- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the responses to the three consultations informing its Education Governance Review.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2018
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 16 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been eligible for Educational Maintenance Allowance in each year since 2006-07; how many claimed it, and what analysis it has made of the reasons why people who were eligible did not make a claim.
Answer
The Education Maintenance Allowance is an entitlement in Scotland and is available to all eligible young people, but there is no comprehensive data which allows the Scottish Government to record who is eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance.
Young people in receipt of Education Maintenance Allowance from 2006-07 to
2016-17 is as follows:
Young People in Receipt of EMA; 2006-07 to 2016-17 |
Academic Year | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
Total | 37,480 | 37,275 | 39,000 | 37,230 | 34,780 | 34,390 | 35,515 | 35,470 | 33,180 | 31,735 | 31,675 |
The last analysis of the impact of Education Maintenance Allowance was conducted by York Consulting LLP and commissioned by the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department, and was published in July 2007. See attached link:
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2007/07/30113243/0 .
- 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 16 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to questions S5W-07573 and S5W-07574 by John Swinney on 8 March 2017, whether its policy regarding the expansion of cadet forces in schools remains the same.
Answer
There has been no change in policy. The Scottish Government continues to support a distinct Scottish approach to developing cadet forces, with the syllabus integrated into Curriculum for Excellence, rather than following the UK Government model with the school ‘hosting’ a Cadet Unit which does not contribute to the curriculum.
- 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 16 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on integrating peace education into the curriculum for excellence.
Answer
One of the benefits of curriculum for excellence is the flexibility which enables practitioners to tailor their curriculum to the needs of the learners in their own local circumstances. For example, there are opportunities to teach about peace education within: learning for sustainability, global citizenship and the Social Studies curriculum guidelines.
- 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 16 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it differentiates between school cadet unit/forces and linked detachment unit/forces.
Answer
The Army Cadet Force has developed a distinct Scottish approach where community-based Cadet Linked Detachments are working in partnership with a number of state schools to deliver elective learning opportunities which support Curriculum for Excellence. This differs from the UK Government model where the Cadet Unit is hosted within the school itself. All contributions negotiated by state schools with community-based Linked Detachments are elective activities. No young people have to participate if they do not wish to do so.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 10 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the research published in the Oxford Review of Education by Jerrim et al, PISA 2015: how big is the ‘mode effect’ and what has been done about it?, which suggests that computer-based assessments have a negative impact on pupil performance when compared with paper-based assessments, whether it plans to review its decision to switch to computer-based assessments for the Scottish Standardised National Assessments.
Answer
As noted in the answer to S5W-16171 on 10 May 2018 the research published in the Oxford Review of Education by Jerrim et al, PISA 2015: how big is the ‘mode effect’ and what has been done about it? refers specifically to a PISA assessment that was available in both paper and computer-based formats. The learners involved did not have the same experience.
The Scottish Government believes computer-based assessment is the best mode for this type of activity. Computer-based assessments are adaptive getting more or less challenging dependent on how a learner responds. This tailors the questions to the needs and progress of each individual learner in ‘real time’. Computer-based assessment provides a breadth of diagnostic information in a number of formats and does not require teacher time to mark the answers.
The Scottish National Standardised Assessments are a level playing field: all learners are presented with computer-based assessments, therefore there is a clear and fair baseline unlike assessments that have been made available in both paper and computer-based formats.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 10 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the research published in the Oxford Review of Education by Jerrim et al, PISA 2015: how big is the ‘mode effect’ and what has been done about it?, which suggests that computer-based assessments have a negative impact on pupil performance when compared with paper-based assessments.
Answer
The research published in the Oxford Review of Education by Jerrim et al, PISA 2015: how big is the ‘mode effect’ and what has been done about it? refers specifically to a PISA assessment that was available in both paper and computer-based formats. The learners involved did not have the same experience.
Research shows that there are advantages and disadvantages to both modes of assessment. The computer-based assessment is adaptive, getting more or less challenging dependent on how a learner responds. This tailors the questions to the needs and progress of each individual learner in ‘real time’. Computer-based assessment provides a breadth of diagnostic information in a number of formats and does not require teacher time to mark the answers. These are key factors in the Scottish National Standardised Assessments.
The Scottish National Standardised Assessments are a level playing field: all learners are presented with computer-based assessments, therefore there is a clear and fair baseline. The Assessments are not high stakes and there is no pass or fail. The key measure of achieving a Curriculum for Excellence level is teacher professional judgement. The Scottish National Standardised Assessments are one part of a range of evidence available to teachers when making this judgement.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason students studying dentistry or medicine as a second degree are only eligible for Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) support in their final year of study, while those studying for second degrees in other courses can receive up to two years additional support.
Answer
Under the current arrangements, students can apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for full funding for one full undergraduate degree. Students who undertake a second degree are eligible for living-cost loans and, where applicable, additional living costs grants (e.g. Disabled Students, Lone Parent Grant); they are generally not eligible for bursary or tuition fee support.
However, under a Scottish Government concession, in addition to the above, second degree medicine and dentistry students are also eligible for tuition fee and bursary support, from their fifth year of study onwards.
From academic year 2018-2019 eligible students can apply to the new Scottish Graduate Entry Medical Programme (ScotGEM). This will be available to eligible students who already hold a degree and want to move into medicine as a career. The Scottish Government will pay the tuition fees for Scottish domiciled and EU students who are accepted onto the ScotGEM programme.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 2 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14270 by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2018, in light of the minister's comment that "our enterprise agencies do not systematically track or report on all the potential markets companies might export to", what action it takes to ensure that its (a) commitment under the Scotland International Framework and (b) obligations under the UN Sustainable Development Goals are not comprised by its enterprise agencies providing support for companies that export arms.
Answer
We are fully committed to our International Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies do not provide funding for the manufacture of munitions. Rather, our agencies’ support is focused on helping firms to diversify and to develop non-military applications for their technology.
While matters of defence are reserved to the UK Government, we believe it is of paramount importance to ensure appropriate defence and security capabilities are maintained. With regards to how those capabilities are deployed, it is our firm position that the use of military force should only be sanctioned by Governments where it is lawful to do so and is in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.
We have been very clear in our expectation that the UK Government, given it's responsibilities, should properly police the export of arms and investigate whenever concerns are raised.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to mitigate the cost of the immigration health surcharge for workers in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-16054 on 1 May 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
