- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03736 by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016, whether it will provide the (a) name of and (b) amount received by each company involved in the arms trade that received funding from Scottish Enterprise in each year since 2006.
Answer
As this is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 29 August 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the report by the Scottish Sensory Centre, The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment (vision and hearing impairment).
Answer
The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment 2016 report, was commissioned by the Scottish Government, in response to the Education & Culture Committee’s inquiry into the attainment of pupils with sensory impairment.
The Scottish Government set up a Short Life Working Group to respond to the Committee’s recommendations, including the commissioning of this report. A plan, which sets out actions to deliver against all of the recommendations, was developed. A number of the actions to deliver the recommendations have already been completed and we are actively considering with key stakeholders the activities and actions required to deliver on the remaining recommendations.
I wrote to the Education Committee in March 2018 to provide an update on progress. This is available from http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Education/Inquiries/20180321Attainment_of_pupils_with_a_sensory_impairment_-_work_plan_published_version.pdf .
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 24 August 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to make preparations for any impact on Scotland of a "no deal" outcome in the negotiations to leave the EU.
Answer
Scotland voted to remain in the European Union. The Scottish Government’s view is that remaining within the European Union is the best option for Scotland’s future. Failing that, as set out in Scotland’s Place in Europe and Scotland’s Place in Europe: People, Jobs and Investment continued membership of the European Single Market and Customs Union is essential for Scotland’s economy, society and people. We will continue to make the case for that. However, in order to mitigate where possible the negative impact of other scenarios in these uncertain times, every directorate of the Scottish Government is engaged in planning, to the extent that is possible, for the UK’s exit from the EU. Our preparations are well under way, but they are constrained by a lack of clarity on the direction on negotiations with the EU, by uncertainty about the possible outcome of that and by the fact that many critical issues that will affect Scotland’s interests are reserved and the responsibility of the UK Government.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 August 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers of children and young people (a) with vision impairment and (b) who are deaf there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority.
Answer
Statistics on the number of teachers with a main subject of visual impairment and hearing impairment are published in the teacher census supplementary data (split by primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) and are available on the Scottish Government website:
https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teachcenssuppdata
These statistics exclude teachers at grant aided special schools as data on subject taught is not collected from teachers at these schools.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 10 August 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment in the Programme for Government 2017-18, how many schools currently have a home-school link worker.
Answer
Based on data collected as part of the September 2017 school staff census there were 201 FTE home school link workers employed in Scotland and each worker may serve multiple schools. In addition to these staff, other local authority staff may provide similar functions to home school link workers.
The Scottish government has committed to ensuring that every school in Scotland has access to a home school link worker by the end of 2019.
In order to meet this commitment the Scottish Government has established a Home School Link Worker National Working Group with representatives from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Council of Scottish Local Authorities and Education Scotland. As part of its remit the National Working Group intends to work with local authorities to build a clearer picture of the exact numbers of staff across Scotland providing a home school link worker function.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 August 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15018 by John Swinney on 8 March 2018, when it plans to publish data on support staff in schools, which is ordinarily included in the Teacher Census Supplementary Data release.
Answer
Statistics on school support staff for 2017 were published on 31 July 2018. They can be accessed at the following page on the Scottish Government website:
https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/SupportStaff.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported low uptake of coordinated support plans among pupils with additional needs.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2018
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how its agencies support location scouting for the film and television sectors.
Answer
Creative Scotland is the public body which supports Scotland’s screen, arts and creative industries on behalf of the Scottish Government, along the ‘arms-length’ principle. The Screen Commission within Creative Scotland works directly with production companies and studios to promote locations in Scotland and support them in a variety of ways to bring productions to shoot in or base themselves in Scotland. Creative Scotland also attends events internationally to promote Scottish locations and facilities. I have made Creative Scotland aware of your question and you may contact them directly for an answer on the support they provide for location scouting for the film and television sector.
Additionally, I hosted a dinner with Creative Scotland, also attended by Scottish Government officials, on 20 April, with major US production executives who were on a familiarisation tour of Scotland, as part of a British Film Commission tour of the UK.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07576 by John Swinney on 8 March 2017, what its response is to the announcement by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 27 April 2018 that it plans to include a school in Scotland in its expansion of cadet forces, and what discussions it has had or plans with the MoD regarding whether (a) the school has been identified, (b) it plans to include further schools in Scotland, (c) funds from Libor fines will be allocated towards this and (d) it has consulted other stakeholders and, if so, (i) which and (ii) when.
Answer
The announcement by the Ministry of Defence on 27 April 2018 refers to Albyn School, an independent school in Aberdeen. Independent schools are free to decide the approach they take to Cadets. Education Scotland was notified of this proposal.
Scottish Government policy remains that for publicly funded schools, any links with Cadets will be through the Linked Detachment model. These are community-based Cadet Units that work with a number of state secondary schools and local authorities with which they have a partnership, to deliver elective learning opportunities that support the curriculum. The Scottish approach differs to the UK Government model where the school ‘hosts’ a Cadet Unit which does not contribute to the curriculum.
There are currently nine Linked Detachments operating in Scotland, and if further schools pursue this it could potentially increase, up to a maximum of twelve. £500,000 LIBOR funding was allocated to support the Scottish Linked Detachment model and this is due to come to an end in 2020.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 22 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports of delays of up to several years in the distribution of EU funding to voluntary organisations and, if so, what steps it has taken to (a) address this and (b) support the organisations affected.
Answer
Over £395 million of funding has now been approved under the 2014-20 European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund programmes with the first projects approved December 2015. The Scottish Government awards grants to lead partners (Local Authorities, SG departments and agencies), who in turn contract or award grants to delivery agents which may include voluntary organisations.
A number of voluntary organisations are delivering activity across the programmes and submit payment requests to the lead partner and not directly to the Scottish Government. Lead partners gather evidence required by EC Regulations in order to process payment requests from delivery agents and then submit claims to the SG. Payments by the lead partner to delivery agents will be made dependent on the grant offer or contract in place between the lead partner and delivery agent.
The Scottish Government is aware of some delays to payments by lead partners as the evidence required by the EU in order to allow payments to be made has not been provided at the time of requesting payment. The Scottish Government works closely with lead partners to help them understand the complex compliance regime that surrounds the funds, and encourages lead partners to support delivery agents to ensure they have the necessary structures in place to meet requirements.
