Chamber and committees

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: S4T-00523

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the new Higher exams.

Question reference: S4O-02559

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill does not refer to the living wage.

Question reference: S4W-17409

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been carried out on the benefits of kinship care for children who cannot live with their birth parents; whether further research has been proposed, and how it will ensure that kinship care is (a) prioritised and (b) supported.

The Scottish Government has not carried out research in relation to the benefits of kinship care for children who cannot live with their birth parents although extensive international research has been conducted including the Mentor Foundation UK study, “EU Kinship Carers Project” and reviews of family group conferencing and the benefits of children remaining in the care of the wider family.

Over the next two years, through a strategic funding partnership, the Scottish Government is funding Mentor Foundation UK to undertake work to look at breaking the inter-generational cycle of children being looked after receiving poorer outcomes.

Kinship care continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government and the introduction of the kinship care order, as an addition to other options to secure permanence for children and young people will ensure that even more kinship families are being supported.

Question reference: S4W-17411

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the average number of standard grade passes for pupils in kinship care in each of the last three years and how this compares with pupils (a) who live with their parents, (b) in foster care and (c) in residential care homes.

The Scottish Government collects information on average tariff scores of looked after children (total points earned across different qualifications) but not standard grades specifically.

The attached link to table 1.3 of the Scottish Government publication Education Outcomes for Scotland’s Looked After Children 2011-2012 provides information on the average tariff score of looked after children who left school by placement type.

This information refers only to looked after children who left school during the academic year and spent the entire academic year in a single placement, therefore it covers only a small number of children. A link to the publication is attached.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/9231/downloads.

Question reference: S4W-17410

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the benefits of kinship care.

Since the publication of our strategy Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster Care in December 2007, the Scottish Government has fully recognised the value and benefits of keeping children within the family unit, minimising disruption in the children’s lives and reinforcing the child’s sense of identity and self-esteem. In recognising the benefits of kinship care we have worked hard to ensure kinship carers are fully supported. To date we have:

Legislated in 2009 to recognise kinship care for the first time.

Provided significant funding to local authorities to support kinship carers;

Funded Children 1^st, Citizens Advice Scotland, Mentor UK and the Child Poverty Action Group to provide support to kinship families.

To further improve on support to kinship families we are conducting a review of financial allowances to kinship carers with a view to tailoring support and tackling inconsistencies across Scotland. We are also, through the Children and Young People Bill, providing additional support to many more kinship carers and families who are in the early stages of distress.

Question reference: S4W-17408

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what services are available to support newborn babies with alcohol or drug withdrawal symptoms who (a) go home with their parents and (b) enter a kinship care placement.

If the mother is already known to maternity or social care services, prior to delivery, then there will be pre-birth, multi-agency planning meetings. The outcome of these meetings would be to agree a care plan for both mother and baby post-delivery and subsequent follow up meetings will be scheduled.

Many infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) require admission to a neonatal unit (NNU) for medication, observation and expert medical and nursing care. The length of hospital stay either in a neonatal unit or postnatal ward would be dependent upon the severity of NAS in each case.

Whether the child goes home with a parent or a kinship carer, support will continue from a health visitor, paediatrician and allied health professions. They will work with parents/carers in assessing and planning the care for ongoing and arising health and developmental needs of babies and children affected by NAS once babies have been discharged from hospital.

Question reference: S4W-17407

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it provides (a) pastoral care and (b) help with behavioural difficulties resulting from early years traumas for pupils in kinship care and what support it provides to help get parent/guardian consent for extracurricular activities.

The issue of consent for extracurricular activities and the provision of pastoral care and help with behavioural difficulties for all pupils, including those in kinship care, is a matter for education authorities.

Authorities are supported in delivering this through the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 (as amended), and associated code of practice. This provides the framework for the provision of support to pupils who have additional support needs, including the need for pastoral care support and support for behavioural difficulties. Parents and Carers who care for pupils with additional support needs may benefit from the advice and information provided by Enquire, the national advice and information service for additional support for learning.

In March 2013 we published Better Relationships, Better Learning, Better Behaviour, our updated policy on promoting positive relationships and behaviour in schools which emphasises the importance of whole school approaches and the responsibilities of all staff for identifying the care and wellbeing needs of all children and young people.

Education Scotland’s Rights, Support and Wellbeing Team provides support and training to Local Authorities and schools in a range of whole school approaches to develop positive relationships and promote positive behaviour. For example, the approaches “Towards Social and Emotional Health and Wellbeing” and “Nurturing Approaches” include a variety of topics such as attachment, brain science, trauma, and barriers to a child's learning and development. There are also Health and Wellbeing curricular programmes available such as Creating Confident Kids to support children develop their own emotional and social Health and Wellbeing.

Question reference: S4W-17406

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued on the needs of pupils in kinship care.

Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 a child or young person looked after by a local authority (within the meaning of section 17(6) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.36), including those in formal kinship care arrangements, is automatically deemed as having additional support needs until they are assessed otherwise.

The Supporting Children’s Learning code of practice explains the duties on education authorities and other agencies to support children's and young people's learning. It provides guidance on the Act’s provisions as well as on the supporting framework of secondary legislation.

The Scottish Government have also published the following guides aimed at improving education and attainment for all Looked After children:

Improving the Education of Looked After Children: A Guide for Local Authorities and Services Providers.

Core Tasks for Designated Managers in Educational and Residential Establishments.

We Can and Must Do Better Training Materials

These Are Our Bairns: A Guide for Community Planning Partnerships on Being a Good Corporate Parent.

Question reference: S4W-17234

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the average size is of advanced higher classes, broken down by (a) subject and (b) local authority.

Question reference: S4W-17231

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils have studied advanced higher computing in each year since 2009, broken down by local authority.

The number of learners entered for the advanced higher computing qualification from 2009 broken down by local authority is as follows:

Number of pupils entered in advanced higher computing at publicly funded secondary schools

Local Authority Area	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Aberdeen City	9	5	5	7	12
Aberdeenshire	*	9	11	13	18
Angus	8	8	9	8	9
Argyll and Bute	8	*	9	10	6
Clackmannanshire	*	*	0	0	*
Dumfries and Galloway	*	0	*	*	0
Dundee City	23	22	19	13	18
East Ayrshire	*	5	6	*	*
East Dunbartonshire	26	23	11	24	23
East Lothian	*	11	13	5	*
East Renfrewshire	18	15	14	24	*
Edinburgh City	38	39	52	60	37
Eilean Siar	*	*	6	*	6
Falkirk	*	*	9	11	13
Fife	35	37	42	45	42
Glasgow City	13	9	24	15	22
Highland	7	8	6	5	10
Inverclyde	6	*	6	12	8
Midlothian	18	23	15	15	22
Moray	*	*	*	*	*
North Ayrshire	13	8	12	11	13
North Lanarkshire	*	6	*	*	*
Orkney Islands	0	0	0	*	*
Perth and Kinross	24	34	30	39	39
Renfrewshire	*	0	0	0	0
Scottish Borders	9	*	*	0	8
Shetland Islands	0	0	0	0	0
South Ayrshire	37	33	37	28	29
South Lanarkshire	25	24	47	20	35
Stirling	9	7	*	6	0
West Dunbartonshire	9	*	7	*	*
West Lothian	22	25	15	16	11
Grant aided	*	*	*	*	*
All	383	378	418	412	404

Note: *Numbers of less than 5 are supressed for quality and disclosure reasons.