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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
01 Sep 1999
Scottish Executive Policy
I have a further question about modern apprenticeships. I notice that women and ethnic minorities are under-represented in the skillseekers programme and modern apprenticeships. I am interested to know what might be done to determine why that is, and to encourage more particip...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Dec 2001
Lifelong Learning Inquiry
I will try to make my question brief. I want to raise two issues that we have not touched on. The first is the general situation with science, engineering and technology. The number of students going into engineering is falling year by year; furthermore, there are only a few w...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
01 Sep 1999
Scottish Executive Policy
I suspect that you have just answered the question that I wanted to ask, which relates to e-commerce and the need for it to be developed. As you said earlier, e-commerce moves Scotland's businesses into a new situation, in that they will have to compete on a global basis, via ...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
29 Sep 1999
Local Economic Development Inquiry
Part of my question was asked earlier, but I want to know whether Scottish Enterprise has a strategic goal. We have heard that there is a whole range of training providers—public sector, private sector and all sorts. Does Scottish Enterprise have a role in examining the provis...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
27 Oct 1999
Local Economic Development
Margo has asked the question that I intended to ask about how the university for industry might change the way in which people access training. To pick up on Duncan McNeil's point, access to training is a lottery depending on where one lives, and—for people who are in work—on ...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
10 Nov 1999
Local Economic Development
Earlier, we heard from some organisations that there is a lack of understanding of SMEs among some of the economic development agencies. I would be interested to know your view on that, Mr Gold, given that the bulk of your membership is made up of SMEs. I have three questions,...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Apr 2000
Budget Process
I would like to ask one further question about objectives. Gender impact analysis was discussed at the Finance Committee yesterday. Is gender one of the criteria that you use to monitor objectives? None of your objectives mentions gender.
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Apr 2000
Local Economic Development
My question is more for clarification than anything else. You mentioned using extra expertise from an international consultancy for an incubator e-space project. Is that project separate from the four hi-tech growth units that you talked about?
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
14 Jun 2000
The New Economy
Question 2 is not just about infrastructure problems. What steps should be taken to ensure that business can succeed in this area? Improvements to infrastructure are, undoubtedly, part of that, but they are only part; the necessary steps will have much more to do with attitude...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
06 Sep 2000
The New Economy
I want to raise the issue of the take-up of e-commerce in large and small companies. When we talked to various people in Aberdeen recently, it became obvious that the take-up of e-commerce seems quite slow. Certainly small and medium-sized enterprises are not taking up e-comme...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
06 Sep 2000
The New Economy
Nick Johnston has covered many of the points that I wanted to raise, but I have one more question. Legislation has been going through Westminster to facilitate the security of financial transactions on the web. Is the legislative framework now in place to allow businesses to m...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
04 Oct 2000
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Many of the issues that I wanted to raise have been covered, but I have one question. The SQA was pursuing a high-risk strategy but did not know it and its initial risk management appears to have been very poor. As far as I am aware, everything was done internally. Do you thin...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
01 Nov 2000
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Budget
This is not a question on end-year allocations or tourism in particular; it concerns some of the committee's responses at stage 1, particularly the last sentence of recommendation 2. The minister, rightly, highlighted the importance not only of developing the knowledge economy...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
06 Dec 2000
The New Economy
I may be wrong, but I think that there are hardly any companies in Aberdeen that the oil and gas industry does not have an impact on, right down to the corner shops. We were told that 30 per cent of the SME sector is almost wholly to do with oil and gas and that 60 per cent is...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
24 Jan 2001
The New Economy
I will follow up a question that the convener asked. Would different technologies be used to provide access to all parts of Scotland, including the rural areas and the north-west? Would wireless technologies rather than fibre optics be more appropriate for the Highlands and Is...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
24 Jan 2001
The New Economy
Last year and the year before that, various bodies were established, such as the digital Scotland task force and the knowledge economy task force. I should probably know the answer to my question, but do you know whether those bodies have considered any of the issues that you ...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
31 Jan 2001
The New Economy
My next question relates more to the take-up of e-business by the SME sector. Although SMEs appear to have put up some resistance to getting on board, all the information included with your presentation suggests that business-to-business offers most opportunities. What has bee...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
31 Jan 2001
The New Economy
No. My question was more about whether small and medium businesses in the US have moved into e-business and e-procurement.
