Parliamentary questions
Iain Gray
713 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget line it uses to fund the provision of free nursery provision.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Funding for free nursery provision is included as part of the block grant within the overall local government finance settlement provided to local government by the Scottish Government.
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what mechanism it uses to measure how many (a) two, (b) three and (c) four-year-olds are being giving access to free nursery provision and to ensure that as many as possible can access this.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government measures the number of two, three and four year olds accessing funded early learning and childcare through its annual census. The number of registrations provide an indicator of uptake by age. The census takes place at a named week in …
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on delivering free nursery provision for (a) two, (b) three and (c) four-year-olds.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The vast majority of the Scottish Government’s revenue funding is provided by means of a block grant, with decisions on how much is allocated to individual services made entirely by the local authority on the basis of local need, having first fulfilled its st…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had with and (b) support it has provided to (i) CodeClan and (ii) other coding or digital-skills academies regarding (A) increasing the number of skilled computer coders and (B) improving digital skills.
Answer · John Swinney: CodeClan, Scotland's first digital skills academy, is a social enterprise with a remit to operate commercially. Its design and curriculum have been agreed by industry representatives, and are aimed at meeting the immediate need for software developers in busi…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to increase the number of computer coders in order to address the reported digital skills shortage.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has made £6.6 million available to address digital skills shortages. We are working with key partners from Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, Education Scotland, academia and industry to tackle the issues set ou…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that school meals are of a high quality and have a balanced content, and what its position is on reports that, to reduce costs, some schools are considering reducing the amount of meat in meals.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: All food and drink provided in education authority schools must meet the standards set out in relevant regulations. The standards are based on scientific evidence and designed to ensure that pupils are provided with a variety of balanced and nutritious food a…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many primary schools in each local authority area have introduced the Daily Mile initiative; how many schools have responded (a) positively and (b) negatively to its letter asking them to consider the scheme, and what further action it is taking to (i) encourage the introduction and …
Answer · Alasdair Allan: In January 2016 Education Scotland gathered information on the number of primary schools in each local authority area participating in the Daily Mile. The following table summarises the responses received although it should be noted that not all local authori…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the suggestion in the report by the Students' Association of the University of the West of Scotland, Establishing a Stronger Summer Safety Net: Promoting how we can raise retention in post 16 education, that there are high drop-out rates of further…
Answer · Angela Constance: The Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages had a constructive meeting with the University of the West of Scotland Student President, Jack Douglas, on Thursday 17 March 2016, at which this report was discussed. The higher education student lo…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support post-16 student retention in (a) further and (b) higher education.
Answer · Angela Constance: Improving retention is a priority for colleges and universities, and is one of the key performance indicators evaluated by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) as part of the outcome agreement process. The SFC also continues to invest strategic funds to support…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to introduce the teaching of computer coding skills in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Curriculum for Excellence provides opportunities for all young people, at all ages and stages, in both primary and secondary schools, to develop their understanding and skills in computing science, including coding. Education Scotland are working to improv…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to introducing new modern apprenticeship categories.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: As part of the Youth Employment Strategy: Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government is working with Skills Development Scotland, employers and wider partners to widen vocational pathways available to young people including the introduction of fo…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is a gender balance in modern apprenticeships.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Addressing under-representation in our Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme is a key priority for the Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to address, in partnership with industry and delivery partners. In response to recommendations fro…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date local authorities can expect to receive the money to allocate Attainment Scotland Fund support to schools in 2016-17.
Answer · Angela Constance: Funding from the Attainment Scotland Fund will continue to be provided to local authorities by means of specific grants in 2016-17. Grant funding is usually paid quarterly on receipt appropriate grant claims. Therefore authorities will be able to draw down 20…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it considers Attainment Scotland Fund support should be spent, and whether it has published guidance to local authorities regarding this.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Attainment Scotland Fund supports 57 schools and seven challenge authorities to focus and accelerate targeted improvements in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Advice was issued to the seven challenge authorities when the fund was launched in F…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which schools are awaiting Attainment Scotland Fund support for 2015-16, also broken down by the (a) amount due and (b) expected payment date.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-30648 on 22 March 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…
10 Mar 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which schools have received Attainment Scotland Fund support for 2015-16, also broken down by the (a) amount received and (b) date it was paid.
