- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many UK delegations to either formal or informal EU Council of Ministers meetings have been led by Scottish Executive ministers since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings.
Answer
Two. A Scottish Executive Minister led at the Education Council on 8 June 2000 and at the Education Council Meeting on 12 February 2001.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers it has been informed about in advance by UKREP since 1 July 1999.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13373.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many formal and informal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers it has been informed about in advance by departments of Her Majesty's Government since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings.
Answer
The Executive is informed by UK Government Departments of all formal and informal meetings of the EU Council.Details of these meetings are set out in the tables:FORMAL EU COUNCIL MEETINGS
DATE | COUNCIL |
| 12.7.99 | ECOFIN |
| 16.7.99 | BUDGET |
| 19-20.7.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 19.7.99 | AGRICULTURE |
| 29.7.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 13.9.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 27.9.99 | AGRICULTURE |
| 4.10.99 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 6.10.99 | TRANSPORT |
| 8.10.99 | ECOFIN |
| 11-12.10.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 12.10.99 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 22.10.99 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 26.10.99 | FISHERIES |
| 28.10.99 | INTERNAL MARKET |
| 29.10.99 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 8.11.99 | ECOFIN |
| 8.11.99 | CONSUMERS |
| 9.11.99 | INDUSTRY |
| 11.11.99 | DEVELOPMENT |
| 12.11.99 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 15-16.11.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 15.11.99 | AGRICULTURE |
| 18.11.99 | HEALTH |
| 22.11.99 | FISHERIES |
| 23.11.99 | CULTURE |
| 23.11.99 | YOUTH |
| 25-26.11.99 | BUDGET |
| 26.11.99 | EDUCATION |
| 29.11.99 | ECOFIN |
| 29.11.99 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 30.11.99 | TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
| 29.11.99 - 3.12.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 2.12.99 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 2.12.99 | ENERGY |
| 2.12.99 | RESEARCH |
| 6-8.12.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 7.12.99 | INTERNAL MARKET |
| 8.12.99 | ACP-EC COUNCIL |
| 9.12.99 | TRANSPORT |
| 13-14.12.99 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 14.12.99 | AGRICULTURE |
| 16-17.12.99 | FISHERIES |
| 24.1.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 24.1.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 31.1.00 | ECOFIN |
| 2-3.2.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 14-15.2.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 28.2.00 | ECOFIN |
| 13.3.00 | ECOFIN |
| 13.3.00 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 16.3.00 | INTERNAL MARKET |
| 20-21.3.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 20.3.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 27.3.00 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 28.3.00 | TRANSPORT |
| 30.3.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 2.4.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 10-11.4.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 13.4.00 | CONSUMERS |
| 17.4.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 2.5.00 | TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
| 8.5.00 | ECOFIN |
| 8.5.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 16.5.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 16.5.00 | CULTURE |
| 18.5.00 | INDUSTRY |
| 18.5.00 | DEVELOPMENT |
| 22-23.5.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 25.5.00 | INTERNAL MARKET |
| 29.5.00 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 30.5.00 | ENERGY |
| 6.6.00 | ECOFIN |
| 6.6.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 8.6.00 | EDUCATION |
| 13-14.6.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 15.6.00 | RESEARCH |
| 16.6.00 | FISHERIES |
| 19.6.00 | ECOFIN |
| 19.6.90 | AGRICULTURE |
| 18.6.00 | ECOFIN |
| 22.6.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 26.6.00 | TRANSPORT |
| 19.6.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 29.6.00 | HEALTH |
| 10.7.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 17.7.00 | ECOFIN |
| 17.7.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 20.7.00 | BUDGET |
| 18-19.9.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 26.9.00 | CULTURE |
| 28.9.00 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 28.9.00 | INTERNAL MARKET |
| 29.9.00 | ECOFIN |
| 20.9.00 | TRANSPORT |
| 2.10.00 | TRANSPORT |
| 3.10.00 | TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
| 9-10.10.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 10.10.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 17.10.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 17.10.00 | ECOFIN |
| 17.10.00 | JHA & CIVIL PROTECTION |
| 23.10.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 7.11.00 | ECOFIN |
| 7.11.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 9.11.00 | EDUCATION/YOUTH |
| 10.11.00 | DEVELOPMENT |
| 16.11.00 | RESEARCH |
| 17.11.00 | FISHERIES |
| 20-21.11.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 20-21.11.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 23-24.11.00 | BUDGET |
| 23.11.00 | CULTURE |
| 26-27.11.00 | ECOFIN |
| 27-28.11.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 30.11.00 & 1.12.00 | JHA & CIVIL PROTECTION |
| 30.11.00 | INTERNAL MARKET/CONSUMERS/TOURISM |
| 4-5.12.00 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 4.12.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 5.12.00 | INDUSTRY & ENERGY |
| 14.12.00 | HEALTH |
| 14-15.12.00 | FISH |
| 18-19.12.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 19.12.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 20.12.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 20-21.12.00 | TRANSPORT |
| 22.12.00 | TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
| 19.1.01 | ECOFIN |
| 29-30.01.01 | AGRICULTURE |
| 12.2.01 | ECOFIN |
| 12.2.01 | EDUCATION |
INFORMAL COUNCIL MINISTERIAL MEETINGS
DATE | COUNCIL |
| 8-10.7.99 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 18-20.7.99 | CULTURE |
| 23-25.7.99 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 4-5.9.99 | GENERAL AFFAIRS |
| 10-12.9.99 | ECOFIN |
| 12-14.9.99 | AGRICULTURE |
| 16-17.9.99 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 23-25.9.99 | EDUCATION |
| 27-28.9.99 | HOUSING |
| 9.12.99 | ECOFIN |
| 28-29.1.00 | DEVELOPMENT |
| 11.2.00 | LABOUR & SOCIAL AFFAIRS |
| 28.2.00 | DEFENCE MINISTERS INFORMALS |
| 3-4.3.00 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 6-7.3.00 | RESEARCH |
| 17-18.3.00 | ECONOMY & FINANCE |
| 30-31.3.00 | CULTURE |
| 7-8.4.00 | ECOFIN |
| 15-16.4.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 6-7.5.00 | FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
| 25-26.5.00 | FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
| 28-30.5.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 7-8.7.00 | EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY |
| 14-15.7.00 | ENVIRONMENT |
| 20-21.7.00 | CULTURE |
| 28-29.7.00 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 2-3.9.00 | FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
| 3-5.9.00 | AGRICULTURE |
| 8-9.9.00 | ECOFIN |
| 22.9.00 | DEFENCE MINISTERS INFORMALS |
| 22-23.1.01 | EQUALITY & SOCIAL SECURITY |
| 8-9.2.01 | JUSTICE & HOME AFFAIRS |
| 15-17.2.01 | EMPLOYMENT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 20 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the outcome of the Opportunities and Choices consultation exercise on post-school provision for 16-18 year olds which closed in September 1999.