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
07 Feb 2001
The New Economy
Electronic Scotland seems to be clear that the skills gap is short term. Lots of good activities are going on, with colleges and universities developing courses, but what can we do to tackle that gap?Another point that has been raised in evidence to the inquiry relates to the ...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
21 Mar 2001
Teaching and Research Funding (Scottish Higher Education Funding Council Review)
You say that SHEFC's proposals lack an evidence base. Am I correct in thinking that more strategic discussion is required? Given the importance of higher and further education—in driving forward and modernising the Scottish economy, for example—is more clarity required about t...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
03 Oct 2001
Student Awards Agency for Scotland
I want to return to Kenneth Macintosh's initial question. Because repayment rates from students have been better than expected, you have been able to make a £10 million saving this year. However, you said that, although in England a 40 per cent rate for scoring the value of a ...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
03 Oct 2001
Lifelong Learning Inquiry
I have a further question about how people get good advice on which course to do. Are some agencies better than others at giving advice, supporting people and guiding them so that they can access training?
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
31 Oct 2001
Lifelong Learning Inquiry
I have a final question. Your comments are fair enough. Tavish Scott said that a large part of what a person learns in his or her degree becomes redundant within a fairly short time. I was pleased to hear Colin Turnbull say that he regards training as an investment for his com...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
16 Jan 2002
Local Economic Forums
I have a final question.
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
30 Jan 2002
Lifelong Learning Inquiry
I want to ask about youngsters who are at the bottom end or who are disaffected with school. My question goes back to the idea of community schools and building better interfaces between school and work, school and FE and school and higher education. Various people have spoken...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
30 Jan 2002
Lifelong Learning Inquiry
I know that it is early days and that it would be better to ask my next question a couple of years from now, but what sort of feedback do you get from employers, particularly those that are outside the professions, when you talk to them about that approach?
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
25 Feb 2003
Intermediary Technology Institutes
Good afternoon, Janet. I am sorry that I missed your presentation, although of course I have had the benefit of hearing it once or twice before.To a certain extent, Adam Ingram has covered the area that I wanted to talk about. A significant investment is being made, which I ho...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
25 Feb 2003
Intermediary Technology Institutes
I have another question about companies' being able to access R and D funding. An issue related to proof-of-concept funding, which has been hugely successful, has been flagged up to me. I understand that proof-of-concept funding can be taken up only by higher education institu...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
07 Dec 1999
Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Scotland) Bill
I have a question for Andrew Wilson. Are we asking for a tabular summary at the front of financial memorandums?
The Deputy Convener: Lab Committee
04 Apr 2000
Scottish Parliament Building (Reporter)
I am not sure that that question is properly directed to Mr Macintosh.
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
13 Jun 2000
Budget 2001-02
I want to raise the matter of public consultations and how this kind of information is made available to ordinary people. The public consultations that you are holding are very useful. I know that you are going to Aberdeen tonight, which will be much appreciated.A question tha...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
13 Jun 2000
Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Bill
I have a question, although I am not sure that anyone will be able to answer it. I admit that I have not examined this matter in depth, but I think that the legislation covers tapping of e-mail. Is that a devolved matter?
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
20 Nov 2000
Budget Process
This question is for both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council. You have both mentioned some of the difficulties related to GAE figures and the current distribution formulae. What impact do those have? Local government finance has been reviewed. We will move forward...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
20 Nov 2000
Budget Process
One of the challenges that we will shortly be facing in this area is the same challenge that will be faced throughout Scotland: skill shortages in the highly skilled and highly educated end of the market. However, many people are underskilled or lack basic skills. As has been ...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
16 Jan 2001
Resource Accounting and Budgeting
I would like to follow up on the point about training. You said that you cannot be sure of the number of extra accountants that might be required. Are you suggesting that more staff will be required to look after RAB systems? How does the current skills mix differ from what wi...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
06 Feb 2001
Resource Accounting and Budgeting
I will ask all three witnesses a question that the committee has asked of other witnesses. What are the possible pitfalls in a transition from a cash-based system to RAB? What do the different public sector organisations that will be going through that transition need to look ...
The Deputy Convener: Lab Committee
27 Feb 2001
Resource Accounting and Budgeting
I am sure that the committee will ask you questions on those and other issues.My first question relates to a comment made by Hugh Hall at our previous evidence-taking session. He said that, when he had met civil servants or senior officials from Scottish Homes, he found that t...
The Deputy Convener: Lab Committee
27 Feb 2001
Resource Accounting and Budgeting
I have a slightly different question. We mentioned earlier the whole business of trying to produce information that is more focused on outcomes and outputs than on inputs. You also mentioned that you are in transition and are moving to a new IT system. How far away are you fro...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
19 Jun 2001
Voluntary Sector Funding
The paper is useful in flagging up a number of issues that can be pursued further. However, I question whether it is appropriate for the committee to consider the paper or whether it would be better for other committees to consider issues that relate to the funding of voluntar...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
27 Nov 2001
Private Finance Initiative/Public-Private Partnership Inquiry
Good morning, gentlemen. My question is primarily for Professor Bain, but the other witnesses may come in if they wish. PFI/PPP has often been promoted as a way of managing public finances better, in that it can reconcile the public's demand for increased capital investment wi...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
11 Dec 2001
Private Finance Initiative/Public-private Partnership Inquiry
Part of the answer to my question has probably been covered. PFI started under a different Government quite a long time ago, when compulsory competitive tendering was still in operation. Do you acknowledge that the situation has changed and that some PPP schemes that are being...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
18 Dec 2001
Private Finance Initiative/Public-private Partnership Inquiry
This question follows on from David Davidson's. A couple of years ago the committee discussed the role of Partnerships UK. I understood that part of its role was to disseminate best practice and act as an intermediary body for organisations considering PFI/PPP. Is it carrying ...
