Local authorities are required to employ a sufficient number of teachers with appropriate training and experience to meet the educational needs of all children in their area. Application for acceptance within the Framework for Professional Recognition is voluntary and a matter for the individual teacher.

Officials from the Scottish Government are working currently with key stakeholders in the preparation of advisory competencies for teachers applying for professional recognition as teachers of children with (a) autism or (b) dyslexia.

The five areas of teaching expertise covering autism, dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment and visual and hearing impairment were added to the General Teaching Council's Framework for Professional Recognition at the end of last year. Since then, 1 secondary teacher has applied for recognition, in the area of autism.

No guidance has been issued to either health boards or special health boards on the publication of medical negligence data.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Governments' National Strategy for Sport, Reaching Higher clearly identifies the importance of the creation of Pathways to enable young people to fulfil their potential in sport. Sportscotland the national agency for sport lead on this area working in partnership with key stakeholders such as the governing bodies of sport and local authorities.

Individual governing bodies of sport have the responsibility to identify and develop their talented athletes. However, additional support is available through the Institute network, which in this case would be the West of Scotland Area Institute of Sport, where aspiring athletes can be further developed through additional tailored support programmes.

The government has set out clear aspirations for the performance of the Scottish Team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and will be working closely with key stakeholders to ensure they are achieved.

Details are as follows:

	2000-01 £000	2001-02 £000	2002-03 £000	2003-04 £000	2004-05 £000	2005-06 £000	2006-07 £000
Contingent Liabilities	44,992	61,186	64,497	65,229	52,315	68,715	80,457
Provisions	52,120	52,644	59,842	60,481	81,689	106,126	127,735
Total	97,112	113,830	124,339	125,710	134,004	174,841	208,192

 

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10232 on 4 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The latest figures for landlord registration show that the number of applications by landlords for registration is approximately 108,000, while the number of privately rented dwellings they operate is approximately 160,000. Landlords and agents are required to register in each authority where they own or manage property, so these figures include multiple registrations for some individuals or organisations.

The landlord registration system does not collect information on whether properties meet the Tolerable Standard or the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SQHS). However, on the basis of the sampling carried out by the Scottish House Condition Survey we estimate that at least 96% of privately rented properties meet the Tolerable Standard and between 13% and 25% meet the SHQS. There is no legal requirement for privately rented houses to meet the SHQS. However, since September 2007 private landlords have been required to ensure that their properties meet the Repairing Standard. If a landlord fails to comply with a Repairing Standard enforcement order, the local authority must take this into account when determining whether the landlord is fit and proper to let property.

One of the aims of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 is to encourage pubs to become more child and family friendly. The new act replaces the complicated system of children's certificates with mandatory conditions concerning premises' policies on access by children and a requirement for baby changing facilities in every on-sales premises allowing access to children under five. It will be a matter for operators to ensure that their premises are safe and suitable for those under 18 and this will be carefully assessed by their local licensing board in granting the licence on those terms.