Tavish Scott

26 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21226 by Fergus Ewing on 15 February 2019, what the total eligible hectarage claimed under agricultural and environmental support schemes in Shetland was in 2014.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Total Hectarage claimed in Shetland in 2014 by scheme: Scheme Hectarage Claimed (Ha)   Single Farm Payment (Predecessor to BPS) 86,884   LFASS 104,604,19   RP 17,918.86   LMO 525 Please Note:BPS scheme only came into existence in 2015AECS s…

26 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21121 by Fergus Ewing on 8 February 2019, how many units in Shetland received payment in 2014 from (a) the Basic Payment Scheme, (b) the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme, (c) greening measures and (d) other agri-environmental schemes, also broken d…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: 2014 payments to businesses in Shetland by scheme and amount: Scheme   Amount of Businesses   Amount Paid Single Farm Payment (Predecessor to BPS)   898 £3,500,000 LFASS       800 £2,538,718.44 RP       149 £1,183,217.60 LMO       144 £218,830 Please no…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Save the Children's briefing, Thriving at two and beyond, what steps it is taking to improve (a) the uptake of funded early learning and childcare for, (b) awareness and understanding of the funded childcare offer for families with, and (c) the quality of funded early learni…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government welcomes the focus on 2 year olds from Save the Children and their briefing "Thriving at two and beyond" which rightly draws out the key themes of our own ongoing work with local authorities and stakeholders to increase uptake, awarene…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent Child Health 27-30 Month Review Statistics, what steps it is taking to close the child development gap between young children in poverty and their peers who are not in poverty.

Answer · Maree Todd: Investment in Early Learning and Childcare Nurseries, the increase in Health Visitor numbers and the implementation of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway are among the steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure children and families get access to th…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that early learning and childcare provision is promoted through a diverse range of sources, and whether it is exploring cross-promotion with other entitlements.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is working together with local authorities and wider stakeholders to ensure that early learning and childcare (ELC) is promoted in a range of ways. This includes:The development of an ELC hub on www.parentclub.scot/elc as a trusted p…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Children and Early Years on 1 May 2018 (Official Report, c. 13), how it will meet the aim of a near doubling of the uptake of funded early learning and childcare for eligible two-year-olds, and by what date this will be achieved.

Answer · Maree Todd: My statement of 1 May 2018 confirmed that the Scottish Government and local government had reached a landmark multi-year funding package to enable the near doubling of the statutory entitlement to funded ELC from 600 to 1140 hours each for all 3 and 4 year ol…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made with the UK Government on data sharing to help identify two-year-olds who are eligible for funded early learning and childcare, and whether difficulties on this issue relate to data protection laws preventing the DWP providing a list of just those parents who de…

Answer · Maree Todd: Unlike local authorities in England, local authorities in Scotland do not have access to, or receive, information from the Department for Work and Pensions which would identify families who are potentially eligible for funded early learning and childcare for …

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Children and Early Years on 1 May 2018 (Official Report, c. 13), what data it will use to evidence the near doubling of the uptake of funded early learning and childcare for eligible two-year-olds; what its response is to reported concerns re…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government collects data on the number of two year olds registered for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) through the annual ELC census and publishes this each December. These statistics have been designated as National Statistics by the U…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities in Scotland (a) are entitled to access and (b) receive the lists that are produced by the DWP for local authorities in England, seven times per year, of parents who are potentially eligible for funded early learning and childcare for two-year-olds.

Answer · Maree Todd: Unlike local authorities in England, local authorities in Scotland do not have access to, or receive, information from the Department for Work and Pensions which would identify families who are potentially eligible for funded early learning and childcare for …

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that alternative models of early learning and childcare provision are promoted to eligible families.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is increasing the funded early learning and childcare entitlement and is introducing Funding Follows the Child to increase flexibility and choice for families. From August 2020, parents and carers- including those of eligible 2 year o…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects uptake of funded early learning and childcare for eligible two-year-olds to exceed 70%, which is the figure in England.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government and local authorities are focussed on our shared commitment to increasing uptake of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) among eligible 2 year olds, whilst also nearly doubling the offer from August 2020, from 600 hours to 1140 ho…

20 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to meet its commitment for 435 additional graduates to be working in nurseries in the most deprived areas, which had an initial timescale of August 2018, and how many are currently in post.

Answer · Maree Todd: Local authorities reported in March 2019 (the latest official data collection) that they have recruited 84% (366) of the 435 equity and excellence leads posts (previously known as the additional graduates). However, we are aware that since this time the major…

18 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what lane meterage gain there has there been on NorthLink services since the termination of the Streamline shipping service.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Serco NorthLink Ferries is a commercial ferry operator. As such, any information in relation to the amount of lane meterage gained since the termination of the Streamline shipping service is commercially sensitive. Serco NorthLink Ferries do however publish …

18 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue Transport Scotland has received from NorthLink Ferries in each year since 2016-17, and how much it forecasts for 2019-20.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As Serco NorthLink Ferries is a commercial ferry operator, specific information in relation to actual revenue received and anticipated forecasts are commercially sensitive.

