- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 October 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31793 by John Swinney on 28 September 2020, whether it will place the minutes of all discussions and copies of all correspondence in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), as requested, and what Bib number it has been assigned.
Answer
The meeting which took place in July involved a verbal update from Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) staff. No notes or minutes were taken from the meeting. A presentation given by the SQA at this meeting has been released as part of an FOI enquiry and can be found at this link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202000074442/ .
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 October 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will place copies of all reports received from institutions regarding the spend associated with the Higher Education Discretionary Fund regarding extra hardship payments in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Answer
The most recent data from the sector showed details of spending across the sector up to 31 July.
Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) are about to undertake an up to date analysis of spend on the Higher Education Discretionary Fund across colleges and universities. Information will be available in the early part of November and SAAS will give consideration to sharing this data with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 October 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-29504 by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2020, whether if it will provide an update on the expenditure.
Answer
As of 31 July this year, £1,88M of the additional £2.2M Higher Education (HE) Discretionary Funds issued to colleges and universities in April, had been spent.
As of 31 July this year, £215,000 of the advanced first instalment (£11.4M) of the main 2020-21 HE Discretionary Fund issued to colleges and universities in June, had been spent.
Officials are planning to carry out further analysis on the spending later in October.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 October 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-29504 by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2020, how much of the additional £2.2 million allocated to the Higher Education Discretionary Fund was new money.
Answer
All of the additional £2.2M provided to colleges and universities in April towards their Higher Education Discretionary Funds was 'new money'.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 October 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been diagnosed with a lung condition during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
Data on the number of people diagnosed with a lung condition during the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet available.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 29 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31361 by John Swinney on 4 September 2020, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) any correspondence it had with the SQA that has been shared with, but not included in, the review to be published by Professor Priestley.
Answer
The Scottish Government has engaged fully with the review being conducted by Professor Priestley. Professor Priestley is due to report his findings by the end of the month. We will make arrangements for publication soon after that. All material released under FOI inquiries on the matter of exams has been shared with the review team, and is also available on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that over 900 childminding settings are still to reopen, and the recent Scottish Childminding Association survey that suggests that the sector is "on the edge of financial viability".
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2020
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31185 by Jeane Freeman on 26 August 2020, whether it will provide an update on the consideration it is giving to introducing an official exemption card for people who are exempt from wearing a face covering.
Answer
As was previously stated in response to question S5W-31185, this is an important issue which we have been carefully considering and as such we are currently developing a Scottish Government branded physical and digital face covering exemption card, which should be available shortly.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 28 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31365 by John Swinney on 4 September 2020, whether it will answer the question asked regarding whether it planned to use a similar system of moderation for the 2020-21 exams before it announced that “details will be provided separately before schools return on 11 August, regarding the approach for the assessment of national qualifications for the 2020-21 session”, and for what reason it did not respond to this point in its answer.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31792 on 28 September 2020. 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
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 28 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31364 by John Swinney on 4 September 2020, on what date the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills was informed of the outcome of the moderated exam results, and whether it will place details of the minutes of all discussions and copies of all correspondence regarding this in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Answer
I was informed of the outcome of the moderated exam results on Thursday 30 July in a briefing meeting with officials and the SQA. A range of information related to this period has already been released following Freedom of Information requests and is available on the Scottish Government website.