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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: S6O-00090

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to implement the recommendations in Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy.

Question reference: S5W-36044

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the third annual report of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Training Strategy for Scotland.

The third annual report of the STEM Education and Training Strategy will be published on the Scottish Government website later today ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/stem-strategy-for-education-and-training-third-annual-report/ )

The report shows that, despite current restrictions to contain COVID-19, the Strategy has continued to deliver high quality support for STEM education and training. Programmes of e-learning are being successfully delivered, STEM apprenticeships numbers have increased and the Logan Review of computing education has highlighted how fundamental computing skills are to the future lives of our young people.

Question reference: S5W-36042

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its joint plan with COSLA in response to COVID-19 for people with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism.

Our joint plan with COSLA called the “Towards Transformation” Plan for Autism and Learning Disabilities was agreed at the COSLA Health and Social Care Board on 19 March. The plan will be published on 24 March and will be available on the Scottish Government website. The plan has been produced with people with lived experience. It has at its core, the promotion and protection of the human rights of autistic people and those with learning disabilities.

A copy of the full plan is available at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800048867

An easy read translation is also available at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800048768

Question reference: S5W-36041

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Maree Todd on 23 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the promise since the publication of the outcome of the independent care review in February 2020.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to turning the vision of the Independent Care Review into reality. During this past year the Scottish Government has worked to ensure that the principles of the Promise have been and continue to be reflected in our response to the pandemic.

The independent Oversight Board, chaired by Fiona Duncan, and with half of its members being people with care experience, have now met twice. We welcome the independent scrutiny that they bring in holding Scotland to account to #keepthepromise.

We all knew that keeping The Promise would require doing things differently. I am therefore delighted to announce that ‘The Promise Scotland’ will later today be established as a non-statutory company with Fiona Duncan as ex-officio Chair. The Promise Scotland, independent from Scottish Government, will help drive forward the change needed for Scotland to keep “The Promise”. Following engagement with over 100 organisations, including The Scottish Government, they will soon publish a plan for the next three years. We recognise the pivotal role that the Scottish Government will play in responding to this. I can confirm that the Scottish Government will underpin the work that needs to be done to make the real transformation to developing policy and focus on what matters, the people, the children and families most in need of support.

Question reference: S5O-05141

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support lifelong learning and re-skilling.

Question reference: S5W-36063

Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-35485

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 5 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what allowances can be made for garden centres and other horticultural businesses to prepare for sowing seasonal bedding plants now, in advance of being able to reopen to the public once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

In order to reduce the opportunities for transmission of Covid-19, people should only be leaving their homes for an essential purpose which includes for essential shopping.

Garden centres are currently able to fulfil orders online, by telephone and through a permitted collection service.

I recently met with the Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) to discuss the impacts restrictions are having on this area. The HTA has provided us with their safe operating protocol and have briefed us with valuable information which we are taking into consideration when making our decisions.

Scottish Government are hopeful that we will be able to see a phased but significant opening of our economy in April including the opening of non-essential retail.

Question reference: S5W-35111

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the rationale behind the evidence gathering methodology adopted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in conducting its review of Curriculum for Excellence.

As set out in the remit agreed for the Independent Review of Curriculum for Excellence, published on 26 February 2020, the OECD has been undertaking the Review using its Implementing Policies: Supporting Change in Education Framework .

The OECD uses this framework to provide tailored support to individual countries and education systems to analyse and support the development and implementation of education policies. This methodology has been used by the OECD in previous reviews, and set a very clear framework for the Independent Review of Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland.

In terms of the OECD’s approach to evidence gathering on this Review, the OECD established a team of core OECD staff and international experts with experience in curriculum and assessment implementation. The Team began the Review with a comprehensive desk-based analysis of policy documents, evidence and research on CfE implementation, which included, amongst other documents, the initial evidence base provided by the Scottish Government in July 2020, papers published as part of the Education & Skills Committee’s Inquiry on Subject Choice and published academic articles and research.

Following this review of documentation, the OECD team conducted a series of interviews and virtual school visits to gather primary data. The first round of national stakeholder interviews took place from 28 th September - 2 nd October. During this visit the OECD met virtually with: myself, the Scottish Parliament’s Education & Skills Committee, Scottish Government officials, the Scottish Practitioner Forum, national agencies, local government representatives, college bodies, DYW regional employer groups, university bodies, academics/researchers, organisations responsible for teacher professional learning & leadership, teacher and headteacher professional associations, parent organisations, young people organisations, Gaelic education groups, subject specific interest groups, members of the Curriculum & Assessment Board, and members of the Scottish Education Council.

The second week of engagement with schools, learners and parents ran from 2 nd - 5 th November. As part of this engagement, the OECD held in-depth virtual visits with four schools, as well as a number of on-line focus group sessions with headteachers, teachers, partners, learners and parents. Both engagement weeks were taken forward based on clear guidelines provided by the OECD and following discussions with the Scottish Practitioner Forum.

In response to a request by OECD for a project advisory group to guide the work and discuss progress and deliverables, the Scottish Government established a Scottish Practitioner Forum. The role of this Forum has been to advise and guide the work on the Review and to ensure that this was based on the experience of current practitioners in Scotland. The Forum has met regularly to support the Review.

Question reference: S5O-05009

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities regarding any potential tourism-related opportunities arising from an increase in number of people holidaying at home during the pandemic.

Question reference: S5O-04907

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to provide financial support for businesses in the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency that have been impacted by Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions.