Iain Gray

20 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for encouraging survivors of child abuse to identify themselves to the Child Abuse Inquiry.

Answer · John Swinney: The Inquiry has been set up independent of government. This includes the complete independence to consider how best to engage with survivors of child abuse, in terms either of awareness raising or on-going communication. However, the Scottish Government and i…

19 Dec 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the performance of ScotRail in delivering services on the North Berwick to Edinburgh line.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As the member will be aware, last September I required Abellio ScotRail to implement a Performance Improvement Plan to address unacceptable performance across the rail network. After implementation of this plan, performance improved continually to the extent …

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 506 teachers employed through attainment challenge funding and identified in the 2017 teacher census are employed on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts.

Answer · John Swinney: Statistics on the number of teachers funded through the Attainment Scotland Fund that are on permanent or fixed term contracts are not held by the Scottish Government.

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of probationary-year teachers in 2017-18 have left the profession (i) voluntarily and (ii) following a professional assessment.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of teachers leaving in their probationary year

15 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the 95% superfast broadband connectivity target will be judged, and whether premises connected to an enabled cabinet, but too far from that cabinet to receive superfast connectivity, count as enabled within the 95%.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not have a 95% superfast broadband target. Our commitment is for 100% superfast broadband coverage by the end of 2021, with an interim target of 95% fibre broadband coverage by the end of 2017. Any property connected to a fibre-e…

28 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that Prestonpans railway station is to be moved to Blindwells.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: There are currently no plans to move Prestonpans Station to Blindwells. The option of a railway station at Blindwells has been proposed by the promoter, East Lothian Council. All proposals submitted to Transport Scotland will be considered subject to the Scot…

20 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government plans to take to support students, in light of the call in the report, A New Social Contract for Students, for them to be given a minimum income entitlement of £8,100 per year.

14 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Parent Teacher Council survey of parents, which found that 92% believed that not enough money is being spent on schools.

13 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the housing allocation guidelines.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: On 4 November 2016, the Scottish Government published on its website a final draft of the statutory guidance on the social housing allocations provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014. This can be found at: https://beta.gov.scot/policies/social-housing/ …

8 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for community radio stations, such as East Coast FM in East Lothian.

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated for the Year Of Young People 2018.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has allocated an overall programme budget of £3.475 million, over three financial years, for the 2018 Year of Young People. In addition, policy areas across Government will be funding activity to support the six identified themes of …

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides all secretariat support to the Further and Higher Education Support Review and all the sub groups, or whether staff from Virgin Money are also providing such support.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As set out in the original remit for the review (which can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/studentsupportreview), Scottish Government officials provide secretariat support. This support has extended to both the main Revie…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the finance sub group of the Further and Higher Education Support Review has considered the possible costs of different options of student support.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The primary role of the Finance sub-group has been to assemble relevant financial information on the current student support system in order that the independent chair of the review, Jayne Anne Gadhia, and members of the review group, can consider possible co…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the finance sub group of the Further and Higher Education Support Review has met, and who attended.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Finance sub-group is concerned with assembly of relevant baseline financial information on the current student support, with the Chair reporting directly to the Review group on its work.

26 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, other than the support that it gives to the Student Awards Agency Scotland, what non-repayable student funding schemes its provides funding for, broken down by (a) which body receives this, (b) who administers the support given to students and (c) how much it provided in the most recent…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Providing student support funding for students in Further Education (FE), is a function of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The SFC sets the student support budget from within its overall funding allocation, distributing it to colleges who are then respons…

26 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision to do so in England and Wales, whether it will introduce a five-year relief on non-domestic rates for new fibre cabling.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As reiterated last month in our Programme for Government, we will match the UK Government’s rates relief on certain new fibre investment, subject to confirmation of the associated detail.

18 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of the (a) Product Design, (b) Benefits and Support, (c) Information, Advice and Guidance and Financial Literacy, (d) Effective Administration and (e) Finance sub group to the Further and Higher Education Support Review, and what (i) organisations and (ii) individu…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO of Virgin Money was appointed as Independent Chair of the Review of Student Support in October 2016. Membership of the Review Group is published on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/UniversitiesCol…

11 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take on sentencing and stronger controls on the sale of corrosive chemicals to tackle the use of acid as a weapon.

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what process it will undertake to implement the introduction of chief education officers in every local authority, as legislated for in the Education (Scotland) Bill, and what the timescale is for this. 

Answer · John Swinney: We will consult with stakeholders on draft non-statutory guidance on the role of Chief Education Officer and on the qualifications which an individual carrying out that role will be required to hold. We will do this in parallel with the consultation on the pr…

25 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking or plans to invest in drug education and prevention for young people and school pupils in the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: It is the responsibility of local authorities and schools to determine how they will best resource and deliver substance misuse education to suit the children and young people in their area, in line with the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes.…

21 Jun 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of student support.

16 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many senior staff are facing disciplinary procedures at Education Scotland, and how many have faced procedures in the last two years, also broken down by the number of complaints that were upheld.

Answer · John Swinney: It would not be appropriate to comment on internal staffing matters.

14 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made implementing the recommendations in Target Ovarian Cancer's Pathfinder Scotland report.

Answer · Shona Robison: I welcome the publication of this report. Target Ovarian Cancer are doing excellent work funding research to improve early diagnosis and providing vital advice and support to women with ovarian cancer. My officials will meet with Target Ovarian Cancer to di…

5 Jun 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills last met the EIS.

18 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with VisitScotland regarding the Jacobite Trail.

12 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact is on the rural economy of banking and post office closures in rural villages.

27 Mar 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that only 1-in-18 schools were inspected last year.

8 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding planning for projected population increases in East Lothian.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is for local Health and Social Care Partnerships to plan services that meet the needs of their local population's needs. After assessing and forecasting local needs, each Health and Social Care Partnership produces and publishes a strategic plan which sets…

1 Mar 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Lothian.

Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers and Government officials regularly meet with representatives of NHS Lothian to discuss matters of importance to local people.

22 Feb 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with retail banks regarding branch networks.