Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much in loans was authorised by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to meet the cost of tuition in other parts of the UK, broken down by residual household income.
Answer · Michael Russell: The details in the following table show the amount of loans paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to meet the cost of tuition fees in other parts of the UK: All Scottish domiciled students studying in the rest of the UK receiving tuition fees by hou…
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the students in 2012-13 who were classified by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland as being exempt from parental contribution were independent or studying (a) part-time and (b) full-time at a further education college.
Answer · Michael Russell: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) operates separate support schemes for students in full time higher education and those in part-time education. Different funding arrangements apply. a) SAAS only hold information on the total number of independent fu…
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many students were included in the category, income not declared/required, by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland because their income was low enough for them to receive a full support package in 2012-13 and how much in student loans was authorised for this group in 2012-13.
Answer · Michael Russell: The breakdown of information is not held by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18322 by Michael Russell on 25 November 2013, whether a young person leaving care (a) is assessed as independent and (b) can apply for (i) a Young or (ii) an Independent Student Bursary.
Answer · Michael Russell: A young person leaving care is assessed by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland as an independent student. Students who have been in care and are under 23 at the start of each academic year are eligible to apply for a Young Students’ Bursary. Those over 23…
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many students at further education colleges were awarded the maximum Independent Student Bursary in 2012-13, and how many received less than the maximum.
Answer · Michael Russell: In 2012-13, 5,430 students attending a course of higher education at a Scottish college were awarded the maximum Independent Students’ Bursary (ISB) of £1,000. 1,460 students were awarded ISB below £1,000.
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many students at further education colleges who were awarded a Young Student Bursary in 2012-13 received (a) the maximum bursary, (b) £1,000 to £2,639 and (c) below £1,000.
Answer · Michael Russell: In 2012-13, 5,930 students attending a higher education course at a Scottish college were awarded the maximum Young Students’ Bursary (YSB). 3,160 students were awarded YSB between £1,000 to £2,639. 1,210 students were awarded YSB below £1,000.
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18330 by Michael Russell on 28 November 2013, whether the budget for the Scottish Funding Council also assumes that the student population will be maintained at the current level and, if so, whether this means that it does not plan to increase the n…
Answer · Michael Russell: We provided funding for 125,346 full-time equivalent funded places this academic year (2013-14). As a result, Scottish students accepted by our universities rose to a record number this year, with 27,990 students accepted to study so far in 2013-14, an increa…
6 Dec 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-18325 by Michael Russell on 28 November 2013, how many applications were unsuccessful in each year since 2009-10.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland do not hold this information.
4 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it advocates dedicated sexual health services for young people.
27 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the dates of all communications between the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth and the University of Edinburgh regarding the use of so-called zero-hours contracts since 2011, broken down by (a) telephone calls, (b) letters, (c) emails…
Answer · John Swinney: This issue was raised by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) during the STUC bi-annual meeting with the First Minister in June 2013, which the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth attended. Under direction from the Cabinet Secr…
27 Nov 2013 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to deter people from taking out payday loans in the run-up to Christmas.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government launched its ‘12 days of Debtmas’ campaign on 18 November 2013. The aims of this bold campaign are to help prevent people getting into unmanageable high interest debt and, to raise awareness of credit unions as one alternative to pay d…
26 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it defines "any realistic scenario" in the context of the white paper on independence.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to pages 348-349 of Scotland’s Future.
18 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it considers the use of so-called zero-hours contracts contributes to its strategy for sustainable economic growth.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assumptions were made regarding the percentage take-up of student loans in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 in the "Net Student Loans Advanced" line in Table 5.07 of the draft Scottish budget 2013-14 and on what basis.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18330 on 28 November 2013. 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/parliamenta…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assumptions were made regarding the total value of (a) bursaries and (b) all other non-repayable grants in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15 in the "Student support and tuition fee payments" line in Table 5.07 of the draft Scottish budget 2013-14.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18330 on 28 November 2013. 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/parliamenta…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assumptions were made regarding the total value of full-time undergraduate tuition fee support in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15 in the "Student support and tuition fee payments" line in Table 5.07 of the draft Scottish budget 2013-14.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18330 on 28 November 2013. 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/parliamentar…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assumptions were made regarding all tuition fee support in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15 in the "Student support and tuition fee payments" line in Table 5.07 of the draft Scottish budget 2013-14.
