- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures the extent to which public bodies use information technology to enhance public access and accountability on the part of (a) boards of management and (b) executive officers
Answer
Public bodies are responsible for managing their own business systems and processes. This includes determining the most effective use of information and communications technology in accordance with any relevant obligations, including openness, accountability and the duty of best value.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather 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 Scotland-based companies trading online
Answer
Although a reserved matter, the Scottish Government actively supports companies with national pre-eminence in their sector who seek to use "Scottish" or equivalents in their company name.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of pupils with a higher-level qualification in information technology or a related topic take up (a) further education, (b) higher education or (c) employment in a related field
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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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
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to public bodies on the use of information technology to enhance public access and accountability on the part of (a) boards of management and (b) executive officers
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37531 on 25 November 2010. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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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
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of pupils has left school with a higher-level qualification in information technology or a related topic in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority
Answer
Details are as follows:
Table 1. Proportion of School Leavers with a Higher Qualification in Information Technology1 Related Subjects, by Local Authority, 2000-01 to 2008-09.
Data for 2009-10 will not be available until after the publication of post-appeal statistics in March 2011.
Proportion of Leavers (%)
| Local Authority | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Aberdeen City | 6.9 | 7.9 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Aberdeenshire | 8.0 | 8.1 | 10.3 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 8.4 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Angus | 5.8 | 5.7 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.7 |
| Argyll and Bute | 6.8 | 5.7 | 7.6 | 6.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 6.6 |
| Clackmannanshire | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 4.2 | 5.7 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 6.0 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 4.2 |
| Dundee City | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.5 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 8.1 |
| East Ayrshire | 8.6 | 8.2 | 6.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.7 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 12.3 | 13.2 | 13.9 | 16.5 | 15.8 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 12.6 | 12.7 |
| East Lothian | 6.1 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 4.3 | 7.5 |
| East Renfrewshire | 12.2 | 16.6 | 15.5 | 17.0 | 18.0 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 9.3 | 10.2 |
| Edinburgh, City of | 7.0 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 7.4 |
| Eilean Siar | 9.0 | 4.9 | 8.7 | 9.9 | 4.8 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 7.5 | 6.7 |
| Falkirk | 5.3 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Fife | 4.8 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 6.2 |
| Glasgow City | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Highland | 6.4 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
| Inverclyde | 6.2 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 8.3 |
| Midlothian | 6.8 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 6.3 | 5.9 |
| Moray | 8.2 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 7.5 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
| North Ayrshire | 10.2 | 12.8 | 9.9 | 9.4 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 8.1 | 6.7 | 8.9 |
| North Lanarkshire | 5.7 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 6.1 |
| Orkney Islands | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 3.2 |
| Perth and Kinross | 6.5 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 7.9 | 6.6 | 8.3 |
| Renfrewshire | 7.5 | 9.3 | 6.1 | 10.0 | 8.9 | 7.7 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
| Scottish Borders | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Shetland Islands | 3.7 | 2.0 | 6.3 | 9.9 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 7.3 |
| South Ayrshire | 9.3 | 13.3 | 12.4 | 9.8 | 12.3 | 13.0 | 12.2 | 9.2 | 11.1 |
| South Lanarkshire | 7.4 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Stirling | 10.0 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 10.8 | 11.7 | 7.4 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.9 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 6.6 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 7.0 | 9.3 | 9.6 | 5.6 | 6.9 | 8.1 |
| West Lothian | 6.7 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 8.7 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 8.2 |
| Scotland | 6.8 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 6.5 |
Table 2. Proportion of School Leavers with an Advanced Higher Qualification in Information Technology1 Related Subjects in Scotland2, 2000-01 to 2008-09.
| Year | Proportion of Leavers (%) |
| 2000-01 | 0.2 |
| 2001-02 | 0.6 |
| 2002-03 | 0.7 |
| 2003-04 | 0.7 |
| 2004-05 | 0.7 |
| 2005-06 | 0.6 |
| 2006-07 | 0.4 |
| 2007-08 | 0.5 |
| 2008-09 | 0.6 |
Notes:
1. Information technology related subjects include, Information Systems, Computing, Computing (new), Computing Studies (new), Computing and Information Technology.
2. The breakdown for Advanced Highers by local authority is very small.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in ensuring that public bodies provide best value
Answer
Since April 2002, there has been a duty of best value on accountable officers to ensure arrangements are in place to secure best value. Compliance with the duty of Best Value is an auditable requirement for public bodies under section 22(1)(c) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. The organisation''s auditors will typically audit performance alongside its finances. Audit Scotland set out its approach in the leaflet
Auditing Best Value in central government bodies which is available on the Audit Scotland website at:
http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/corp/2009/bv_audit_best_value_central_gov.pdf
Guidance about best value in public bodies was issued in 2003 and revised in 2006. In May 2009, Officials wrote to all chief executives of agencies, non-departmental public bodies, non-ministerial departments and public corporations reminding them of the specific duty on accountable officers to ensure that arrangements are in place to secure best value. A small reference group, the Best Value Reference Group, was also formed.
The Best Value Reference Group is currently refreshing the guidance on the duty of best value for public bodies. The group also worked closely with Audit Scotland on the development of its 18 best value toolkits. These toolkits are used by Audit Scotland auditors during the annual financial audit of a public body. The toolkits were published in August 2010 and are available on the Audit Scotland website at:
http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/work/toolkits/.
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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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
Answer
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 |
- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
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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
Answer
Awaiting answer
