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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-12676

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils are being taught in schools in neighbouring local authorities because it is felt that they are more effective in dealing with dyslexia.

Question reference: S5W-12674

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how trainee teachers are taught about dealing with dyslexia.

All courses of Initial Teacher Education are accredited and approved by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) as the independent, regulatory body for the teaching profession. The GTCS will only grant accreditation if they are satisfied that the content of courses is appropriate for a student teacher to be able to meet the requirements of the Standard for Provisional Registration (SPR).

The SPR includes a requirement to demonstrate an awareness of barriers to learning, such as dyslexia, recognising when to seek further advice in relation to all learners' needs. The way in which this requirement is delivered is for each university to determine.

Question reference: S5W-12675

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the EIS regarding the provision of dyslexia training (a) for (i) trainee and (ii) probationary teachers and (b) as part of teachers' ongoing professional learning development.

Question reference: S5W-12677

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils have been diagnosed with dyslexia in each of the last five years, and what information is has on how many were (i) offered the necessary assistance to stay at school and (ii) taken out of school to be home taught because it was felt that the necessary assistance was not offered.

The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government does collect data on the number of pupils supported in school because of dyslexia.

Data on number of pupils supported because of dyslexia in primary and secondary school – 2012-2016

Year	Primary	Secondary	Total
2016	4549	13722	18271
2015	4313	12547	16860
2014	4259	11448	15707
2013	4447	10745	15192
2012	4155	9210	13365

Question reference: S5O-01498

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the teaching of STEM subjects in the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

Question reference: S5O-01423

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to dog owners who use farmland to exercise their pets.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code requires dogs to be kept on a short lead or under close control in fields where livestock are present. The Code also requires people with dogs to avoid fields containing lambs, calves or other young animals, and fields containing vegetables or fruit.

Since spring 2013, Scottish Natural Heritage has participated in a series of campaigns aimed at dog walkers such as the “Sheep Wise” campaign launched last spring.

Most recently, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime launched a campaign on 1 November to raise awareness among dog owners about the devastating effects of livestock worrying.

Question reference: S5F-01674

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2017

To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that Macmillan Cancer Support is acting to combat so-called fake news regarding health conditions, what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that people are not misled by fake medical information online.

Question reference: S5O-01357

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NUS Scotland regarding protecting students from exploitative private rental agreements.

I want to be clear that I am very concerned that anyone could be exploited by private rental agreements. It leaves people open to exploitation and possible abuse and is an unacceptable practice.

On 5 June 2017 I wrote in June to the President of NUS Scotland regarding ‘sex for rent’ adverts, the exploitative practice of using free online platforms such as Craigslist to offer accommodation in return for sexual services. I have also written to online platform hosts such as Craigslist, Gumtree and Vivastreet about this issue and asked them to remove these adverts. No response from NUS Scotland has been received so far but I would be happy to discuss with them further.

The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 creates a new private residential tenancy for all future lets in Scotland from 1 December 2017 onwards and will provide tenants, including students, with additional security of tenure when they rent in the mainstream private rented sector.

Question reference: S5F-01618

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2017

To ask the First Minister how the disclosure scheme for domestic abuse, Clare's Law, has worked during its two years in practice.

Question reference: S5W-11547

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 27 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing the continuity of maternity care recommendations contained in The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland.

The Best Start: A Five Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland contains a number of recommendations for the introduction of a continuity of carer and local delivery of care model of care. The review states that Early Adopter NHS Boards should be identified to lead the change in practice. I am pleased to announce that five Early Adopter Boards have been identified. They are:

NHS Forth Valley
NHS Highland
NHS Lanarkshire
NHS Lothian
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (part Board – Clyde only)

These Boards will begin the process of planning for implementation of this model of care in 2018. Learning from the Early Adopter Boards will be used to roll out this model of care to all NHS Boards in due course.