18 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what savings it forecasts for 2019-20 following the purchase of (a) three passenger and (b) two freight ships for the Northern Isles.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government invested capital budget in financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19 to secure the three passenger/vehicle and two freight vessels that serve the Northern Isles routes. This investment not only delivered recurring resource savings for the Sc…

11 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) Historic Environment Scotland, (b) Orkney Islands Council and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise contributed toward the upgrade of the car parking facilities at the Stone of Stenness in Orkney.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The upgrading of car parking facilities at the Stones of Stenness was one of three pilot projects supported by the Scottish Government's Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund. The Scottish Government has provided £80,000 towards the total cost of the work which i…

5 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the participants on the P1 Practitioner’s Forum were (a) from organisations that are allied to schools, (b) school management staff, (c) P1 teachers in (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-19 and (d) academics.

Answer · John Swinney: The number of participants in the Forum varied from meeting to meeting, depending on members’ availability. In total around 30-35 people were involved over the four meetings of the Forum. Details on the make-up of the P1 Practitioner Forum were provided in re…

5 Jun 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in developing coach park facilities for the Jarlshof site in Shetland.

4 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on 26 June 2018 that “if sufficient progress is not made over the next 12 months to deliver the empowerment of schools we have agreed with local authorities, I will return to Parliament and introduce an Education B…

Answer · John Swinney: I will make a statement to the Scottish Parliament later this month, setting out the progress that has been made and outlining the Scottish Government's next steps for ensuring the delivery of Scotland's education reforms.

28 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for its public sector pay policy of the agreement reached with the teaching profession.

16 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct Education Scotland to carry out an assessment of the impact on pupils of (a) consortia arrangements between schools and (b) multilevel classes in schools.

Answer · John Swinney: These issues were the subject of discussion when I gave evidence at the Education and Skills Committee on 29 May. The Scottish Government will consider this issue once it receives the Committee report.

16 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to increase the (a) number of modern language teachers in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools and (b) uptake of modern languages at senior level.

Answer · John Swinney: Since 2013, we have supported key aspects of language learning by providing an additional £30.2million to local authorities and £9.67million to Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools for the impleme…

8 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23019 by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 May 2019, whether it will make an announcement regarding the successful tender bidder before the summer recess.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Northern Isles Ferry Services tender evaluation will not be concluded before the summer recess begins. The current timeline anticipates that the new contract will not be awarded before the end of July 2019, with a formal announcement being made in August.

30 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it balances the stewardship of important archaeological sites in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and the importance of access to those sites for visitors at sites such as Jarlshof in Shetland, and therefore, for what reason it has not yet responded to the Member's letter of…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Policy for properties in care is predicated on delivering Scottish Ministers’ priorities for the historic environment in Scotland. These priorities include contribution to Scotland’s intellectual, economic and social wellbeing, both now and in the future and …

29 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were members of the P1 Practitioner Forum, also broken down by how many were P1 teachers in (a) 2017-18 only, (b) 2018-19 only and (c) both 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Answer · John Swinney: The invitation to join the Forum was sent to more than 30 staff from schools, local authorities, Professional Associations, Education Scotland and the Universities. The Forum requested that individuals had experience of doing, managing or advising on the P1 a…

29 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the questionnaire that was used to compile the information in the paper, P1 Practitioner Forum: Group Profile, and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) details of the questionnaire returns, broken down by how many were comple…

Answer · John Swinney: A questionnaire was not undertaken. Individual profile sheets were completed by Forum members and this information was analysed and summarised anonymously into the P1 Practitioner Forum: Group Profile. The individuals who completed these profile sheets did so…

26 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in exploring options for the provision of free bedside entertainment for hospital patients.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to assess and adopt a patient-centred approach on the expiration of the contracts, with consideration given to both value for money and, importantly, the patient experience. We are currently working with NHS Dir…

22 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22404 by Derek Mackay on 18 April 2019, for what reason it will not place the documents in SPICe, and what its position is on whether this decision is consistent with (a) its commitment in the Ministerial Code to act and take "decisions in an open a…

Answer · Derek Mackay: Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are required to operate within the terms of the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) which sets out specific arrangements for financial control, internal and external and internal audit arrangements and effective risk m…

15 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29691 by Angela Constance on 2 March 2016, whether it will provide the figures for each year since 2015-16.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table provides information on average gross revenue expenditure in Scotland per pre-school registration, primary pupil and secondary pupil along with information on teaching allocations per college and university place (Average Teaching Grant Fu…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the goose policy review that it received from SNH in March 2018.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will publish its response to the goose policy review in due course.