Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-00361

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its and its agencies' staff earn below the Scottish Living Wage.

The Scottish Government and its agencies are covered by the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy and as such are required to pay their employees the Scottish Living Wage as part of their annual pay settlements. This requirement has been an integral part of our public sector pay policy since 2011. The policy covers the Scottish Government, its agencies, and the non-departmental public bodies for which we are responsible. It also covers the subsidiaries of these bodies.

There may be a small number of staff in public bodies subject to Minister’s pay policy still to benefit from the 2016 Scottish Living Wage increase, but this is due to the fact that these bodies are still to conclude pay negotiations with members of staff and their unions this year and Scottish Ministers cannot intervene while these negotiations continue.

Question reference: S5W-04245

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many students (a) began and (b) completed a Childhood Practice (BA) degree in each of the last five years, broken down by institution.

ADMISSIONS

Institution

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

Total

Aberdeen University

15

28

25

19

47

134

Ayrshire College

10

Dundee University

82

56

39

35

67

279

Edinburgh College

24

0

48

72

Edinburgh University

24

25

121

Experiential Play

4

Glasgow Clyde College

20

14

12

46

Glasgow University

56

60

88

97

131

432

Hamilton School

0

12

North East Scotland College

8

Stirling Council

14

15

35

64

Strathclyde University

46

24

33

169

University of the Highlands & Islands

18

29

43

140

370

University of the West of Scotland (UWS)

61

26

30

5

148

West Lothian College

14

3

17

TOTAL

302

247

362

424

551

1886

COMPLETIONS

Institution

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

Total

Aberdeen University

23

2

6

15

16

62

Ayrshire College

13

Dundee University

17

57

39

51

32

196

Edinburgh College

20

23

43

Edinburgh University

18

19

20

97

Experiential Play

4

Glasgow Clyde College

18

Glasgow University

63

48

31

46

121

309

Hamilton School

0

North East Scotland College

0

Stirling Council

12

Strathclyde University

44

84

40

37

205

University of the Highlands & Islands

36

55

91

University of the West of Scotland (UWS)

45

70

9

15

148

West Lothian College

9

TOTAL

210

280

154

283

280

1207

Question reference: S5W-04252

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government further to the publication of Higher Education Student Support in Scotland 2015-16, what the reason is for the reduction in the number of bursary recipients (a) since 2014-15 and (b) over the longer term.

The publication does not identify a reason for the reduction in the number of students accessing bursaries. However, the Scottish Government will investigate this further, in consultation with stakeholders, as part of the recently announced review of student support.

The Scottish Government is committed to doing more to ensure support is equitable and fair for all students, particularly the most vulnerable, which is why we have announced a comprehensive review of student support with an independent chair. The review will examine a range of issues including the current split between bursaries and loans.

Question reference: S5W-04246

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) teachers and (b) graduates have worked in nurseries in the most deprived areas in the country in each of the last five years.

The then Scottish Executive repealed the Schools Code in 2002, which had previously required all local authorities to employ a full-time teacher in every nursery. Local authorities were therefore given the flexibility to decide how best to involve teachers in the delivery of early learning and childcare, and this remains their responsibility.

The table sets out the number of Full-Time Equivalent teachers working in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) centres situated in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland. In each year over the period 2011 to 2015 FTE teachers working in ELC centres in the 20% most deprived areas have accounted for around 20% of all FTE teachers employed in ELC centres.

FTE of teachers working in ELC centres situated in the 20% most deprived areas

	2011	2012	2013		2014⁽¹⁾	2015⁽¹⁾
FTE in Decile 1 and 2	295	306	265		193	179

(1) Excludes centrally employed teachers.

A small number of teachers could not be allocated to an SIMD area.

With regards to the numbers of graduates; the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hold some information on the qualifications of staff working in early learning and childcare settings. However, the qualifications of a significant number of staff is unknown.

As part of the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) data transformation project, the Scottish Government is working with the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council to improve the data available on those working within the ELC sector, ensuring each of the statistical collections have a specific and clear purpose, and gather appropriate information to meet user needs. The project aims to reduce duplication and minimise burden on data providers, whilst ensuring the quality of the data available is of an appropriate standard.

In October 2015, the First Minister committed to ensuring that nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas will benefit from an additional teacher or graduate from 2018, which will bolster the level of support from highly qualified learning professionals for those children who we know will benefit most.

Question reference: S5W-04253

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what maximum level of (a) bursary and (b) loan has been available to higher education students in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the maximum amount of bursary available in the last five academic years.

	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
Young Students' Bursary	£2,640	£2,640	£1,750	£1,750	£1,875
Independent Students' Bursary	£1,000	£1,000	£750	£750	£875
Students' Outside Scotland Bursary	£2,150	£2,150	-	-	-

The following table shows the maximum amount of living cost loan available in the last three academic years.

Analysis for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is not available because there were a large number of fluctuations on the maximum loan available, with amounts being based on the actual term length of each course and the location of study for students.

Maximum loan level
	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
Young students	£5,500	£5,750	£5,750
Independent students	£6,500	£6,750	£6,750

Source: SAAS

Question reference: S5W-04249

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) mean and (b) median debt for students on completion of a (a) first full-time undergraduate degree and (b) full-time postgraduate degree was in each of the last five years, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile.

Information on student loan debt is held and published by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/scotland.aspx

The latest publication, covering financial year 2015-16, showed that the average student loan debt for the 2016 cohort, which just entered repayment, was £10,500. The publication does not contain the other information requested.

Average Loan Balance on entry into repayment by repayment cohort

Average balance on entry to repayment (£)

	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Scotland	6,470	6,860	7,440	9,410	10,500

Source: Student Loans Company

Question reference: S5W-04251

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the total accumulated level of higher education-student debt has been in each of the last five years.

Information on student loan debt is held and published by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment/scotland.aspx

The latest publication, covering financial year 2015-16, showed that the total balance outstanding (including loans not yet due for repayment) was £4.0 billion.

Total loan balance at the end of financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16

Outstanding Student Loans Debt (£ billions)

	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
Scotland	2.6	2.7	3.1	3.5	4.0

Source: Student Loans Company

Question reference: S5W-04248

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the average annual cost of childcare has been for parents and carers in each of the last five years, and how it calculates this.

Question reference: S5W-04247

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government further to the publication, A Blueprint for 2020: the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, how the estimated average saving of £2,000 per child was calculated; when it will be fully delivered, and whether it will publish regular updates on progress with this.

It is estimated that by almost doubling the number of free hours of Early Learning and Childcare entitlement from current levels (600 hours) to 1140 hours by 2020 will result in an average saving of £2,000 per child.

This has been calculated as the additional number of funded hours multiplied by the hourly price of early learning and childcare using the latest figures estimated by the Family and Childcare Trust for privately purchasing early learning and childcare for children over age 2 (estimated to be £4.16 per hour).

The Scottish Government will provide updates on progress toward delivery of 1,140 hours.

Question reference: S5W-04243

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government further to the publication, A Blueprint for 2020: the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, (a) where and (b) when each delivery model trial will (i) take place and (ii) conclude; how much funding will be provided; what the focus of each trial will be, and which early learning and childcare settings will be involved.

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