The Deputy Convener: Lab Committee
18 Dec 2001
Holyrood Project
I am sure that the Finance Committee accepts that. I will take one final short question from David Davidson and one from Alasdair Morgan.
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
23 May 2002
Budget Process 2003-04
There are two aspects to the question. Part of the modernising government programme addresses the issue of joint procurement across the public services. I am not sure to what extent Orkney is participating in that exercise, as the pilot for satellite broadband is a BT initiati...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
18 Jun 2002
Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum
I do not have a question so much as a comment. I presume that the budget would depend upon the number of people in prison. I understand that the overall prison population is increasing at the moment.
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
05 Nov 2002
Budget Process 2003-04
I apologise for missing your introductory remarks, gentlemen, and I am sorry if I ask a question that you have already answered.Much has been said recently about demographics, support for skills and the requirement to keep skilled people in Scotland. What are your views on tha...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Nov 2002
Budget Process 2003-04
My question is on exactly the same issue that Alasdair Morgan was pursuing. Are you the main drivers for rolling out broadband across Scotland? Do you provide the impetus from the Government or the Scottish Executive for that initiative?
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Nov 2002
Budget Process 2003-04
My final question is about the pathfinder areas. As I understand it, the objective of the strategy was to aggregate public sector demand and to negotiate with private suppliers to find out how they might be able to roll out broadband in specific areas. Is the strategy making g...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
18 Nov 2002
Budget 2003-04
I have a question about the current mechanisms for distributing European funding. Hugh Allen, who represents Mallaig and North West Fishermen's Association, spoke this morning about the change from PESCA to the FIFG. The PESCA arrangements seemed to make it relatively straight...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
23 Apr 2002
Budget Process 2003-04
Good afternoon, gentlemen. I want to pursue the question of capital consents. A £4 billion shortfall was mentioned. Gordon Edwards said that there is perhaps limited scope for more efficiency savings by some councils, but there is scope for spend-to-save-type schemes if adequa...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
14 May 2002
“Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps”
I want to pursue further the question of people being in employment while they are serving as elected councillors. In the case of Highland Council, what is the percentage or the number of councillors of working age who are in full-time employment? In the past 10 or 20 years, h...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Jun 2002
Local Government in Scotland Bill: Stage 1
I have a question about non-commercial considerations and local authority contracts. If a contractor thinks that a non-commercial consideration will limit its ability to comply with a contract, will the local authority be entitled to conclude that that is not the case? Further...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Jun 2002
Local Government in Scotland Bill: Stage 1
I have a question on the relaxation of restrictions on trading. Does the provision that councils can trade without restriction with contractual partners"to support a pre-existing contract"exclude building such arrangements into the design of new contracts—what might be seen as...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Jun 2002
Local Government in Scotland Bill: Stage 1
Perhaps I should have listened harder, but I have a supplementary question. First, will adopting the code of practice place a duty on local authorities to adopt the accounting practices, such as activity-based costing, that are increasingly used across most of the private sect...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
05 Jun 2002
Local Government in Scotland Bill: Stage 1
The second part of my question was about standardisation and uniformity of accounting practice across all the local authorities in Scotland. Also, are you saying that the code goes some of the way down the road towards management accounting and activity-based costing, but not ...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
08 Oct 2002
“Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps”
I have a supplementary question on the survey of randomly selected people. Are the views that are expressed on the council, its services and the way in which they are provided in tune with public perceptions—which are sometimes unhelpful—or are they different?
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
08 Oct 2002
“Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps”
We have covered many of the issues about which I wanted to ask. In response to an earlier question from Iain Smith, you talked about the role of MSPs in communicating with young people. To a great extent, democratic decision making is delivered through political parties—Highla...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
12 Nov 2002
Dog Fouling (Scotland) Bill:<br />Stage 1
I have a question on a slightly different topic. Dog fouling is an issue that crops up for us all, so I entirely support the bill. Nevertheless, I understand that the bill will apply to all non-agricultural land. Will there be difficulties with the definitions of agricultural ...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab Committee
18 Feb 2003
Scottish Fishing Industry
As a visiting member, I thank the convener for allowing me to ask a question. Given that I am not an expert, members will have to forgive me if my questions come across as being fairly simplistic. I want to expand on some of the points that Rhoda Grant made about the advice th...