Answer · Angela Constance: Attainment Scotland Funding for schools from the seven challenge authorities is provided via a grant offer to their local authority. The amount schools in a challenge authority receives is a matter for the authority, as is the date they receive it. Support…
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in each local authority have accessed a fully-funded professional learning opportunity at a development education centre to meet the learners’ entitlement to learning for sustainability.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The number of schools which have benefitted from professional learning opportunities through the Development Education Centres will be reported to the Scottish Government in spring 2016.
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many visits the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, (b) Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages, (c) Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, (d) Minister for Europe and International Development and (e) First Minister has mad…
Answer · Angela Constance: Information on ministerial meetings is routinely published on the Scottish Government website, and can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/Events-Engagements/MinisterialEngagements/MinisterialEngagements
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and (b) Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages has had with the Ideas Network in each of the last five years.
Answer · Angela Constance: Information on ministerial meetings is routinely published on the Scottish Government website, and can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/Events-Engagements/MinisterialEngagements/MinisterialEngagements
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for career-long professional learning/continuing professional development for teachers in each year since 2011.
Answer · Angela Constance: Since 2008-09 funds previously given for specific areas such as career-long professional learning/continuing professional development under the National Priorities Action Fund have been subsumed within the general revenue grant element of the annual local gov…
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers received global citizenship/international education training in each local authority in 2015-16, and what the teacher/pupil ratio of that local authority is.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Between April 2014 and February 2015, the Development Education Centres have worked with approximately 5000 teachers across all sectors of education to provide training on topics including global citizenship, food, rights and political literacy. They are one …
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of and what it has learned from the report by Northern Star Associates, Interim Evaluation: Core funding of DECs.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is currently considering the Northern Star Associates Interim Evaluation: Core Funding of Development Education Centres (DECs) report, in discussion with DECs, including implications for the work of DECs going forward.
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) funding it is providing and (b) plans it has to ensure that Scotland achieves UN sustainable development goal 4.7.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government will implement Scotland’s commitment to achieve UN sustainable development goal 4.7 through its National Performance Framework and internationally through its International Frameworks. Global citizenship education in schools is also a …
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the delivery of the global citizenship element of the entitlement to learning for sustainability is being assessed.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Learning for Sustainability National Implementation Group has considered how best to measure the impact of learning for sustainability and the extent to which this entitlement for learners is being met. Further details will be outlined in the final report…
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that a coherent and sustained approach is taken to embedding global citizenship across schools.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Global citizenship themes are woven into Curriculum for Excellence as a whole and are highly relevant to children developing each of the four capacities. Since 2014, the Scottish Government has provided financial support for the work of the six Scottish Deve…
25 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing to ensure that the global citizenship element of the learning for sustainability entitlement is delivered.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government has provided the Development Education Centres with a total of £600,000 funding since 2014, in addition to £440,000 to the Eco-Schools programme, whose activities are also closely connected with global citizenship education.
22 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many places the Student Awards Agency Scotland has funded on courses elsewhere in the UK that were not available in Scotland and how much this has cost, in each year since 2011.
Answer · Angela Constance: The following table shows the number of Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) funded postgraduate students studying eligible courses elsewhere in the UK. Part of the postgraduate funding criteria is that the equivalent course cannot be offered in Scotland. I…
22 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by how much the budget for Student Awards Agency Scotland-funded courses delivered elsewhere in the UK has been reduced in each year since 2011 and how much this has saved the Scottish Government.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government supports students based on their entitlement and overall demand, but does not have a specific budget line supporting Scottish domiciled students undertaking courses at institutions elsewhere in the UK. However, since 2011, and in line …
22 Feb 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the new East Lothian Community Hospital will be fully operational by 2019 and provide at least all of the services that are currently delivered at Roodlands General Hospital.
15 Feb 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action the Cabinet Secretary for Justice will take to allow survivors of child abuse in care prior to 1964 to seek compensation.