Answer · Michael Russell: The budget assumes that the student population is maintained at current levels.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the Student Awards Agency for Scotland per capita tuition fee payment for degree-level study will be in 2014-15.
Answer · Michael Russell: The tuition fee level for 2014-15 has yet to be agreed.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the Student Awards Agency for Scotland per capita tuition fee payment for degree-level study has been in each year from 2002-03 and will be in 2013-14.
Answer · Michael Russell: The average tuition fee payment per year can be found at Table 1 of The Statistics Publication Notice Higher Education Student Support in Scotland 2012-13. Table 1 can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/10/1120/6.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis it entitled its news release of 1 November 2013 on college mergers College mergers will boost employment.
Answer · Michael Russell: The release makes clear the new colleges are of considerable scale and ambition, responsible for meeting the needs of learners and employers in their region. We expect regional curricula to align to industry needs and to provide enhanced opportunities for lea…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its plans to reform disabled students allowance.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government launched a consultation on the Review of Disabled Students’ Allowance which closed on 30 September 2013. It is currently considering the responses and will publish its response imminently.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many claims there have been for disabled students allowance in each year since 2000-01 and what its position is on the reasons for changes in the pattern of uptake.
Answer · Michael Russell: The number of claims for DSA in each academic year since 2001-02 are as follows: Year Number of Students claiming DSA 2001-02 1,645 2002-03 2,040 2003-04 2,410 2004-05 2,775 2005-06 3,165 2006-07 3,385 2007-08 3,625 2008-09 4,065 2009-10 4…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people claimed disabled students allowance in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 for travel costs only.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) paid Disabled Students Allowance for travel costs only to 16 students in 2012-13. SAAS do not hold this information for 2011-12.
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the Student Awards Agency Scotland spent through disabled students allowance in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 on travel costs and how much of this would previously have been met through the separate grant for travel expenses.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) spent £573,852 on travel costs through Disabled Students Allowance in 2012-13. This represents 194 students. SAAS do not hold the equivalent information for 2011-12 and it is not possible, from the information held, …
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time Scotland-domiciled undergraduate students studying in Scotland in 2012-13 and supported by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland were classified as independent for the purposes of assessing household income but were eligible for a young student bursary, and which grou…
Answer · Michael Russell: In 2012-13, some categories of independent student were eligible to receive a young student bursary. These were: students under 25 with a child; students permanently estranged from their parents; students who turn 25 during their course; young students wh…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any full-time Scotland-domiciled undergraduate students studying in the UK with a declared household income under £35,000 and receiving support from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in 2012-13 were not in receipt of any income-assessed bursary and, if so, how many and for w…
Answer · Michael Russell: In 2012-13 there were 4,376 students not in receipt of a bursary in the household income brackets of £0 - £35,000. The main reason for this is due to previous study rules. Students who may have been repeating a year on academic grounds and those that were und…
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time Scotland-domiciled undergraduate students receiving support from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in 2012-13 were from households with an income (a) between £36,000 and £62,000 in £1,000 increments and (b) over £62,000, which was not declared.
Answer · Michael Russell: The attached table shows the number of full time Scottish domiciled undergraduate students receiving support in 2012-13 by household income. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland do not hold information on students with no income. As students do not have to …
12 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many recipients in 2012-13 of (a) young student, (b) independent student, (c) study outside Scotland and (d) health directorate bursaries administered by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland were from households with an income (i) below £17,000 and (ii) between £17,000 and £36,000 …
Answer · Michael Russell: These details are attached in the following table: Number of students receiving each bursary Income band YSB ISB SOSB SGHD Income band YSB ISB SOSB SGHD <17,000 17,815 14,330 860 625 26001-27000 …
6 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many articulating students (a) pay and (b) are exempt from council tax.
Answer · Michael Russell: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Individual local authorities are responsible for collecting council tax payments and for applying any exemptions that apply.
6 Nov 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many articulating students there are, broken down by institution.
Answer · Michael Russell: Information on articulating students is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Authority from each Higher Education Institution (HEI) as part of their regular statistical return. The following table shows the information relating to Scottish HEIs for ye…