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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-35801

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the definition of a practitioner is in the context of the Scottish Practitioner Forum, and whether each member of the forum is a practitioner under that definition.

As set out in the Remit for the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence, published on 26 February 2020, the Scottish Practitioner Forum includes representatives and stakeholders engaged in delivery of Curriculum for Excellence, from local authorities, teachers, school leaders, Higher/Further Education and evaluation and assessment authorities.

The membership of the Scottish Practitioner Forum, including their current roles, is set out in the reply to S5W-35800 on 17 March 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-35802

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many members the Scottish Practitioner Forum has; who each member represents; how many are currently employed as teachers, and at what level.

The membership of the Scottish Practitioner Forum, including their current roles, is set out in the reply to S5W-35800 on 17 March 2021.

Members do not represent any association or profession but provide views based on their experiences as practitioners. The role of Practitioner Forum is to signpost the OECD to other practitioners, examples of practice, ensuring that a broad range of perspectives are covered.

This is detailed in the Remit for the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence published on 26 February 2020. It is attached here for reference.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/independent-review-of-curriculum-for-excellence-remit/

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-35800

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Scottish Practitioner Forum; whether their names and positions have been published, and what its reasons are for its position on this matter.

The members of the Scottish Practitioner Forum are:

Tony McDaid (Chair)

Executive Director of Education Resources

South Lanarkshire Council

John Guidi

Chartered Teacher of Physics

Mearns Castle High School, East Renfrewshire

Richard Bell,

Dalbeattie High School

Dumfries & Galloway

Graham Hutton

Head Teacher

Grove Academy, Dundee

Sharon McLellan,

Head Teacher

Laurieknowe Primary School, Dumfries

Andrew Harvey

Faculty Head of English and Drama

Uddingston Grammar School, South Lanarkshire

Gerry Lyons

Head of Service

Education Services, Glasgow City Council.

John Rafferty

Assistant Principal

Glasgow Clyde College

Professor Mark Priestley

University of Stirling

Roisin Gallacher

Manager

Youth, Family & Community Learning Service,

South Lanarkshire Council

Tommy Lennox

National Improvement Framework Officer,

Forth Valley and West Lothian Region

Education Scotland

Martyn Ware

Interim Head of Policy, Standards and Research

Scottish Qualifications Authority

The OECD requested the establishment of a project advisory group to guide the work of the review and discuss its progress and deliverables. The Scottish Practitioner Forum was established in response to this. Its members are not ministerial appointments and, given the group’s role, publication of individual members’ names was not considered necessary.

Question reference: S5W-35803

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how each member of the Scottish Practitioner Forum was selected, and what prior (a) contact and (b) involvement each member had with the Scottish Government or its agencies.

Nominations were sought from leadership teams in the Teacher Professional Associations, Colleges Scotland, Universities Scotland, Community Learning and Development Managers Scotland, the Association of Directors of Education, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Education Scotland.

The extent of prior contact and involvement each member of the Scottish Practitioner Forum has had with the Scottish Government or its agencies will vary, however, this was not a factor in the nomination process.

Question reference: S5W-35747

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33874 by Fiona Hyslop on 16 December 2020, what analysis it has carried out of the impact of the tourism restrictions on cattery and kennel businesses and, in light of this, whether it plans to reconsider the COVID-19-related support that is available to them.

We recognise the financial pressures that COVID-19 is placing on cattery and kennel businesses. Limits on the amount of funding made available to the Scottish Government to provide financial support to businesses means that we are simply unable to establish funds for every sector impacted. We have, however significantly increased the funding for the Local Authority Discretionary Fund from £30 million to £120 million, therefore enabling local authorities to have even greater flexibility to direct funding towards those businesses unable to access other sources of financial support. I would encourage kennels and catteries to seek support through this route.

Question reference: S5T-02717

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether its discussions have concluded with the OECD regarding publication timetables relating to its review of Curriculum for Excellence.

Question reference: S5W-35805

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met its commitment to create around 350 counsellors in school education and to ensure that every secondary school has counselling services.

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.

The approximate figure of 350 counsellors is the commitment related to the number of secondary schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government is confident it has met the commitment in full and that all secondary schools in Scotland now have access to counselling services.

As highlighted in the answer to question S5W-35461, there is variation in how the counselling service is being delivered across authorities. Twenty four authorities are providing a specific resource in schools, with eight authorities providing an authority wide service according to need across their region.

Question reference: S5W-35842

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work (a) has been carried out and (b) is planned to raise public awareness regarding the requirements to install interlinked fire alarm systems.

We will continue to work with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, as well as local authorities and retailers, to ensure people have the support and advice they need to meet the new requirements. Our regularly updated online Q and A has been providing advice for householders since 2018 and SFRS have signposted and highlighted the changes though various social media channels.

We are currently planning for an extensive marketing campaign to take place throughout this year to reinforce how people can effectively reduce the risk of fire in their homes and highlighting the changes coming into force in February 2022.

Question reference: S5W-35589

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32746 by Maree Todd on 10 November 2020, whether it can now provide updated analysis of the recruitment of equity and excellence leads for early learning and childcare settings in deprived communities.

As outlined in the answer to S5W-32746, The Scottish Government provide funding to local authorities to recruit additional graduate level posts across all 32 local authorities. The allocation of posts and funding have been set by Scottish Government and these posts are recruited and managed by local authorities.

Snapshot figures of graduate level posts in early learning and childcare (ELC) are published annually in Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland 2020 . Data in the tables is gathered from centres (either local authority or partner provider centres) with children registered for the funded entitlement at the time of the census. In 2020, this was collected from 14-18 September 2020.

Additional tables are published alongside the main publication. These can be found under the ‘supporting files’ drop down on the gov.scot website.Table 16of the Additional ELC Tables 2020 provide the ‘Number of staff holding or working towards degree level qualifications relevant to early years in posts funded through the Additional Graduate commitment’ as at 14-18 September 2020.

At that point in time, there were 350 (316 FTE) Equity and Excellence leads in post. We recognise that there will always be a degree of staff turnover in the system, particularly during this period of ELC expansion and with the further challenge of COVID-19. We will continue to work with local authorities and CoSLA to ensure local authorities are supported in any recruitment challenges they may face.

An interim report is due to be published indicating the emerging learning and impact of the Equity and Excellence Lead role.

Question reference: S5W-35340

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34198 by Jeane Freeman, which received a holding response on 19 January 2021, for what reason it has not yet provided a substantive answer to the question, and when it plans to do so.