141
Kilmarnock	204

Question reference: S3W-37528

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 25 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications in information technology or related topics have been available to pupils sitting higher-level exams in each of the last 10 years

The Scottish Qualifications Authority provides the following information:

Information Technology Related Qualifications in Scottish Schools at Higher Level (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Level 6) 2001-2010¹

Qualification	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Higher Level Computing	X	X	X
Higher Level Information Systems	X	X	X
Higher Level Computing (reviewed version)²				X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Higher Level Information Systems (reviewed version)³				X	X	X	X	X	X	X
PC Passport				X	X	X
PC Passport (refreshed version)⁴							X	X	X	X
National Progression Award in Digital Media Production									X	X
National Certificate in Digital Media Computing									X	X
National Progression Award in Computer Games Development										X

Notes:

1. Year indicates session. For example, 2002 means session 2002-2003 (August 2002 to June 2003).

2. Higher Computing was reviewed as part of the NQ review in 2003.

3. Higher Information Systems was reviewed as part of the NQ Review in 2003.

4. A refreshed version of PC Passport was introduced in August 2007.

Question reference: S3W-37541

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what activities undertaken by pupils outwith the school setting it classifies as contributing to the delivery of two hours of physical education per week

Question reference: S3W-37542

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports schools to enable pupils to move on from physical exercise to participation in sport

Question reference: S3W-37543

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there have been changes in the number of pupils participating in sport at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools

Question reference: S3W-37539

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there has been progress in increasing the number of schools offering two hours of physical education per week for each pupil

Question reference: S3W-37540

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in providing pupils with access to two hours of physical education per week

Question reference: S3W-36011

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 September 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive when is the estimated date for completion of the final account for the construction of the Floak to Fenwick extension of the M77, including settlement of all associated compulsory purchases of land.

Question reference: S3W-36010

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 September 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many compulsory purchases of land to enable the construction of the Floak to Fenwick extension of the M77 were (a) required, (b) outstanding at the date of completion of the works and (c) still outstanding on 1 August 2010.

(a) The compulsory purchase order linked to the M77 Fenwick to Floak special roads scheme required various plots of land from 34 landowners in order to build the scheme.

(b) At the date of completion of the works, final settlement of land compensation payments was still to be reached with all 34 affected parties