Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-03847 by John Swinney on 31 October 2016, whether it keeps data on head teacher vacancies and if so, for what reason it has no plans to publish this.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not collect formal statistics on teacher vacancies. However, to strengthen the annual teacher workforce planning exercise with local intelligence, local authorities were asked to provide teacher vacancy numbers as at 21 September …
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has put in place for the review of the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme that is due to take place in 2017.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Government expects to review the Water and Sewerage Exemption Scheme for Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs in mid-2017. The review will involve representatives from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Office of the Scottish…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe on 27 September 2016 (Official Report, c. 62), that he did not recognise figures from the Treasury suggesting that there is a £1,600 "bonus" per-person in Scotland as a result of living in the UK, …
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government published analysis on 23 August 2016 summarising the potential impact that leaving the EU could have on Scotland’s GDP. This analysis was based on a range of recent studies by the Centre for Economic Performance, HM Treasury, National …
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether candidates for the 2017 elections to the Crofting Commission will be asked to complete an enhanced disclosure check.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Neither the existing Crofting Commission (Elections) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 or the draft Crofting Commission (Elections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016, which are currently laid before Parliament, require disclosure checks to be undertaken on cand…
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering removing in-year redistribution for college funding.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The in-year redistribution process is underway for Academic Year 2016-17 and is an on-going feature of the current annual Further Education student support funding cycle.
26 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Highland Self Build Loan Fund will be expanded to Shetland.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Self Build Loan Fund was launched in February 2016 and is currently operating as a two year pilot project in the Highland Council area. We will undertake a review over the Fund period to establish if it has delivered against its objectives. This will info…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many secondary schools are not receiving Scottish Attainment Challenge funding.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Attainment Challenge provides both targeted support through the Attainment Scotland Fund and universal support available right across Scotland. Up to 133 secondary schools are being supported by Scottish Attainment Challenge funding following the…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the industrial action being taken by secondary school teachers due to concerns about their workload is having in classrooms.
Answer · John Swinney: Industrial action is not in the interests of anyone, least of all young people. We have recently announced concrete proposals to address workload issues. I am pleased that the Educational Institute of Scotland’s action in relation to SQA activity has been s…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with financial and banking industry representatives based in Scotland in light of reports that major international banks are planning to move their headquarters outside of the UK.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has maintained close contact with the financial services sector in Scotland since the EU referendum. In our discussions we have heard repeatedly of the importance of EU membership, in terms of both a market for financial services and a…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its plans to distribute baby boxes on a pilot basis.
Answer · Mark McDonald: In order to test the Baby Box, its contents and the logistics around registration and delivery, we are running two pilots starting in January 2017. The pilots will take place in Clackmannanshire and Orkney. These areas have been chosen for their geographica…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the £60 million from the European Regional Development Fund will be used to help small and medium-sized businesses.
Answer · Keith Brown: The £60 million of EU Funds announced on 24 October 2016 will support over 20,000 SME's to develop and grow. The funding will focus on key sectors in each of Scotland's regions, and on businesses with a demonstrable desire and potential to grow their markets …
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the outcome of the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting on 24 October 2016.
Answer · Michael Russell: Following the Plenary Session of the Joint Ministerial Committee on 24 October 2016 the First Minister released a statement on the outcomes of that meeting and on-going Scottish Government priorities. The statement is available to view on the Scottish Governm…
24 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make its Relationships, Sexual Health, and Parenthood education guidance a mandatory component of the curriculum.
Answer · John Swinney: Curriculum for Excellence provides significant flexibility, within broad national guidelines, for teachers to develop lessons which best meet the needs of individual learners. This is a key characterisation of Scotland's education system. Relationships, sexua…
24 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who will chair the November 2016 meeting of the Crofting Commission board.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: This is a matter for the Crofting Commission. I have asked the interim Chief Executive to write to you about this matter.
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists and (b) vacancies for child and adolescent psychiatrists there have been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2009 the overall CAMHS workforce has increased by 27.7%, to 976.1 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE). Over the next five years we will be investing £150 million in mental health innovation, including £15 million to support better access to CAMHS. Informati…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, when it will publish the review of the care system.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We are currently making arrangements to work in close partnership with care experienced young people and all parts of the care sector to develop realistic parameters and timeframe for the review. Further details will be announced in due course.
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports people who come from SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) 20 households but do not reside in SIMD 20 areas.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: In October, the Scottish Government published its Fairer Scotland Action Plan, which contains 50 concrete actions the government will take in this parliamentary term to tackle poverty and inequality. This is a cross-Scotland plan, based on 200 Fairer Scotland…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, and in light of its proposed changes to early learning and childcare, what it defines as “purchasing a suitable place directly”, and how it will inform parents of this option.
Answer · Mark McDonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03882 on 3 November 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, what responsibilities local authorities will have in administering changes to childcare accounts.
Answer · Mark McDonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03855 on 3 November 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, how the standards for nurseries and childminders will be set.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Work is on-going to scope a learning and development pathway for childminders, to provide support and promote high quality from induction onwards. Whilst there are no plans to make training compulsory, we believe that childminders should be encouraged and sup…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) to better reflect the personal financial circumstances of households that are living in relative levels of poverty but do not reside in SIMD poverty catchment areas.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation uses reliable administrative data sources to identify relative deprivation across the whole of Scotland, not just areas commonly associated with poverty. Any planned changes to SIMD are recommended by the ‘Measuring …
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, when it will provide details and clarification to the Parliament on the proposed changes to early learning and childcare.
Answer · Mark McDonald: On 15 October we launched our consultation , A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, which will run until 9 January 2017. The Scottish Government will set out its response in Spring 2017.
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, what assessment it has carried out of the (a) workforce, (b) infrastructure and (c) funding requirements prior to implementing changes to the delivery of early learning and childcare.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We are currently working with stakeholders and delivery partners, including the Scottish Futures Trust and local authorities, to assess the workforce and infrastructure requirements for the expansion to 1140 hours. We will set out more details on these requi…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to reported comments by the First Minister on 15 October 2016, and in light of its proposed changes to early learning and childcare, whether it will provide details on the opt-out scheme for parents.
Answer · Mark McDonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03855 on 3 November 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding how much students in Scotland from the rest of the EU have spent on off-campus goods and services in each year since 2010-11.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The information is not held centrally.
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the next financial review of early learning and childcare will be published.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to publish another financial review of early learning and childcare, but will continue to monitor local authority expenditure and financial performance.
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its consultation, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, what good-design guidance for early learning and childcare from around the world will it use to assess whether its own guidance in 2017 meets its commitment for i…
Answer · Mark McDonald: Developing the new good design guidance will involve looking at leading practice in Scotland and further afield. It is too early to say which specific countries will be looked at in developing the guidance, although this is likely to encompass countries both …
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that early learning and childcare funding is ring-fenced for use by local authorities.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Through our consultation, A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, we are seeking views on which funding model would best support our vision for high quality and flexible Early Learning and Childcare provision, which is…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will determine that its good-design guidance for early learning and childcare settings that is referred to in its consultation, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, meets its commitment for it to be “leading".
Answer · Mark McDonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03854 on 3 November 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to publish (a) the findings of and (b) a response to its consultation, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland.
Answer · Mark McDonald: An analysis of the consultation findings and the Scottish Government’s response will be published in Spring 2017.