- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 28 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to (a) introducing "rucksack" funding packages for children with special educational needs, which follow the child throughout his or her education, and (b) funding such packages centrally.
Answer
We have no plans to introduce such arrangements. The majority of funding for special educational needs provision is provided to local authorities through grant-aided expenditure and is so allocated to allow authorities to deliver effective provision, which takes account of local needs and circumstances and economies of scale. Within the funding available to them local authorities can implement integrated packages of education and care, including joint funding arrangements agreed with other agencies, for individual children with special educational needs.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent figures are for Common Good Funds held by local authorities.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to monitor local authorities' transactions in respect of Common Good Funds.
Answer
Common Good funds are administered by local authorities and therefore fall within the audit of local authority accounts. The body responsible for securing these audits is the Accounts Commission for Scotland.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is accessible to the public in respect of the #122,132,000 held by local authorities in Common Good Funds at 31 March 2000.
Answer
Information about the amount of monies held in Common Good Funds in Scotland is not held centrally. Any member of the public may, at certain advertised times, inspect a local authorities accounts and relating documentation including the Common Good Funds, under section 101 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Common Good Funds held by local authorities are subject to statutory audit procedures.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25754.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules and regulations apply to the operation of Common Good Funds held by local authorities.
Answer
Local authorities are bound by section 75, 93 and 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 in the operation of Common Good Funds. Particular funds may also have their own restrictions.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available to the public about Common Good Funds.
Answer
Section 101 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides that, at certain advertised times, any member of the public may inspect and make copies of a local authorities accounts and related papers, including the Common Good Funds.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals' 16th Annual Report 2000-2001 and, in particular, to the committee's Special Report on Education Appeal Committees of June 2000, what steps have been taken in order to ensure that its main recommendations in respect of (a) independence of the hearing venue, (b) difficulties for unrepresented appellants and (c) the need for committees' deliberations to be more structured with greater adherence to the provisions of the regulations are being implemented.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will conduct a review of education appeal committees, and in this context, it will consider the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals' recommendations. Following that review, the Scottish Executive will consider implementation of these recommendations.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were registered with the Scottish Committee on the Council of Tribunals in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.
Answer
None. The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals, which operates under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992, has no authority to investigate or adjudicate on complaints about the handling of individual cases by tribunals or inquiries under its supervision.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 21 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding similar to that used for the management buyout of Viasystems, North Tyneside was made available for the management buyout of Signum Circuits, Selkirk and, if so, what (a) UK and (b) European sourced funding was provided in each case.
Answer
No funding was provided by the Scottish Executive in support of the management buyout of Signum Circuits Ltd. However, £450,000 in Regional Selective Assistance was paid to Signum Circuits Ltd by the Scottish Executive, prior to the company's receivership.
