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SCOTLAND
Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of new recruits to his Department do not have a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics. [23771]
David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA); the Office does not recruit staff directly.
The Scottish Executive does not collect this information centrally. Where job applicants do not meet the Executive's current entry criteria, tests may sometimes be used to give candidates the opportunity to display an equivalent level of numeracy and literacy; this will be made clear in the memorandum to the job advert. Applicants who attain the required score in the test will then be assessed against the competencies required for the post.
The DCA does not collect statistical data on the number of new recruits with level 2 qualifications. General recruitment asks for administration experience or the relevant qualifications (that is, five GCSEs, or equivalent, at grade C or above, including English) for administrative grades or 2 A levels (and English) for executive grades. Recruits can therefore be appointed on the basis of their experience or qualifications and no distinction is made between the two.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department. [23795]
David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA); the Office does not employ staff directly.
The methods of assessment used by the Executive vary and are dependent on the type and level of skills required for the post. Numerical ability and verbal reasoning cognitive tests can be used to test numeracy and literacy skills respectively. Administrative selection tests, written in-tray and written policy exercises can be used to test both literacy and numeracy skills.
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The DCA carries out no formal assessment of literacy and numerical skills for new recruits. Certain posts at Executive grade, and above, involve written or IT tests for posts in a policy area, communications or IT. General recruitment seeks administration experience or the relevant qualifications (that is, five GCSEs, or equivalent, at grade C, or above, including English) for administrative grades; or 2 A levels (and English) for Executive grades.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on in-house training on (a) literacy and (b) numeracy (i) in total and (ii) per head, in each year since 2002. [23435]
David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA); the Office does not employ staff directly.
Staff have access to the full range of training available from their parent Departments but it is not possible to separately identify any costs incurred by staff on loan to the Office. The Scotland Office has not sent any staff on specific literacy or numeracy training courses, and thus has incurred no direct costs.
However, the Office does encourage staff to attend training courses and on-the-job training relevant to their posts and identified in their performance development plans. Such training can include elements of literacy and numeracy training; central records of such training elements are not held.
Scottish Consolidated Fund
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what dates in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 payments have been made by the UK Government (i) into the Scottish consolidated fund and (ii) to the Scottish Executive; how much was paid on each occasion; and what the (A) basis and (B) authorisation was for each payment. [29605]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office transfers funds from the UK Consolidated Fund to the Scottish Consolidated Fund (SCF) at regular intervals based on a monthly assessment of need. Such transfers by the Office are under the general authority of the Secretary of State set out in the Scotland Act 1998.
These funds are then distributed from the SCF to the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, Crown Office etc. The Scotland Office does not make payments directly to the Scottish Executive.
Transfers into the SCF were as follows:
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Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much and what percentage of the Scottish block of the Scottish Consolidated Fund has been transferred to the Scottish Executive in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [29618]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office transfers funds to the Scottish Consolidated Fund (SCF) on a monthly basis, from where it is distributed to various centrally funded bodies. The overall grant to the SCF is determined by the UK Parliament and Annexes 2, 3 and 4 of the Annual Report of the Scotland Office and the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland (Cm 6544) set out the grant payable to the SCF in 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 respectively. The allocation of the grant to the centrally funded bodies is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Labour Statistics
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland have been economically inactive in each year since 1997. [29025]
David Cairns: Since 1997, the number of people in Scotland classed as economically inactive has fallen by some 85,000 to 635,000. The following table shows the number of people in Scotland who have been economically inactive in each year since 1997.
Source:
ONS Crown Copyright Reserved [from Nomis on 15 November 2005]
Literacy and Numeracy
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees in his Department requested training to improve their (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills in each year since 2002. [23415]
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David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA); the Office does not employ staff directly.
The Scottish Executive does not hold details of requests for training in literacy and numeracy. The Executive's Learning Strategy recognises the importance of continuous support to staff through training to improve their skills and qualifications reflecting the commitment set out in the Lifelong Learning Strategy for Scotland.
The DCA provides free training to staff in improving their literacy and numeracy. Staff are able, anonymously, to check their level of literacy and numeracy; where necessary, this process points individuals towards local training to meet their needs. A central record of those who avail themselves of the opportunity is not maintained.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to promote uptake of the national tests in adult literacy and numeracy amongst employees of his Department. [23439]
David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA); the Office does not employ staff directly.
The Scottish Executive Learning Strategy recognises the importance of continuous support to staff through training to improve their skills and qualifications reflecting the commitment set out in the Lifelong Learning Strategy for Scotland.
The Department for Constitutional Affairs has promoted the national tests in adult literacy and numeracy via presentations at regional and area boards; at annual Learning At Work Week events; in the workplace via their local training co-ordinators; in their regional training centres; and on their departmental intranet. They will be re-launching these tests to the newly-created Her Majesty's Court Service and the rest of the DCA shortly.
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