Beatrice Wishart

26 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring of early learning and childcare class sizes it currently conducts, and whether this information will be published.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not monitor class size in early learning and childcare (ELC) settings. However, we do monitor the proportion of ELC settings achieving ‘good’ or better Care Inspectorate evaluations on all four inspection themes (which include th…

26 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reverse the reported decrease in the number of qualified teachers working in nurseries to help ensure a quality service.

Answer · Maree Todd: We know that the most effective mechanism to deliver high quality Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) experiences is by utilising the combined strengths, skills and dedication of a range of ELC professionals and staff. The most recent ELC Census statistics pu…

26 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many families will no longer receive the Scottish Child Payment once their child turns six.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is serious about tackling child poverty. That is why we are introducing our “game-changing” new Scottish Child Payment two years ahead of the timetable outlined in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for children under 6 years old…

26 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many students are currently enrolled on (a) early learning and childcare modern apprenticeships and (b) children and young people foundation apprenticeships, and how this compares with its projections.

Answer · Maree Todd: Modern Apprenticeships The following table shows the number of enrolments in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) modern and foundation apprenticeships to date, across 2019-20. “Starts” represent the total number of those who began their apprenticeship during …

26 Feb 2020 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that transport services meet the needs of island communities.

19 Feb 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to develop the tourism industry in Shetland.

14 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £70.5 million funding for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) set out in its 2020-21 draft Budget, and what the reasons are for the increase from the £45.9 million allocated in 2019-20.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government subsidises HIAL as none of the airports in the group generate sufficient commercial revenue to cover operating, maintenance and development costs. The £70.5 million funding for HIAL for 2020-21 is broken down as £24.2 million for reven…

29 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) early learning and (b) childcare centres there were in 2019, and for what reason this information was not provided in its December 2019 paper, Summary statistics for schools in Scotland.

Answer · Maree Todd: Table 2.1 of the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No. 10, 2019 shows the number of settings who are delivering Early Learning and Childcare. Early Learning and Childcare is a service as defined in section 46 of the Children and Young People (Scot…

29 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in extending the current Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, and how long the extension will be.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-27316 on 6 February 2020. 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…

24 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for island musicians to attend events on the mainland and for musicians to visit the islands.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of musicians being able to travel to and from the mainland to undertake their work. The importance of music on the islands was recently set out in the first ever National Islands Plan in December 2019, the imp…

13 Jan 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of primary schools exceeding their capacity has increased by a third since 2009.

10 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25733 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 October 2019, whether it will provide an update regarding by what date section 14 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 will come into force.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Guidance and templates relating to Section 14 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, which refer to retrospective Island Communities Impact Assessments (ICIAs), are being developed. We have analysed the responses received during the extensive consultation proce…

7 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of premises in the R100 North Lot will be reached through aligned interventions.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: On 21 November 2019, I confirmed that BT plc had been selected as the preferred bidder for the north lot of the R100 procurement. However, you are likely aware that this decision has subsequently been challenged by Gigaclear Limited, putting contract signatur…

23 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the final National Islands Plan will be published.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As set out in Programme for Government, the National Islands Plan was published on 27 December 2019.  

16 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to the Education and Skills Committee, which was referred to at the meeting of the Public Petitions Committee on 19 September 2019 (Official Report, c.10), whether officials have reviewed the guidance on home educ…

Answer · John Swinney: My officials are continuing to review the current Home Education guidance. Officials met and corresponded with local authorities and representatives of home education organisations during 2019. Their views are currently being considered and an updated version…

18 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the details about which organisation has submitted the most competitive bid not being publicly available, for what reason a spokesperson for David MacBrayne Ltd was able to comment in The Herald on 12 October 2019 that CalMac had "won the tender for the Northern Isles ferry …

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The purpose of the tender is to attract the Most Economically Advantageous Tender, based on an evaluation criteria of 65% price and 35% quality. This was explained in the Invitation to Tender, issued to bidders on 17 January 2019. The instructions to particip…

11 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Shetland sites included in the 4G infill programme.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) Programme is working to deliver three sites in the Shetland Isles: Reawick, Foula and Bruray. A fundamental requirement for progressing any S4GI site to build is gaining commitment from at least one mobile network operator to use…

