Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-18151

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the conditions it set with regard to the removal of the temporary access tracks associated with the construction of the Beauly-Denny transmission line will be met in full; whether it will write to the local authorities affected by the line to advise them of their of responsibilities, and whether it considers that deviation from the conditions might be considered a breach of trust.

The Beauly Denny consents state that the local authorities are responsible for monitoring the conditions relating to temporary access tracks.

The local authorities are already aware of their responsibilities in this regard and there is no indication that developers are not complying the these conditions.

The Scottish Government is however aware that planning applications have been received from some landowners/occupiers seeking a separate planning permissions to retain the access tracks on their land.

When such applications are made the local authorities will be required to consult with relevant parties and take into account the environmental, landscape and visual and other impacts before making a decision on an application.

Question reference: S4W-18301

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the protection of the route of the former railway line between Inverkeithing and Perth.

The responsibility for this matter lies with the relevant planning authorities, namely Fife Council and Perth and Kinross Council, rather than the Scottish Government.

Scottish Planning Policy clearly states that disused railway lines with a reasonable prospect of being reused as rail, tram or active travel routes should be safeguarded in development plans.

Following representations, and examination of the Perth and Kinross Council Local Development Plan, the Reporter has concluded that the Council’s development policy in respect of public access should be amended to refuse any development proposals that would have an adverse impact upon the integrity of any disused railway, unless adverse impacts are adequately addressed in the plans and suitable alternative provision is made.

However, the Scottish Government has no plans or studies currently considering re-opening the former railway line between Inverkeithing and Perth.

Question reference: S4W-18303

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the protection of routes of former railway lines.

Question reference: S4W-18302

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the protection of routes of former railway lines across the country.

Question reference: S4O-02603

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding the roll-out of the new national exams.

Question reference: S4W-17900

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for wind turbines above 50 MW were granted between 1 October 2011 and 1 October 2013 to developers who were not in possession of an Ofgem generating licence, including those who were exempt from the requirement.

Question reference: S4W-17909

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) electricity producers and (b) generators of wind power above 50 MW have been prosecuted for failing to have an Ofgem licence in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S4W-17654

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will provide to increase the number of British Sign Language (BSL) teachers in schools.

The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005 state that where an education authority employs a teacher wholly or mainly to teach pupils who are hearing impaired, vision impaired or both hearing and vision impaired, then that teacher must possess an appropriate qualification to teach such pupils or be in the process of obtaining such a qualification.

In addition, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended in 2009, places a duty on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils for whom they are responsible and to tailor provision according to their individual needs.

Teachers in Scotland are required to undertake 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) each year and local authorities are responsible for ensuring that appropriate development opportunities are made available to teachers to meet personal, school, authority and national priorities.

The Scottish Government has provided £150,000 in 2013-14 to enable the Scottish Sensory Centre to support teachers of pupils who are hearing impaired, visually impaired or both hearing and vision impaired by producing high quality CPD.

Question reference: S4W-17648

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support British Sign Language (BSL) in schools.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended, places a duty on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils for whom they are responsible and to tailor provision according to their individual needs.

The new model for language learning and teaching in Scottish schools – 1+2 model - has flexibility to enable local authorities and schools to agree the nature and content of language provision for the children and young people in their area. This could include, where considered appropriate, the learning of British Sign Language.

Question reference: S4W-17649

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to train schoolteachers in British Sign Language (BSL).

The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005 state that where an education authority employs a teacher wholly or mainly to teach pupils who are hearing impaired, visually impaired or both hearing and visually impaired, then that teacher must possess an appropriate qualification to teach such pupils or be in the process of obtaining such a qualification.

In addition, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended in 2009, places a duty on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils for whom they are responsible and to tailor provision according to their individual needs.

It is, therefore, a matter for local authorities to ensure that the teachers they employ to teach visually and/or hearing impaired pupils have, or acquire through continuing professional development (CPD), the appropriate professional skills and knowledge to undertake the teaching duties allocated to them, including an appropriate level of proficiency in British Sign Language.

For its part, the Scottish Government has provided £150,000 in 2013-14 to enable the Scottish Sensory Centre to support teachers of pupils who are hearing impaired, visually impaired or both hearing and vision impaired by producing high quality CPD.

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