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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-27612

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25750 by Maree Todd on 9 October 2019, what percentage of the 435 equity and excellence leads is currently in post, and when the remainder will be recruited.

The most recent national data on the number of equity and excellence leads in post can be found in the early learning and childcare census. Findings were published on 10 December 2019 in Summary statistics for schools in Scotland . This found that during census week (the week beginning 16 September 2019), 76% (331 FTE) of equity and excellence leads were in post.

Our regular monitoring of progress with local authorities indicated that 96% of posts (418 full time equivalent posts) will have been filled by the end of March, even if the post-holder has since moved on.

We recognise that there will always be a degree of staff turnover in the system, particularly during this period of ELC expansion. We therefore believe that this latter measure is the most appropriate means of monitoring if the commitment has been fulfilled.

Given the specialist nature of the these posts in supporting the most disadvantaged children, local authorities are taking care to ensure that the most highly qualified and suitable candidates are appointed. This has resulted in some of the posts taking longer to recruit to than anticipated but efforts with recruitment continue.

Question reference: S5W-27609

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reverse the reported decrease in the number of qualified teachers working in nurseries to help ensure a quality service.

We know that the most effective mechanism to deliver high quality Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) experiences is by utilising the combined strengths, skills and dedication of a range of ELC professionals and staff.

The most recent ELC Census statistics published in December 2019, shows that the number of staff- including teachers- holding or working towards graduate level qualifications in ELC increased from 4,222 in 2018 to 4,781 in 2019, an increase of 13% .

We continue to fund a range of additional training and education. Over the last three academic years, we have created around 1500 additional graduate level places to increase the pool of graduate level qualified staff available in the ELC sector. Through the introduction of the BA and PDA in Childhood Practice, a significant proportion of the workforce now have graduate-level specialist early years qualifications, expertise and knowledge to lead practice in ELC settings.

Teachers continue to form part of this ELC graduate workforce. To encourage teachers to develop expertise in early years, we also continue to fund places on the Masters courses in Early Years Education offered at the Universities of Strathclyde and Aberdeen.

Question reference: S5W-27610

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with early learning and childcare stakeholders regarding the number of early learning and childcare staff employed on temporary contracts.

Question reference: S5W-27608

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring of early learning and childcare class sizes it currently conducts, and whether this information will be published.

The Scottish Government does not monitor class size in early learning and childcare (ELC) settings.

However, we do monitor the proportion of ELC settings achieving ‘good’ or better Care Inspectorate evaluations on all four inspection themes (which include the quality of the environment and the quality of care and support that children receive.)

This data is published annually in Early Learning and Childcare Statistics. The most recent data can be found here .

Question reference: S5W-27606

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many families will no longer receive the Scottish Child Payment once their child turns six.

The Scottish Government is serious about tackling child poverty. That is why we are introducing our “game-changing” new Scottish Child Payment two years ahead of the timetable outlined in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for children under 6 years old. These payments are being made in recognition that of all children living in poverty, almost 60% are in a household where the youngest child is under 6.

This is benefit delivery at an unprecedented speed and in order to allow us to deliver earlier than planned, we have had to work within certain technical parameters. We have been open with stakeholders throughout the development of the payment about the complexities involved.

We estimate that around 40,000 families will have children that will age out of eligibility for the payment, between early introduction and full roll-out in 2022. This is because we do not have the data for over 6s from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which would allow us to continue making payments. The DWP has confirmed that the required data will not be delivered in time for the launch of the Scottish Child Payment later this year, and we are waiting for confirmation of when this data will be made available.

Question reference: S5O-04249

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding its EU negotiations on aquaculture.

Question reference: S5T-02059

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether all aspects of the expansion of funded early learning and childcare will be available to all families in August 2020.

Question reference: S5W-27451

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £70.5 million funding for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) set out in its 2020-21 draft Budget, and what the reasons are for the increase from the £45.9 million allocated in 2019-20.

The Scottish Government subsidises HIAL as none of the airports in the group generate sufficient commercial revenue to cover operating, maintenance and development costs. The £70.5 million funding for HIAL for 2020-21 is broken down as £24.2 million for revenue, £36.8 million for capital and £9.5 million for depreciation. HIAL’s budget allocation for capital has increased compared to the £16.1 million budget in 2019-20. This increase will ensure that HIAL can continue to maintain and improve its infrastructure in order to facilitate the safe and compliant operation of essential air services in the Highlands and Islands. This includes costs required to progress the Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy Programme as well as a range of other infrastructure repairs and improvements across the HIAL estate.

Question reference: S5O-04223

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that transport services meet the needs of island communities.

Question reference: S5W-27181

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) early learning and (b) childcare centres there were in 2019, and for what reason this information was not provided in its December 2019 paper, Summary statistics for schools in Scotland.

Table 2.1 of the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No. 10, 2019 shows the number of settings who are delivering Early Learning and Childcare. Early Learning and Childcare is a service as defined in section 46 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

Table 2.1 shows that 2,576 centres were providing early learning and childcare in September 2019. This figure includes local authority settings and settings in the private and third sector, who are delivering ELC through a partnership agreement.

It is not possible to split the number of centres into separate 'early learning' and 'childcare' categories as the data covers all centres providing funded ELC as defined in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.