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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-03144

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of those emigrating it estimates was educated to higher education standard in each year since 1980.

Question reference: S3W-03142

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what the birth rate was in each year since 1950.

The information requestedis given in the following table.

Birth Rate Per1,000 Population, Scotland, 1950-2006

1950	18.1	1960	19.6	1970	16.8	1980	13.3	1990	13.0	2000	10.5
1951	17.8	1961	19.5	1971	16.6	1981	13.3	1991	13.2	2001	10.4
1952	17.7	1962	20.1	1972	15.0	1982	12.8	1992	12.9	2002	10.1
1953	17.8	1963	19.7	1973	14.2	1983	12.6	1993	12.4	2003	10.4
1954	18.1	1964	20.0	1974	13.4	1984	12.7	1994	12.1	2004	10.6
1955	18.1	1965	19.3	1975	13.0	1985	13.0	1995	11.8	2005	10.7
1956	18.6	1966	18.6	1976	12.4	1986	12.9	1996	11.6	2006	10.9
1957	19.1	1967	18.5	1977	11.9	1987	13.0	1997	11.7
1958	19.3	1968	18.2	1978	12.3	1988	13.0	1998	11.3
1959	19.2	1969	17.3	1979	13.1	1989	12.5	1999	10.9

Question reference: S3W-03512

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on Scottish Ambulance Service staff were reported in each year since 1990.

Question reference: S3W-03454

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 19 and not in education, employment or training were (a) known and (b) estimated to have a drugs problem in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S3W-03455

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 5 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a uniform definition of dyslexia across Scotland.

There is no singleor commonly agreed definition of dyslexia across Scotland. However, the Scottish Executive is in the early stages of taking forwardwork to develop a working definition of dyslexia which can be readily understoodby parents and be of practical use to teachers in the classroom.

Whatever definitionis used, education authorities and schools should have appropriate arrangementsin place for identifying and meeting the needs of each individual pupil.

Question reference: S3W-03451

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what number and percentage of people aged 16 to 19 and not in education, employment or training had a disability in each year since 1999 .

The official sourcesfor estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 19 not in employment, educationor training are the Labour Force Survey and the Annual Population Survey. Table1 shows the estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 19 and not in employment,education or training who have a disability and the estimates of the proportionof people who are aged 16 to 19 and not in employment, education or training whoare disabled.

As these estimatesare taken from sample surveys they are subject to a degree of error.

Table 1 Number andProportion of People who are Aged 16 to 19 and Not in Employment, Education orTraining with a Disability.

	Number	Percentage
1999	8,000	20.4%
2000	6,000	15.3%
2001	6,000	14.5%
2002	**	**
2003	7,000	19.6%
2004	6,000	17.4%
2005	8,100	22.3%
2006	6,900	21.7%

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS),Quarters combined for 1998-2002. Annual Scottish LFS (ASLFS) for 2003. Annual PopulationSurvey 2004 onwards

Notes:

1. Data for 1999-2003 are based on a seasonal year (March to February) whereasdata for 2004 onwards are based on a calendar year (January to December).

2. Disability is self determined.

** Data are unreliable.

Question reference: S3W-03453

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of people aged 16 to 19 and not in education, employment or training by (a) local authority, (b) local enterprise company and (c) postcode area in each year since 1999.

The official sourcesfor those aged 16 to 19 not in employment, education or training are the LabourForce Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS). However, in a researchreport carried out by the Training and Employment Research Unit of Glasgow Universityon behalf of the Scottish Executive it was recommended that a combination of SchoolLeavers Destinations Statistics and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefitsinformation are used to monitor the change at a local level. It is recognised thatthis measure underestimates the true number of 16 to 19-year-olds not in employment,education or training however it provides a reliable and consistent measure belowthe national level. Table 1 shows the number of 16 to 19-year-olds entering negativedestinations combined with the number of 18 to 19-year-old benefit claimants bylocal authority.

Information on schoolleavers destinations and DWP benefits are not available by Local Enterprise Company.Therefore table 2 shows the estimated number of 16 to 19-year-olds who are not inemployment, education or training by local enterprise company taken from the LFS/APS.Data from the LFS/APS are only available by local enterprise company from 2003 onwards.Please note that these estimates are subject to a degree of error.

Data on the numberof people who are aged 16 to 19 and not in employment, education or training bypostcode area are not held centrally.

Table 1. Those Enteringa Negative Destination on Leaving School or Claiming a DWP Benefit by Local Authority Area

