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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-27279

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish-domiciled students have been accepted by Scottish universities for 2015-16 and how many have been accepted by their (a) first and (b) second choice university and how many have been placed through clearing.

The latest data on acceptances to higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UK are Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data as at 15 days after A-level results day 2015.

At that stage, the number of Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs in Scotland was 27,940.

Further breakdowns by choice/clearing are not published for Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs in Scotland but are published for Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs anywhere in the UK.

Table 1: Scottish domiciled students accepted to HEIs anywhere in the UK at 15 days after A-level results day: 2011 to 2015

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Total placed at this stage	27,500	27,660	28,090	28,890	29,610
First choice	24,050	24,180	25,020	25,860	26,270
Second choice	1,530	1,510	1,350	1,410	1,480
No preference indicated	800	630	500	510	510
‘Adjustment’*	10	20	10	10	10
Clearing (Main scheme)	980	1180	1070	960	1150
Clearing (Direct to)	130	150	150	130	190

Source: UCAS

Data rounded to nearest 10.

*A small number of applicants meet the entry conditions for their first choice but opt to accept an alternative offer.

Question reference: S4O-04590

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

To ask the Scottish Government how the growth of Japanese knotweed is controlled.

Question reference: S4O-04532

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent admission by the UK Government that it used fake quotes to promote its benefit sanctions regime in Scotland and across the UK.

Question reference: S4W-27135

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when the Registrar General will publish his annual report for 2014.

Scotland’s Population 2014: the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends will be published on 20 August 2015. The report contains information about births, deaths and marriages during the year, together with other demographic information. A copy of the report will be laid in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and will be available on the Registrar General’s website at: www.nrscotland.gov.uk.

Question reference: S4W-27100

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2015
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 18 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the Attainment Scotland Fund beyond the local authorities that have already been announced.

I am pleased to announce that we are expanding the Attainment Scotland fund to include an additional 57 primary schools across 14 local authority areas. Each of these 57 primary schools will receive funding from the Attainment Scotland fund. The schools have been selected on the basis that they are supporting a significant proportion of pupils and families from communities which are facing some of the greatest challenges across Scotland. Many of these schools are already doing well for all of their pupils and we want to learn from and spread this practice. These schools will work closely with their attainment advisors and each other to implement, support and spread good practice of what works to raise attainment, ambition and aspirations for our children and young people.

Local authority	School Name
Aberdeen City	Riverbank School
Aberdeen City	Manor Park School
Aberdeen City	Tullos School
Aberdeen City	Bramble Brae School
Argyll and Bute	Rosneath Primary School
Dumfries and Galloway	Kelloholm School
East Ayrshire	St Xavier’s Primary School
East Ayrshire	Patna Primary School
East Ayrshire	Logan Primary School
East Ayrshire	Bellsbank Primary School
East Ayrshire	Hillhead Primary School
East Ayrshire	Shortlees Primary School
Edinburgh	Sighthill Primary School
Edinburgh	St Catherine’s RC Primary School
Edinburgh	Clovenstone Primary School
Edinburgh	St Francis’ RC Primary School
Edinburgh	Craigroyston Primary School
Edinburgh	Niddrie Mill Primary School
Edinburgh	Canal View Primary School
Edinburgh	Castleview Primary School
Falkirk	Langlees Primary School
Fife	St Serf’s R C Primary School
Fife	Inzievar Primary School
Fife	St Kenneth’s R C Primary School
Fife	Southwood Primary School
Fife	Warout Primary and Community School
Fife	Pathhead Primary School
Highland	Milton Primary School
Highland	Coulhill Primary School
Highland	Bishop Eden Primary School
Highland	South Primary School
Highland	Merkinch Primary School
Renfrewshire	St Catherine’s Primary School
Renfrewshire	St David’s Primary School
Renfrewshire	St Fergus Primary School
Renfrewshire	Gallowhill Primary School
Renfrewshire	Glencoats Primary School
Scottish Borders	Burnfoot Community School
Scottish Borders	St Margaret’s RC Primary School (Hawick)
South Ayrshire	Dalmilling Primary School
South Ayrshire	Newton Primary School
South Ayrshire	Braehead Primary School
South Lanarkshire	St Mark’s Primary School (Rutherglen)
South Lanarkshire	James Aiton Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Beckford Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Carstairs Junction Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Burgh Primary School
South Lanarkshire	St Paul’s Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Auchinraith Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Cathkin Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Loch Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Robert Smillie Memorial Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Hareleeshill Primary School
South Lanarkshire	Rigside Primary School
Stirling	Raploch Primary School
West Lothian	Bridgend Primary School
West Lothian	St Thomas’ Primary School

Question reference: S4W-26718

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 12 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many P1 to P3 pupils have received free school meals since universal provision was introduced, broken down by local authority area, and what the estimated saving has been for the pupils' families.

The latest statistics on free school meal uptake were published on 17 June 2015 in the Scottish Government statistics publication - Summary statistics for attainment, leaver destinations and healthy living, No. 5: 2015 Edition. Table 7 in the accompanying supplementary data, provides details of the number of P1-P3 pupils present and taking free school meals on the day of the survey, broken down by local authority, and can be accessed at the following address:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/MealsSD/mealspesd/mealspesd2015

We estimate the saving for families will be around £380 per child per year.

Question reference: S4W-26760

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 11 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many children will be eligible for 600 hours of early learning and childcare from August 2015.

Question reference: S4W-26761

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 11 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how the commitment in its programme for government to extend provision of early learning and childcare to 30 hours per week compares with proposals in the Childcare Bill introduced by the UK Government.

The policy statement supporting the UK Government's proposed Childcare Bill states that the bill will place a duty on the secretary of state to secure the equivalent of 30 hours of free childcare per week in each of 38 weeks in any year to eligible working parents of three and four year old children. The department for education has estimated that around 600,000 families will benefit, which, based on The Office of National Statistics population data, suggests that less than half of three and four year olds in England and Wales may be eligible under this scheme.

The First Minister pledged in November 2014 that the Scottish Government would increase the level of funded early learning and childcare to 30 hours per week. This applies to 100% of three and four-year-olds in Scotland, not just those with parents in employment, as well as two-year-olds who are currently entitled to 600 hours per year (or 16 hours per week) of funded provision. From August 2015, 27% of two year olds will be entitled to the 600 hours. The increase to 30 hours per week will be delivered by the end of the next Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-26717

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4O-04517

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board and what matters will be discussed.