Liz Smith

11 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of concerns raised by COSLA regarding local authorities not being able to register all of their properties on the Land Register of Scotland by 2019.

11 Dec 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister for what reason the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy has been abandoned.

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of any repairs undertaken on the Queensferry Crossing between 4 September and 27 November 2017.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors have undertaken a variety of minor snagging works and finishes on the Queensferry Crossing between 4 September and 27 November 2017. These works have been undertaken at no additional cost to the public purse. The project bud…

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what repairs were undertaken on the Queensferry Crossing between 4 September and 27 November 2017.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors have undertaken a variety of minor snagging works and finishes on the Queensferry Crossing between 4 September and 27 November 2017. These relate to the installation and commissioning of mechanical and electrical equipment, …

27 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what maintenance procedures are in place for the Queensferry Crossing.

30 Oct 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with angling clubs regarding the categorisation of rivers for 2018.

30 Oct 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what criteria will be used to assess the outcomes of pupil equity funding.

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much money, other than the £19.9 million spent on Getting it Right for Every Child and the £41.6 million for extra health visitors, has been allocated to the administration of the Named Person Scheme each year.

Answer · John Swinney: In 2014 the Scottish Government announced funding of £41.6 million for additional Health Visitors with the goal to grow the workforce by 500 by the end of 2018. The scale of the Scottish Government’s investment in and expansion of the health Visiting workforc…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the money allocated to each local authority for the Pupil Equity Fund has been used to cover administration costs, and how much has gone directly to schools for strategies to improve attainment.

Answer · John Swinney: Pupil Equity Funding is paid to local authorities by means of a ring fenced grant which clearly specifies the amount to be allocated directly to each school. The conditions of grant make clear that Headteachers must have access to the full amount of the fundi…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has already allocated to each local authority for the Pupil Equity Fund in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Answer · John Swinney: The local authority and school level allocations of Pupil Equity Funding in 2017-18 are available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/Raisingeducationalattainment/pupilequityfund/Schoolallocations. The total amo…

23 Oct 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it will use to determine the categorisation of salmon rivers for season 2018-19.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The assessment of salmon rivers by Marine Scotland for the 2018 fishing season is based on two main data sets: rod catches returned by anglers and information from fish counters around the country. The technical guide - Assessing the Conservation Status of Sa…

9 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the 2017-18 Pupil Equity Fund will go directly to head teachers.

Answer · John Swinney: As part of the £750 million Attainment Scotland Fund committed over this parliamentary term, £120 million of Pupil Equity Funding is being provided to schools in 2017-18 to help close the poverty related attainment gap. Funding is now available to schools and…

2 Oct 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will review the school inspection process.

4 Sep 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the concerns that have been expressed regarding the efficacy of the National 4 qualification.

28 Aug 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the economy and jobs are being supported through initiatives such as the Scottish Growth Scheme.

21 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when finance will be forthcoming to support the building of new high schools in Dunfermline and West Fife.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is currently providing significant investment of almost £58m to Fife Council through the Government's Schools for the Future programme. The three projects were identified by Fife Council as its priority schools for investment. Our 201…

21 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what money it has made available for school buildings in Fife.

Answer · John Swinney: Through the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, Fife Council has been awarded significant funding of almost £58m towards the construction of the new Auchmuty High School, Levenmouth Academy and The Waid Academy.

14 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the minutes of the meeting of 15 March 2017 between the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and Bill Maxwell, Lesley Brown and Clare Hicks of Education Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The purpose of the meeting on 15 March 2017 between myself and the Chief Inspector of Education Scotland and other officials was to brief the Cabinet Secretary on the content of the Strategic Level Inspection Report for Argyll and Bute Council. The report was…

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many home-educated children sat SQA exams in the school year 2016-17.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many home-educated children have been refused access to sit SQA qualifications through SQA approved centres in the last five years.

Answer · John Swinney: Neither the Scottish Government nor the Scottish Qualifications Authority hold this information. Home educated young people can access Scottish qualifications but must be registered with a Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved centre (usually a sc…

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children were home-educated in the school year 2016-17.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what entitlement home-educated children have to access SQA qualifications through SQA-approved centres.

Answer · John Swinney: Every child has a right to an education and it is the duty of the parent of every school age child to provide that education, either by sending the child to school or by other means. This includes home education. Home educated young people can access Scotti…

19 Jun 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with BEAR and Transport Scotland regarding the management of roadworks on motorways.

30 May 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage young people to study medicine at university.

28 Apr 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether headteachers will require the agreement of the relevant local authority before a decision is made about how the pupil equity fund will be spent in their schools.

26 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what resources it will provide for roadside drug testing equipment.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the planning for the introduction of drug driving limits, the Scottish Government is discussing with all key interests the operational and resourcing requirements of having the new limits in place. This includes the need for appropriate equipment f…

19 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to tackle drug-driving.

Answer · Michael Matheson: On Friday last week, I announced that the Scottish Government would bring forward legislation by the end of 2017 that will introduce drug driving limits. This legislation, which if approved by Parliament will come into force in 2019, will set individual limit…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the money from the sale of the former Stow College buildings in Cowcaddens will be used to improve further education for (a) students and (b) young people in Glasgow.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The former Stow College building was sold through the Glasgow Kelvin College Board for £6m. Glasgow Kelvin College retained £4m of these funds to support their Capital estate requirements and to use towards infrastructure that will support the Colleges STEM s…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the money from the sale of assets from the former Stow College site in Cowcaddens will be spent.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Glasgow Kelvin College Board have received £4m of the £6m proceeds from the sale of the former Stow College building. The remaining £2m was provided to Forth Valley College to support their capital investment programme, in particular at Falkirk Campus.

27 Feb 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the provision of accurate lists of available supply teachers.

Answer · John Swinney: We are currently working with local authority representatives, as partners on the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, to develop a national supply booking system where teachers seeking supply opportunities will be able to register their availability,…