Elaine Thomson: Lab Committee
18 Feb 2003
Scottish Fishing Industry
I have one final little question.
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Committee

Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 01 Sep 1999

01 Sep 1999 · S1 · Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee
Item of business
Scottish Executive Policy
Thomson, Elaine Lab Aberdeen North Watch on SPTV
I have a further question about modern apprenticeships. I notice that women and ethnic minorities are under-represented in the skillseekers programme and modern apprenticeships. I am interested to know what might be done to determine why that is, and to encourage more participation from both women and people from ethnic minorities.There is a second part to my question. Much of the current thinking and strategy for developing a knowledge economy is to encourage more people to get involved in information technology and to be IT literate. I am concerned that the number of women who are getting involved in that area—certainly in the higher education sector—is dropping rather than increasing.Finally, I was pleased to hear you say, minister, that you will be trying to encourage more employers to offer modern apprenticeships in information technology. I notice from the information that has been given to us that in March this year there were no modern apprenticeships started in information technology. I welcome your comments.

In the same item of business

The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Henry McLeish): Lab
On my right is Nicol Stephen, who is dealing with lifelong learning in particular and with enterprise, and on my left is Alasdair Morrison, who is dealing wi...
The Convener: SNP
Thank you very much, Mr McLeish. The committee appreciates the positive stance that you have taken on how the Executive can work with the committee. We have ...
Henry McLeish: Lab
I agree that a major challenge lies ahead. Recent inward investment announcements have been in biotechnology, smart card technology and call centres—differen...
The Convener: SNP
Your point about the rapid-response unit and the room for improvement in that area is welcome. Other members of the committee will want to probe how that rel...
Henry McLeish: Lab
Let me approach this problem in two ways. First, I am greatly encouraged by the fact that we have a new Parliament in Scotland, which can make representation...
The Convener: SNP
Do you have concerns about the current level of sterling?
Henry McLeish: Lab
Earlier I said that, despite the difficult trading conditions that some manufacturers have experienced, we have seen exports rise in the first quarter of thi...
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): LD
I want to raise some issues with you, minister, about the development of the knowledge economy. However, before I move on, I want to comment on your previous...
The Convener: SNP
Those are very big and very long questions, but I am sure that the minister will give us concise answers.
Henry McLeish: Lab
This is an area in which concise answers are most appropriate. The first point is valid. We are concerned that, to put it simply, getting products from the l...
Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): SNP
I want to switch topics and pick up what you said about the need for better early-warning and intelligence systems, and the rapid response role. I am especia...
Henry McLeish: Lab
Yes, within the devolved settlement.
Ms MacDonald: SNP
I am interested in how you will use those great powers to lever the change from the shopping centre that has been developed to attract tourists to the new ty...
Henry McLeish: Lab
I remember another life when Margo MacDonald used to ask me questions on that subject.
Ms MacDonald: SNP
Nothing has changed.
The Convener: SNP
Have the questions changed?
Henry McLeish: Lab
The questions have changed. They are more complicated.I am not sure that I should even step gently into certain matters related to Edinburgh, and Margo MacDo...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): Lab
I suspect that you have just answered the question that I wanted to ask, which relates to e-commerce and the need for it to be developed. As you said earlier...
Henry McLeish: Lab
I want to embrace the comments that were made by Elaine Thomson and Margo MacDonald. I am frustrated that we are not moving as quickly as we should. As has b...
The Convener: SNP
That is very helpful.
Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): Con
I was particularly interested in the comment in the minister's statement of priorities on the need to promote entrepreneurial culture generally, especially i...
Henry McLeish: Lab
Encouragingly, that is what is happening throughout Scotland. There is a general trend for business and education to get closer together. On the lifelong lea...
The Convener: SNP
Your points about the attitudes towards entrepreneurship are important and were well made, but there are problems with the ways in which enterprise support i...
Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): Lab
I note that your department is content with the structures of enterprise networks. Are you equally content with the accountability of the networks? There is ...
Henry McLeish: Lab
In relation to your first point, I am not content with anything. One of the privileges that ministers have is that we are never complacent enough to become c...
The Convener: SNP
I understand the point that has been made about structures, but there are issues of performance, which you touched on in your previous answer, that are mater...
Henry McLeish: Lab
I talked to you earlier about the areas in which the committee would have an interest. I am always interested in every aspect of government and in value for ...
The Convener: SNP
As you mentioned at the outset of the discussion, there is a broad remit to cover. We have talked about enterprise for quite some time and I want to move on ...
Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): Lab
As the minister knows, enterprise and education are inextricably linked. The rest of the committee and I welcome the primary importance that you have attache...
Henry McLeish: Lab
Before I respond to that, I have to mention that Alasdair Morrison has to leave. We apologise for any inconvenience that that might cause.I want to begin by ...