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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: S4W-29259

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Marco Biagi on 19 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in encouraging the use of Scottish produce in schools.

Following the introduction of Scotland’s first national food and drink policy in 2009, the Scottish Government provided specific guidance, Catering for Change – Buying food sustainably in the public sector, which is now embedded into today’s public procurement practice for food. This clarifies that food procurement can make a significant contribution towards the public sector's economic, environmental, social, and health related objectives, including taking steps to encourage the involvement of smaller suppliers. In addition, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 places an obligation on those public bodies required to publish a procurement strategy to include a statement of their general policy including involving the provision of food in the context of health, wellbeing and education of communities in the local authority’s area.

In 2014, the next phase of Scotland’s national food and drink policy, ‘Becoming a Good Food Nation’, was launched and recognises food in the public sector as a key priority area, including specific aims around 'championing fresh, seasonal, local and sustainable produce' and 'celebrating provenance and ethical sourcing'.

Also in 2014, the Scottish Government launched Better Eating, Better Learning – A New Context for School Food, which asks teachers, caterers, suppliers, parents, pupils and wider community to drive further improvements to school food provision and food education. One of the seven sections is titled ‘Sustainability through food’ and advocates the use of fresh, seasonal and sustainably grown food in the school meal service.

Question reference: S4W-29234

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of school leavers have gone on to positive destinations in each year since 2006-07.

The latest published school leaver initial destinations statistics were released by Skills Development Scotland on 16 December 2015 and can be found at the following link:

https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/40707/national-school-leaver-initial-destination-report-2014-15-dec-20152.pdf

Table 1: Proportion of school leavers who are in positive initial destinations up to approximately three months after leaving school

School leaver cohort	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Percentage in positive initial destinations	86.6%	86.4%	85.7%	86.8%	88.9%	89.9%	91.4%	92.3%	92.9%

The proportion of school leavers going in to initial positive destinations each year since 2006-07 is presented in table 1 above.

The latest published school leaver follow-up (approximately nine months after leaving school) destinations can be found in the Scottish Government summary statistics for attainment, leaver destinations and healthy living which was published on 17 June 2015 and can be found here:

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00479422.pdf

Table 2: Proportion of school leavers who are in positive follow-up destinations approximately nine months after leaving school

School leaver cohort	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Percentage in positive follow-up destinations	84.0%	85.1%	85.2%	87.2%	89.6%	90.4%	91.7%

The proportion of school leavers going in to follow-up positive destinations each year since 2007-08 is presented in table 2 above (reliable data for the 2006-07 school leaver cohort is not available).

Please note:

Data in table 2 for 2011-12 to 2013-14 has been linked to the pupil census to obtain characteristic information on school leavers using an updated methodology, and supersedes previously published figures for these years. This data is not directly comparable with data prior to 2011-12, and caution should be exercised when making comparisons with data prepared using the previous methodology.

2014-15 school leaver follow-up destinations will be released in June 2016.

Question reference: S4W-29158

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government who it engaged with in developing the national improvement framework and whether it will publish the feedback received.

Since the publication of the draft national improvement framework, we have undertaken extensive consultation, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including over 5,000 teachers, parents, children and young people, local authority representatives, academics, representative groups and other interested stakeholders. Focused events were held for parents and for children and a programme of over 50 meetings and events took place over three months. Responses from an online survey and written submissions were also received. This feedback has shaped the National Improvement Framework, published on 6 January 2016.

A consultation and engagement report was published alongside the National Improvement Framework to enable stakeholders to see how their input has shaped the development of the framework. Additional information for parents and children, based on their feedback has also been produced and is available via the Scottish Government website:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/NationalImprovementFramework.

Question reference: S4F-03152

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2016

To ask the First Minister how many children receive free school meals.

Question reference: S4O-05190

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle poverty.

Question reference: S4O-04814

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes a healthy work-life balance.

We recognise the great importance that achieving a healthy work-life balance has for a great many people in Scotland.

Although the legal powers governing flexible working are currently reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government recognises it has an important role to play in helping people manage the twin responsibilities of work and family.

We fund and are an active partner in the Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership. Through this partnership, established in 2014, we work with Working Families (a leading UK work-life balance organisation), Parenting Across Scotland and Fathers Network Scotland to support and promote the development of family-friendly working across Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-04736

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the rollout of superfast broadband.

Question reference: S4O-04703

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how town centres could benefit from business rates being set by local authorities.

Question reference: S4O-04688

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans are progressing to build a national film studio.

Question reference: S4O-04664

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the planned changes to subsidies for onshore windfarms will affect developments in Scotland.