Answer
There were 110 responses to the
Opportunities and Choices consultation exercise from a wide range of agencies including colleges, the enterprise network, employers, National Training Organisations, local authorities and representative bodies. There was general agreement with the objectives outlined in the consultation paper. The responses also made suggestions and comments on how to increase the value of work-based training; to assist transfer band progression across training and further education; to improve the assessment of trainees and the guidance they receive; to increase the uptake of Modern Apprenticeships; and to develop a better range of integrated training and further education provision.
In response to this, and to increase the training opportunities available to young people, we have agreed revised and extended training criteria for 18-24 year olds who wish to take up Modern Apprenticeships. The Scottish Executive has established a working group to take forward the results of the consultation exercise over the next 12 to 18 months. The group, which includes representatives of the enterprise network and the further education sector, is developing practical proposals for integrated training and further education programmes, and pilots are being set up to test the improvements suggested in response to the consultation paper.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 8 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with the Department of Media, Culture and Sport regarding the New Opportunities Fund in Scotland.
Answer
The Executive maintains regular contact with the Department for Media, Culture and Sport on all policy issues concerning the New Opportunities Fund and other National Lottery distributors.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 7 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for access to higher education institutions of the recent problems within the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
Answer
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service reported yesterday that the number of applicants from Scotland admitted to universities in the United Kingdom was 2.6% higher than at the same point in the admissions process in 1999. This implies that the substantial efforts to avoid negative consequences for candidates affected by examination problems have been effective.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 31 July 2000
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will invite tenders from Scottish companies for the supply of Scottish tree and plant products for the soft landscaping of the Holyrood site of the Parliament.
Answer
Contracts for the "soft landscaping" at the Holyrood site will be let in accordance with current EC procurement directives which ensure free and open competition in all member states. It is hoped and expected that Scottish companies will participate in this competitive tendering process.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners died of hypothermia in each health board area in each year since 1992.
Answer
The information available is given in the following tables. Table A covers all deaths where hypothermia was mentioned on the certificate of cause of death; table B is restricted to those where hypothermia was considered to be the underlying cause of death.
Table A: Deaths of pensioners1 where hypothermia was mentioned on the certificate of cause of death, by health board area
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 19992 |
Scotland | 91 | 112 | 96 | 93 | 79 | 59 | 60 | 61 |
Argyll & Clyde | 10 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
Ayrshire & Arran | 5 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
Borders | - | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 |
Fife | 3 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Forth Valley | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | - | 2 | 6 |
Grampian | 6 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
Greater Glasgow | 17 | 35 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 16 |
Highland | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
Lanarkshire | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
Lothian | 21 | 16 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 9 |
Orkney | 2 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
Shetland | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Tayside | 10 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 10 | - | 7 | 4 |
Western Isles | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
Table B: Deaths of pensioners1 where hypothermia was recorded as the
underlying cause of death3, by health board area
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 19992 |
Scotland | 19 | 31 | 28 | 29 | 24 | 16 | 14 | 22 |
Argyll & Clyde | 2 | - | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Ayrshire & Arran | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
Borders | - | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
Dumfries & Galloway | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Fife | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 | - |
Forth Valley | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 1 |
Grampian | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 |
Greater Glasgow | 2 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
Highland | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - |
Lanarkshire | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Lothian | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Orkney | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Shetland | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Tayside | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | - |
Western Isles | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Notes:
1. Men aged 65 and over, women aged 60 and over.
2. Provisional.
3. Underlying cause of death ICD9 codes 901 and 988.3.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the threshold set for the Scottish Graduate Endowment.
Answer
We are currently consulting on our proposals for student support. Our consultation document Scotland: The Learning Nation- Helping Students was issued on 24 May and we have asked for comments and views by 31 August 2000. The comments we have so far received cover a range of issues, including the threshold for the Graduate Endowment.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 22 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to fund fourth year tuition fees for students from other parts of the UK studying at Scottish universities.
Answer
As announced on 29 March, students from other parts of the UK who take a 4 year course at a Scottish institution, which is a year longer than the rest of the UK, will have their fees paid in the final year. This will apply to those entering courses from 2001 and we are discussing the funding of this with the other UK Departments. The actual cost for these first students will not fall until 2004-05 when they reach their fourth year.
