- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 12 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Sports Council Trust Company spent on the provision of community sports facilities in each of the last five years; which facilities have been provided as a result, and how much each received.
Answer
The Trust Company was not established by sportscotland to provide community sports facilities but to manage and operate the three National Centres at Glenmore Lodge, Inverclyde and Cumbrae. The board members of sportscotland are the directors of the company.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 12 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how sportscotland has supported and developed sport in 2004-05; which projects were recipients of the £14.4 million spent on supporting and developing sport at grassroots level, and how much each project received.
Answer
This is an operational matter for sportscotland. I have asked the chair to provide the information requested.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 12 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to monitor sportscotland’s expenditure to ensure that expenditure on bureaucracy is kept to a minimum.
Answer
Under the Efficient Government initiative, which aims to redirect administrative costs to delivery of front-line services, we have asked sportscotland to deliver annual efficiency savings of at least £200,000 by 31 March 2008.
With regard to specific expenditure on staffing, sportscotland’s staff costs are subject to the approval of the Scottish Executive and must take account of public sector pay guidance. Any significant changes in sportscotland’s staff numbers are therefore also subject to the Executive’s approval.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 12 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how much sportscotland has spent on providing community facilities in each of the last five years; what community facilities have benefited from this investment, and how much they received.
Answer
This is an operational matter for sportscotland. I have asked the chair to provide the information requested.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 6 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the delivery of its central heating replacement programme in order to ensure that those who qualify under the programme do not have to wait for periods of up to five months without heating before a new system is installed.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:
From the time of application until the installation of the central heating system, the average waiting time is five months. However, many applicants to the programme receive their heating system more quickly. Many householders also require gas connections, electrical upgrades, planning permission or building warrants. Unfortunately, these additional requirements can result in householders waiting five months or more.
The programme is continually monitored and kept under review to ensure that qualifying householders receive their central heating system a quickly as possible after application.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 1 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it continues to support the work of Scotland Against Drugs.
Answer
The Executive supports the activities that have been undertaken by Scotland Against Drugs. The transfer of functions to the Health Scotland and particularly the Scottish Centre for Health Working Lives will allow this work not only to continue but to develop and expand. This is especially important in relation to employability which is key to helping those with serious drug misuse problems make their way back into work.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 1 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive why no agreement has been reached with Scotland Against Drugs on the financial support it requires in 2006-07 and when it expects an agreement to be reached.
Answer
We have reached agreement on the broad funding allocation for 2006-07 which will transfer to Health Scotland in order for the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to continue and develop the work of Scotland Against Drugs. The final budget will be agreed towards the end of February 2006.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 1 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue providing financial support to Scotland Against Drugs in 2006-07.
Answer
We will continue to provide funding to support the functions and activities of Scotland Against Drugs (SAD) in 2006-07. However, these functions, and associated funding will transfer to Health Scotland from 1 April 2006. The employability programme, which is the major part of SAD’s current work, will transfer to the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, which is part of Health Scotland. This will enable us to build upon work developed by Scotland Against Drugs to help those with serious drug misuse problems make their way back into work. A press release will be issued later today.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 29 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers have been employed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The available information on how many PE teachers have been employed, broken down by local authority is shown in the 2003 and 2004 Teacher Censuses. This can be accessed using the following hyperlinks:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00352-00.asp
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00416.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 29 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers are eligible for retirement in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The normal retirement age of teachers is 60. Teachers employed by local authorities must retire at 65, so there is potential to retire at anytime between 60 and 65 with unreduced benefits. Teachers can apply to retire at any time between 55 to 59 with an actuarially reduced pension, though in practice at present very few teachers are doing so. The employer must agree to the teacher’s retirement but consent cannot be held for more than six months.
The following table shows the numbers in each year at 60 and above who are eligible to retire rather than the number that will retire in the years specified. Teachers therefore can appear in more than one column.
Full-Time Equivalent Secondary Teacher Numbers, Where Main Subject is PE
Teachers Aged | 59 to 63 | 58 to 62 | 57 to 61 | 56 to 60 |
Eligible for Retirement | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
Aberdeen City | - | - | * | * |
Aberdeenshire | * | * | * | * |
Angus | - | * | * | * |
Argyll and Bute | * | * | - | * |
Clackmannanshire | - | - | * | * |
Dumfries and Galloway | - | - | - | - |
Dundee City | - | - | * | * |
East Ayrshire | - | - | - | - |
East Dunbartonshire | - | - | * | * |
East Lothian | - | - | * | * |
East Renfrewshire | * | * | * | * |
Edinburgh, City of | - | - | * | 6 |
Eilean Siar | - | - | - | - |
Falkirk | * | * | * | * |
Fife | - | - | * | * |
Glasgow City | * | * | * | * |
Highland | - | * | * | * |
Inverclyde | - | * | * | * |
Midlothian | - | - | - | * |
Moray | * | * | * | * |
North Ayrshire | - | - | * | * |
North Lanarkshire | * | * | * | 6 |
Orkney Islands | - | - | - | - |
Perth and Kinross | * | * | * | * |
Renfrewshire | - | * | * | 7 |
Scottish Borders | - | - | * | * |
Shetland Islands | - | - | - | - |
South Ayrshire | - | - | - | * |
South Lanarkshire | - | - | * | * |
Stirling | - | - | * | * |
West Dunbartonshire | - | * | * | * |
West Lothian | * | * | * | * |
All Local Authorities | 10 | 20 | 47 | 72 |
Note: *Numbers less than five are deemed to be disclosive, hence not published.