Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-31011

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in 2023,16% of primary school teachers nationally moved directly from their probation period to a permanent contract compared with 57% in 2017.

The Teacher Induction Scheme guarantees every eligible student a one-year probationary placement, it does not provide a guarantee of future employment with a particular local authority. Teaching posts should be advertised and filled in a fair and transparent manner.

While the recruitment and deployment of teachers is the responsibility of local authorities, the Scottish Government is doing everything it can to help maximise the number of teaching jobs available. As part of this, we are providing £145.5m to local authorities to protect teacher numbers.

While we cannot direct teachers where to work, it is important to note that teacher vacancies arise across Scotland throughout the year.

Question reference: S6W-31012

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that some primary school teachers who do not succeed in moving directly from their probation period to a permanent contract are having to work zero-hour contracts or find low-income employment, and what support it can provide to them until they find a permanent teaching position.

The member may wish to be aware that teachers are not employed on zero hour contracts as supply lists are registers and not contractual. The employment contract only begins once a teacher has taken up the supply work that is offered.

Whilst the recruitment and deployment of teachers are matters for local authorities, the Scottish Government is doing everything it can to help maximise the number of teaching jobs available.

As part of this, we are providing £145.5m to local authorities to protect teacher numbers.

Despite substantial investment, and the progress we have made in recruiting thousands of additional teachers since 2018, we recognise that more work is needed to ensure that our teachers have access to long term, sustainable, employment opportunities, regardless of which stage of their career they are at, and we will continue to work with COSLA to ensure this can happen.

Question reference: S6O-03975

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest Scottish Economic Bulletin.

Question reference: S6W-31013

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities to increase the number of primary school teachers moving directly from their probation period to a permanent contract.

The Teacher Induction Scheme guarantees every eligible student a one-year probationary placement, however it does not provide a guarantee of future employment with a particular local authority.

While local authorities are the direct employers of teachers, the Scottish Government continues to make available £145.5m to local authorities to protect teaching jobs.

In addition, I have also asked the Strategic Board for Teacher Education, which is made up of a range of key education stakeholders, to consider issues around the recruitment and retention of teachers in Scotland. This includes geographical issues as well as how we can increase diversity within the profession, and improve support for early career teachers.

Despite substantial investment, and the progress we have made in recruiting thousands of additional teachers since 2018, we recognise that more work is needed to ensure that our teachers have access to long term, sustainable, employment opportunities, regardless of which stage of their career they are at, and we will continue to work with COSLA to ensure this can happen.

Question reference: S6W-31009

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent figure is for what percentage of primary school teachers (a) nationally and (b) in the Mid Scotland and Fife region moved directly from their probation period to a permanent contract.

Statistics on the percentage of primary school teachers moved directly from their Teacher Induction Scheme probation period to a permanent teaching contract are shown in the post-probationer teacher employment dashboard, available from the Scottish Government website here:

Post-probationer teacher employment dashboard - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The statistics are not available by parliamentary constituency as the Scottish Government does not hold information on the address of teachers. The statistics are available split by local authority as the employers of teachers.

Question reference: S6W-30948

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards implement full patient care pathways for the early detection and management of liver disease.

Scottish Government through its national Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) has formed a Specialty Delivery Group for Liver Disease with the first meeting on 6th November 2024. Early Detection is one of the pathways being prioritised.

The Early Detection Pathway has already been passed through the first Gateway in the CfSD delivery pathway. The challenges are around how individual boards can implement this before the National Laboratory Information Management System.

There has been progress in developing the Early Detection pathways in individual boards using the technology as currently available while others are using the their Referral Advice to Primary Care with increased use of the FIB-4 and Fibroscan with advice for Lifestyle changes and repeat investigation as required.

Question reference: S6O-03813

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to address reported concerns regarding the future of arts funding in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03792

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that diagnostic pathways in Scotland are appropriate for those affected by brain tumours.

Question reference: S6O-03702

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of almost 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation and 110,000 households on the waiting list for affordable social housing, what progress it has made towards providing those affected with safe and affordable accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-28991

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28656 by Ivan McKee on 6 August 2024, in light of reported concerns that paths, play parks and community halls may not be eligible for funding through the alternative funding stream that it refers to, in contrast to the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, which does provide funding for such amenities, what funding plans it has for organisations such as Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust, which constructs and maintains footpaths, cycle paths and trails.

Active travel infrastructure such as footpaths and cycle paths could be funded through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 1 which has been provided directly to each local authority through their General Capital Grant.

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust should engage with Perth and Kinross Council who received £738,757 ATIF Tier 1 funding for 2024-25, in order to discuss their proposals, establish alignment with the local authority’s Active Travel Strategy and whether the Council will decide to fund them.

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