Parliamentary questions
Pam Duncan-Glancy
1,119 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason some secondary schools have reportedly opted not to take up the offer of grants for investing in computer science hardware for schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Computing Science Hardware grant was offered to all Local Authorities to submit a bid to Scottish Government for schools in their Local Authority area and claims were received from a total of 304 schools, representing 85% of all secondary schools in Scotl…
19 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a plan to progress the reform recommendations set out in the report, Lessons Learned – resetting national collective bargaining in the colleges sector, in light of it being two years, on 25 March 2024, since the finalised report was published.
Answer · Graeme Dey: While the Scottish Government commissioned the Lessons Learned Report, the recommendations are for those involved in the National Bargaining arrangement to take forward. The Scottish Government has no powers to impose an implementation plan on stakeholders. …
12 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what role initial decision makers in disputes processes in colleges should have in appeals.
Answer · Graeme Dey: Operational decisions, including those such as dispute resolution, are a matters for individual colleges. The Scottish Government has no role to play in these processes.
8 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm the final college sector budget allocation in its entirety for the academic year 2024-25.
Answer · Graeme Dey: As with previous years, the Scottish Funding Council expects to publish this year’s indicative college funding allocations in early spring with final funding allocations expected in late Spring for the academic year 2024-25.
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many (a) students have received and (b) music tutors have provided free music tuition, in each year since 2021.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The most recent Instrumental Music Survey published by the Improvement Service in December 2023 holds this information. Page 9 provides figures on students receiving free instrumental music tuition and Page 18 provides the number of music tutors. For ease o…
1 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25155 by Jenny Gilruth on 1 March 2024, whether any secondary schools were unsuccessful in their applications for grants from the investment in computing science hardware for schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government can confirm that no secondary schools were unsuccessful in their applications for grants from the investment in computing science hardware. However, some schools opted not to take up the offer.
1 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25155 by Jenny Gilruth on 1 March 2024, what monitoring and evaluation it has carried out of the funding provided as part of the investment in grants for computing science hardware for schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Scottish Government monitored the delivery and spend of the grants for computing science hardware for schools. An evaluation of this work as well as wider computing science policy is underway and further updates will be publicised in due course.
1 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to holding an engagement event with children and young people on violence and behaviour in schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government held a meeting with children and young people’s organisations on 19 February to discuss safe and meaningful ways to gather the views of children and young people on relationships and behaviour in schools. Plans are currently being deve…
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24959 by Maree Todd on 28 February 2024, in what areas access to the Active Schools programme still has charges, and what the reasons are for any such charges remaining.
Answer · Maree Todd: As set out in the Programme for Government, Scottish Government are working with sportscotland and local authorities to phase out charging for Active Schools. As the Active Schools programme is delivered locally by local authorities and leisure trusts, this i…
28 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the support available for people with Down's syndrome to study music at college.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all students, including those with a disability, long-term medical condition, or additional support needs, are supported as they study in further and higher education. This is through support provided to e…
26 Feb 2024 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that the number of people living in temporary accommodation in Glasgow has increased by 25%.
23 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects that its digital strategy for education will be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The commitment to develop a new digital strategy for education was made in the 2023 Programme for Government and is expected to complete by Autumn 2024.
23 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24966 by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2024, whether it has undertaken any work to establish whether any local authorities used the £145 million allocated for the protection of teacher numbers for any other purposes.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As indicated in the answer to S6W- 24966, we asked the local authorities that did not maintain teacher numbers in the 2023 teacher census to provide an explanation for these reductions and any mitigating circumstances they wished to put forward.
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government with which stakeholders it plans to engage as part of its process of updating guidance on home schooling.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Scottish Government officials have engaged with the key stakeholder groups in the home education community, as well as local authorities, throughout the process of updating the home education guidance. Part of this engagement involved a consultation exercise …
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are on the Co-Production Group for the Centre of Teaching Excellence, and how many of these are serving teachers.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: There are currently 25 members of the Co-Production Group. Six are serving teachers, and two additional secondary teachers have been invited to join the group, which will bring the total to eight. The following stakeholders are represented:Teachers and practi…
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that the Centre of Teaching Excellence will launch in 2024.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The co-production process through which stakeholders are designing the Centre for Teaching Excellence will conclude in the first half of 2024, followed by a process to identify a suitable host institution(s). We expect the Centre for Teaching Excellence to la…
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reviewing the teaching bursary in order to improve the uptake of Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PDGE) courses in eligible subjects.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Teaching bursary advisory group is reconvened at the end of each year’s scheme. The role of the group is to review the implementation of the bursary scheme and provide advice on any necessary changes for the following year’s scheme. The 2023-24 Teaching …
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24951 by Jenny Gilruth on 20 February 2024, whether it has reviewed the independent report, Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education, and, in particular, the section on support for curriculum and assessment, …
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has carefully considered Professor Ken Muir’s report Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education which produced important recommendations for Scottish education. In response to a wide range of reports…
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many home-school link workers there have been in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Data on the full time equivalent home-school link workers from 2017 onwards can be found in the School Support Staff Statistics, here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-statistics/ Prior to 2017, this data can be found in the Teacher C…
14 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to propose a debate in the Parliament on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I shall lead a debate in Parliament on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment on 28 February 2024.
14 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects that the Daydream Believers artificial intelligence handbook for teachers will be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Education Scotland has been working with Daydream Believers on the AIdea Project and the online Artificial Intelligence handbook is due to be published by 31 March 2024.
13 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its expectations of universities regarding any minimum service levels during periods of industrial action, under the UK Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills wrote to Universities Scotland on 9 February to confirm that the Scottish Government will not be responding to any consultations on minimum service levels in education services, or providing assistance with the d…
13 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support access to health and social care services in Glasgow.
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly stopped collecting literacy and numeracy data via the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN) was replaced with the more comprehensive Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) data collection as part of the development of the National Improvement Framework for Scottish education. This w…
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any reasons for the reported decline in applications for teaching bursaries.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Decline in applications for teaching bursaries can be for many reasons, including a fall in the overall number of applications for the PGDE courses in bursary eligible subjects. We are engaging with a range of stakeholders including local authority employers…
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it has engaged with regarding its response to the review of purpose-built student accommodation, and when.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Purpose Built Student Accommodation Review Steering Group, which comprised representation from the Association of Student Residential Accommodation (ASRA), National Union of Students (NUS), Universities Scotland, College and University Business Managers (…
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its response to the review of purpose-built student accommodation.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government received 11 recommendations formulated by the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Review Group. These are listed below and have been fully accepted by Ministers. Work is now underway on taking forward the three recommendations …
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to publish its updated guidance for local authorities on home schooling.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government home education guidance sets out the legal position on home education and provides advice on the roles and responsibilities of local authorities and parents in relation to children who are home educated. This guidance is currently in …
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the costs associated with colleges transitioning to net zero.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) engage regularly with colleges, which, are key anchors for the transition to Net Zero, acting as both community enablers and demonstration hubs in cities and regions. SFC’s College Infrastructur…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement mechanism has replaced the (a) Family Support Commissioning and Procurement Short Life Working Group and (b) Parental Involvement Act Statutory Guidance Working Group.
Answer · Natalie Don: The Family Support Commissioning and Procurement Short Life Working Group was a subset of the Family Support Advisory Group, set up to provide recommendations on the key theme of holistic family support. Following task completion, engagement on this issue has…