11 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on the business case submitted by Shetland Islands Council for funding to replace the ferry, Good Shepherd IV, and associated infrastructure upgrades, which connects Fair Isle to mainland Shetland.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Shetland Islands Council (SIC) is wholly responsible for the inter-island ferry services which it provides. Consequently, SIC currently remains wholly responsible for its vessels and infrastructure, and for planning for their replacement. However, the Scotti…

1 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14527 by Fergus Ewing on 28 February 2018, whether it will provide an update on what meetings it has had with stakeholders regarding the seafood import provision of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since February 2018, the Scottish Government has been in frequent dialogue with stakeholders about the import provisions of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, in order to ensure that Scotland can continue to export quality Scottish seafood to the US. Detai…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24897 by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019, for what reason it will not provide the (a) figures and (b) narrative provided by individual local authorities.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government publishes proactively Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Reports at a national level. These reports are based on information provided in confidence by local authorities to the Improvement Service, to enable report…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24895 by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019, on what date it first requested administrative data about potentially eligible households from the UK Government, and whether it will place a copy of the requests sent and responses received to date in the S…

Answer · Maree Todd: DWP provide aggregate data to SG to estimate eligible 2s when new data becomes available. This is part of our ongoing relationship. Use of aggregate, administrative data for analytic purposes does not require creation of a new gateway. We are in regular conta…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement in the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report of September 2019, whether it will provide further details of the “ongoing development of staffing models and team restructuring to increase staffing efficiency and reduce the overall additi…

Answer · Maree Todd: Local authorities’ latest forecasts, as set out in the September ELC Expansion Delivery Progress Report, show that at a national level there has been a reduction in the overall forecast additional staffing requirement of around 9 percent. Local authorities’ …

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent it met the national enrolment targets for Early Learning and Childcare courses in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government Letter of Guidance to the Scottish Funding Council for academic year 2017-18 sought an additional 650 places on Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) related HNC courses. The number of people completing ELC related HNC courses in the 2017…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of early learning and childcare providers are expected to increase their size of service in order to meet the target of 1,140 of funded hours from August 2020.

Answer · Maree Todd: Based on the latest published data, Local Authorities forecast that 26% of funded ELC places will be provided in private sector, third sector or childminding settings in April 2021, with the remaining 74% provided in local authority settings. This will mean a…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23962 by Maree Todd on 18 July 2019, for what reason it stated that the "next ELC delivery progress update will be published this summer", in light of the answer to question S5W-24896 by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019, which states that the "Scotti…

Answer · Maree Todd: The process to prepare these reports for publication requires significant work by the Improvement Service and local authority partners from the point of collection to the release of the final publication. It is important that ample opportunity is given to all…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23963 by Maree Todd on 18 July 2019, what discussions it had with the UK Government regarding securing a legal data sharing gateway prior to the Digital Economy Act 2017; whether the legal gateway for data sharing that English authorities have had s…

Answer · Maree Todd: The statutory duty for Scottish local authorities to make funded early learning and childcare available for all eligible 2 year olds in their area came in to force with the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. The profile of children eligible for th…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report of June 2019 not appearing on its website and not being made available until it was referred to in the answer to question S5W-24298 by Maree Todd on 7 August 2019, for what reason the Progress Report dated S…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of transparency and proactively publishes delivery progress reports when quality assurance processes are complete. The process to prepare these publications requires significant work by the Improvement Servic…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) a copy of the spreadsheets completed by local authorities referred to in the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report of September 2019.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report published in October 2019, which uses data collected by the Improvement Service from local authorities in August 2019, providing a snapshot of progress “at one year to go” The Scottish Gover…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the updated forecast profile for additional local authority staff in the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report of September 2019, how many of the total 8,458.5 FTE staff members are (a) in place, (b) in training and (c) unidentified.

Answer · Maree Todd: Local authorities are responsible for recruiting additional staff to meet the local requirements of expanded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). In fulfilling that responsibility, local authorities have provided forecasts of the anticipated additional staff n…

9 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an analysis of recruitment demands on (a) private and (b) third sector early learning and childcare providers regarding the expected “increased proportion of provision being taken in private and third sector settings” referred to in the Early Learning and Childca…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment considered the impacts of the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) expansion on private and third sector providers. In the current market, the majority of private and third sector providers’ in…