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Aberdeen	900	920	1,020	990	1,010	990	730	720
Aberdeenshire	690	600	560	630	830	840	660	620
Angus	510	530	530	540	550	500	420	480
Argyll and Bute	400	410	360	350	360	320	310	370
Clackmannanshire	300	330	310	320	410	330	280	320
Dumfries and Galloway	770	680	670	640	640	660	670	640
Dundee	1,110	1,010	1,090	1,060	1,150	1,000	920	960
East Ayrshire	860	790	820	820	890	820	880	820
East Dunbartonshire	410	430	410	370	410	360	310	300
East Lothian	300	310	330	370	450	380	420	410
East Renfrewshire	270	230	260	260	310	390	250	250
Edinburgh	1,600	1,540	1,480	1,580	1,850	1,750	1,960	1,700
Eilean Siar	90	60	50	60	50	70	50	70
Falkirk	760	780	820	780	940	880	750	690
Fife	2,090	2,100	2,190	2,220	2,220	2,100	1,780	1,800
Glasgow	4,790	4,570	4,380	4,180	4,100	4,110	3,370	3,330
Highland	900	950	850	980	930	990	940	800
Inverclyde	630	440	610	600	660	600	460	420
Midlothian	330	320	380	390	400	350	420	430
Moray	390	340	360	290	360	400	430	410
North Ayrshire	1,030	1,010	1,020	910	940	930	830	910
North Lanarkshire	2,140	2,030	2,130	2,140	2,220	2,120	1,720	1,640
Orkney	80	70	50	60	60	60	70	60
Perth and Kinross	490	460	420	440	470	470	380	420
Renfrewshire	990	960	1,070	960	1,030	1,020	840	830
Scottish Borders	390	420	400	420	330	380	360	370
Shetland	60	70	50	60	50	80	70	60
South Ayrshire	670	620	560	610	590	670	550	550
South Lanarkshire	1,590	1,410	1,520	1,640	1,590	1,460	1,360	1,330
Stirling	420	450	380	420	440	370	400	320
West Dunbartonshire	760	590	730	660	630	670	610	630
West Lothian	870	840	800	930	950	900	960	890

Source: School LeaversDestinations Survey, Department for Work and Pensions.

Table 2. Number of16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Employment, Education or Training by Local EnterpriseCompany

	2003	2004	2005	2006
HIE Argyll and the Islands ( HIE Earra-Ghaidheal)	**	**	**	**
HIE Caithness and Sutherland (HIE Gallaibh agus Cataibh)	**	**	**	**
HIE Inverness and East Highland (HIE Inbhir Nis agus Taobh Sear na Gaidhealtachd)	**	**	**	**
HIE Lochaber (HIE Loch Abar)	**	**	**	**
HIE Moray	**	**	**	**
HIE Orkney	**	**	**	**
HIE Shetland	**	**	**	**
HIE Skye and Wester Ross (HIE An t-Eilean Sgitheanach is Taobh Siar Rois)	**	**	**	**
HIE Western Isles	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire	3,000	4,000	2,000	3,000
Scottish Enterprise Borders	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire	2,000	2,000	1,000	1,000
Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian	5,000	4,000	6,000	3,000
Scottish Enterprise Fife	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Glasgow	6,000	7,000	8,000	6,000
Scottish Enterprise Grampian	**	**	**	**
Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire	7,000	4,000	5,000	4,000
Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire	2,000	2,000	**	2,000
Scottish Enterprise Tayside	**	2,000	2,000	2,000

Source: Annual Scottish LFS (ASLFS)for 2003. Annual Population Survey 2004 onwards.

Notes:

1. Data for 2003 are based on a seasonal year (March to February) whereasdata for 2004 onwards are based on a calendar year (January to December).

**Data are unreliable.

Question reference: S3W-02986

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what average rainfall has been each year since 1950.

Figures on rainfallin Scotland are published by the Met Office at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/seriesstatistics/scotrain.txt.The average annual rainfall in Scotland since 1950 has been extracted from thissource and is set out in the chart and following table:

Average Annual Rainfall (mm) 1950-2006

Year	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,556.9	1,450.6	1,275.7	1,340.0	1,706.1	1,131.3	1,422.6	1,456.8	1,318.3	1,315.9

Year	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,268.3	1,401.6	1,409.2	1,215.6	1,234.7	1,346.6	1,426.2	1,526.8	1,216.2	1,185.8

Year	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,441.3	1,161.9	1,154.0	1,245.1	1,449.3	1,217.2	1,271.3	1,385.5	1,352.0	1,472.7

Year	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,460.5	1,472.5	1,578.7	1,442.6	1,401.5	1,439.9	1,572.3	1,296.1	1,529.7	1,428.9

Year	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,819.7	1,402.1	1,663.4	1,424.6	1,551.9	1,432.7	1,226.5	1,371.0	1,676.9	1,666.3

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Average annual rainfall (mm)	1,625.8	1,307.7	1,618.5	1,206.5	1,685.6	1,582.2	1,646.5

Source: Met Office.

Notes:

The average annualrainfall figure includes snow that has been melted by the observer.

The average valueshave been derived from 5km grids.

Allowances have beenmade for topographic, coastal and urban effects where relationships are found toexist.

Question reference: S3W-03460

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 4 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to ensure wider understanding in society of dyslexia.

The Scottish Governmentrecognises that people with dyslexia can be covered by the definition of disabilityin the Disability Discrimination Act. While we have no plans at present for anyspecific initiatives to ensure wider understanding in society of dyslexia, our workon disability equality is inclusive of all forms of disability.

In addition, the ScottishGovernment, through Learning Connections, has provided funding to Dyslexia Scotland to organise the first Scottish adult dyslexia conferencedue to take place in Stirling on 27 October 2007. This conference is intended for tutors and trainers(particularly from literacy work and the STUC) and for adults with dyslexia. Thiswill help to increase understanding of dyslexia within adult literacy and numeracy.

Question reference: S3W-02991

Asked by: Jamie Hepburn, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any central guidance is provided to local authorities on the establishment of local area committees.

Whilst all councilsoperate some formal scheme of delegation in their decision‑making processes,there is no single model and councils are able to adopt a process which is best-suitedto their individual circumstances. Councils may also make standing orders whichdeal with proceedings of their committees and sub-committees. No central guidancehas been issued in respect of the establishment of local area committees.