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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: S6W-32241

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on reading books in schools in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) each (i) primary and (ii) secondary school.

Question reference: S6W-32242

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many librarians have been employed in schools in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-32251

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on delivering action (a) 1, (b) 4, (c) 5 and (d) 6 in its cancer strategy for children and young people 2021-26.

Question reference: S6W-32243

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to help develop free children’s libraries near primary schools.

Question reference: S6W-32245

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has given to Sustrans in each year since the organisation was established.

Question reference: S6W-32240

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many Protecting Vulnerable Group (PVG) checks have been undertaken for people working with young people in sport in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-32244

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its current estimate is of the revised costs of upgrading the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout.

Question reference: S6W-31797

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of the number of sports coaches working with children who have not had full disclosure checks.

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Membership of the PVG Scheme is available for an individual coaching or training children in sports. It is the responsibility of the recruiting organisation to make use of the PVG disclosure checks. Membership of the PVG Scheme will become a legal requirement on 1 April 2025. Currently, though, many organisations (including sports governing bodies) treat the Scheme as though it is a legal requirement. This de facto requirement is primarily because, if an organisation was to employ a barred individual to do regulated work, they would be guilty of an offence under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.

In cases where a self-employed individual (and that includes paid, and unpaid or voluntary work) teaches or trains children scheme membership is available to that person. The individual can use their scheme membership to satisfy parents or carers of children in receipt of teaching or coaching that they are not unsuitable for that type of regulated work.

Particularly since the 2017 Health and Sport Committee report on Child Abuse in Sport, Disclosure Scotland has worked closely with all sports governing bodies (“SGBs”), including sportscotland and the Scottish Youth Football Association, to ensure that PVG disclosure checks are undertaken on sports coaches eligible for scheme membership. This includes providing guidance to SGBs on specific duties and requirements under the Scheme, and carrying out compliance audits. It is our assessment that most, if not all, SGBs require PVG membership as part of any role that involves working with children or protected adults.

The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 will make PVG scheme membership a legal requirement for all individuals carrying out a regulated role in Scotland, which includes sports coaches and agents. It will be an offence for an organisation to employ an individual into a regulated role if that individual is not a member of the PVG Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-31699

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in their buildings.

Although it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate, Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust continue to engage with local authorities about Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

In September, the Scottish Government published a report regarding RAAC across the public sector in Scotland, and it contains a dedicated section on schools and early learning and childcare.

Question reference: S6W-31696

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the University of Manchester research article, All present and correct? Alternative provision and school attendance, and, in light of this research, what action it is taking to (a) increase collaborative working at local authority level to improve school attendance, (b) develop localised approaches to reduce rates of school non-attendance and (c) develop processes to support children and young people with complex needs who require alternative provision outside of the school setting, including to support them when returning to regular education provision.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving attendance in Scottish schools. Last year, we requested that Education Scotland undertake a 'deep dive' to support greater understanding of the issue and the reasons for it.

Within the resulting report 'Improving Attendance: Understanding the Issues', five recommendations were identified including 'Education Scotland, working with stakeholders and partners, should bespoke support for areas where improving levels of attendance remains a challenge'. The research article from the University of Manchester, ‘All Present and Correct’ is based on only one local authority in the North West of England. Key findings of the article align to the Education Scotland report which was based on a more comprehensive evidence base.

Education Scotland is working closely with local authorities and with schools. This includes the establishment of an Improving Attendance National Network aimed at senior officers within local authorities. Regular engagement with various levels of the system including the ADES Performance and Improvement Network is in place, informing support required and ongoing challenges as well as any successes.

Education Scotland is working intensively with six local authorities to support identified establishments to use Quality Improvement approaches to improve attendance. This programme is running until March 2025 and provides regular opportunities for collaboration. A second cohort will begin early next year.

A steering group of senior school leaders is in place, informing planning for headteacher events starting in February 2025. In addition, all local authorities are invited to an event on 6 February 2025, focussed on strategic approaches to improving attendance. A second package of support, focussed on implantation strategies and effective practice, is currently being developed and will be published in March 2025.

Education authorities have duties under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 to identify, provide for and review the additional needs of their pupils. This includes any support required following a period of absence. Education authorities are also responsible for determining the most appropriate provision for children and young people with additional support needs, taking account of their legislative responsibilities and the individual circumstances and wishes of children, young people and their families.

Education authorities are supported in implementing their duties under the 2004 Act through the statutory code of practice on additional support for learning.