- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 29 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the schools in Argyll and Bute where primary 2 pupils are in classes of 18 or under.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6885 on 29 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 28 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the matter of the missing personal pension information sent by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde only became public in response to an inquiry from Scotland on Sunday on 24 November 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentbecame aware on Friday that a package of pension benefit statements might have gonemissing. Investigations were already underway when we received an inquiry from Scotland on Sunday. On this occasion, exceptionally, ministers took theview that in the context of wider public concern about missing data there was anover-riding need to release the full facts about the NHS pension statements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament on class sizes.
Answer
The CabinetSecretary will make a statement on class sizes on 5 December 2007.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 26 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the progress being made by the Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Reference Group.
Answer
The first year’s achievementsof the National Strategy for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse ReferenceGroup were presented at a major national conference, the first of its kind in Scotland, in February 2007. Since then the group has worked withthe Scottish Government to progress a number of actions including:
Development - andannouncement on 1 November 2007 – of the SurvivorScotland website to improvethe lives of survivors with access to a wide range of data, training and good practiceexamples.
Award of £1.7 millionService Development Fund to 25 statutory and voluntary organisations to developa range of services for survivors.
The conference reportand further details of progress on the strategy is provided at
www.survivorscotland.org.uk. Awarenessraising and public education are key issues now being addressed by the group’s focuson a communications campaign.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve neonatal services.
Answer
We are undertakinga comprehensive review of all aspects of neonatal services. The first draft of thereport will be available at the end of this year. The Scottish Government will give full consideration tothe findings and recommendations of the report when it is published.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 22 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report by independent expert, Tom Shaw, of his investigation into historical institutional abuse in the care sector.
Answer
The
Historical Abuse Systemic Review: ResidentialCare for Children and Young People in Scotland 1950-1995 has been
published today. It is available on the Scottish Government website and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/20094226.I am grateful to theindependent expert Mr Tom Shaw and his team for the completion of this thoroughand comprehensive review.
This importantreview helps us understand the statutory and regulatory landscape which was in placeduring this period to protect children and keep them safe in residential care. Itsheds light on the failings of those systems which were in place which should haveprotected children; it identifies the progress which has been made and, crucially,identifies where further effort is still required.
The Scottish Governmentis determined to ensure that those survivors of historic in care and institutionalabuse can receive the appropriate services they require to help them to recoverfrom the effects of the physical and psychological damage caused by the abuse theyhave experienced. As part of the government’s wider Survivor Scotland strategy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, weare developing specific proposals for survivors of historic in-care and institutionalabuse.
We must also ensurethat children who are presently in residential care are safeguarded. We are already working with our partners toimprove outcomes for all looked after young people and those leaving care. In thelight of this review, I will be looking at how we can learn the lessons of the pastand build on progress to raise the standard of residential care for children. Wewill work with partners to bring forward specific proposals, from developing theworkforce to ensuring high-quality services, which address the issues raised.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 22 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the conclusions of the report by independent expert, Tom Shaw, of his investigation into historical institutional abuse in the care sector.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6410 on 22 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 22 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent expert, Tom Shaw, appointed to investigate historical institutional abuse in the care sector will report to Scottish ministers.
Answer
The HistoricalAbuse Systemic Review: Residential Care for Children and Young People inScotland 1950-1995 by the independent expert, Tom Shaw, was submitted tothe Scottish Government on 15 November 2007.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4830 by John Swinney on 31 October 2007, whether rules 4.15 and 7.22 of the Scottish Ministerial Code have been observed in relation to unpaid advisers.
Answer
Paragraph 7.22 of the Scottish Ministerial Code has been applied to the expenditure involved in oneoverseas visit by the one member of the special adviser team who is unpaid. Paragraph4.15 would apply only to an unpaid adviser who is not a special adviser.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 19 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executivefurther to the answer to question S3W-4825 by John Swinney on 15 October 2007, whether there is any bar on citizens from nations outwith the United Kingdom working for the civil service.
Answer
UK nationals or people with dual nationalitywith one part being British may apply for any post in the civil service. In addition,about 75% of Civil Service posts are open to Commonwealth citizens and nationalsof any of the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA). The remainder,which require special allegiance to the state, are reserved for UK nationals. Non-UK candidates resident overseas are howevernot eligible to apply for civil service posts. Full civil service nationality guidelinesare available on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway website at
http://careers.civil-service.gov.ukIt is possible fornon-UK nationals to be employed on a consultancy arrangement, depending on experienceor qualifications.
