Parliamentary questions
Daniel Johnson
1,103 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Oct 2017 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there are almost twice as many under-10s being prescribed stimulants than there were in 2010.
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Consultation on Primary Authority Partnerships relating to Devolved Regulatory Responsibilities of Local Authorities ended, and what steps it has taken to introduce the scheme.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Consultation on Primary Authority Partnerships relating to Devolved Regulatory Responsibilities of Local Authorities ended on 25 June 2015. We continue to work with stakeholders, including regulatory and licensing authorities on key elements that will fo…
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have implemented the local discretionary rates relief available each year under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, and what plans it has to encourage more local authorities to do so.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Perth and Kinross Council made use of the local relief powers available under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 in 2016-17 and Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Council have done so in 2017-18. The Scottish Government continues to encourage all local…
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it expects to receive in receipts from the Apprenticeship Levy in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Apprenticeship Levy is a UK Government fiscal measure introduced without prior consultation with the Scottish Government. It is collected by HM Revenue and Customs with all receipts accrued to the UK Government.
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact will be of the increase in statutory minimum pension contributions in 2018, and what information it has regarding how many people in Scotland will be affected by the changes.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This is a matter for the UK Government
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of what the financial impact could be on consumers of the proposed deposit return scheme for drinks bottles and containers.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The financial impact on consumers will be dependent on the exact design of the scheme brought forward. This will be considered as part of the design work, which will incorporate equality and other impact assessments.
22 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects VAT revenues to be assigned to it, and what its strategy will be for maximising these.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Fiscal Framework agreed that VAT assignment will be implemented in the financial year 2019-20. VAT policy will remain reserved so the Scottish Government will not have any formal policy levers available to maximise revenues. However, the Scottish Governme…
11 Sep 2017 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government has made in the identification of combustible cladding on public buildings, in light of reports that it was found at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
4 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding the introduction of a pilot for a deposit guarantee scheme for nurseries.
Answer · Mark McDonald: I wrote to the Education and Skills Committee on 5 September 2017 outlining the progress made to date on the introduction of a pilot for a deposit guarantee scheme. The aim of the deposit guarantee pilot is to reduce the burden of upfront childcare costs ofte…
4 Sep 2017 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many teacher vacancies there are.
4 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what childcare is being provided at social security experience panel meetings.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Childcare is not being provided directly at face-to-face Experience Panels meetings. We are determined, however, that there should be as few barriers as possible to participation, and are therefore reimbursing panel members for travel and childcare costs incu…
20 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04238 by Mark McDonald on 11 November 2016, when it will publish the Flexible Jobs Index for Scotland.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government commissioned Timewise to deliver the Flexible Jobs Index Scotland. Timewise are responsible for publishing the Flexible Jobs Index Scotland, not the Scottish Government. It is our current understanding that the Index will be published …
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many licensed airgun owners there are, also broken down by how many weapons they keep, and what information it has regarding the number of unlicensed owners and guns.
Answer · Michael Matheson: On 19 July 2017, a total of 16,595 air weapon owners had been licensed since the air weapons legislation took effect on 31 December 2016. Individuals are licensed rather than guns, therefore there is no record of the number of weapons kept by each licence hol…
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its publication, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, when the Skills Investment Plan will be published.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Skills Investment Plan: Prospectus for Scotland's early learning and childcare sector was published on 23 March 2017. The Prospectus is available online at: http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/43127/early-learning-and-childcare-sip-digital.pd…
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) places, (b) applicants, (c) starts and (d) successful completions there have been for the Childhood Practice (BA) course in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Mark McDonald: This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Funding Council are the Public Body responsible for this information. They can be contacted at: Scottish Funding Council, Apex 2, 97 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5HD.
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its publication, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, whether the commitment to training and introducing new workers will continue beyond 2017-18 and, if so, how many workers will be recruited and over what period.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We are committed to ensuring that an appropriately skilled workforce is in place to deliver the expanded entitlement to early learning and childcare. We will continue to build capacity in the workforce up to 2020 through a variety of pathways including appren…
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the new childcare workers set out in its publication, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, will be in place.
Answer · Mark McDonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10384 on 9 August 2017. 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/2…
18 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new childcare workers will be in place in each year to 2020 to meet the increased number of workers set out in its publication, A Blueprint for 2020: Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Local authorities are currently developing early learning and childcare expansion plans, which include anticipated workforce requirements each year, and which are due to be submitted to the Scottish Government by 29 September 2017. We are working with local a…
4 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how individuals, including parents and young people, will be able to contribute to the 15-24 Learner Journey Review, if they are not specifically invited to engage.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is engaging with stakeholders and users extensively around the Learner Journey Review including representatives drawn from public bodies and agencies, the third sector and private organisations with expertise of the learning system, as…
3 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it and Skills Development Scotland will publish a report detailing progress of the Equalities action plan For Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland, and on what date further annual reports will be published.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) published its Equality Action Plan (EAP) Year 1 update on Tuesday 18 July 2017. The update can be viewed at: http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/43416/sds-equalities-action-plan-update-2017.pdf. In future SDS ai…
23 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for its proposed zero-rate income tax band, and what the financial implications of this band would be.
Answer · Derek Mackay: To protect those on the lowest incomes from cost of living increases, the Scottish Government will ensure that from 2021 the first of £12,750 of the non-saving and non-dividend income of a Scottish taxpayer is tax free. If necessary, in 2021 the Scottish Gove…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many school exclusions were (a) permanent and (b) temporary in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · John Swinney: Statistics on the number of exclusions since 2006-7 are published on the Scottish Government website here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/12/7925/321888 Since 2010-11 the Scottish Government has collected data on exclusions biennially. Statistics on…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the school attendance rates of (a) looked-after children who live (i) at home and (ii) elsewhere and (b) all other children in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · John Swinney: This data has only been available for looked after children since 2009-10 - it is published in the annual Education Outcomes for Looked After Children official statistics release. Furthermore, there are two populations of looked after children for the purpos…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that school exclusions can lead to the pupils experiencing future (a) mental health and (b) employment problems, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · John Swinney: Improving the life chances of all our children and young people is vitally important. That is why the Scottish Government recognises the important role of our education system and the need to provide a positive and inclusive learning experience for all schoo…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the school exclusion rate of pupils who were (a) adopted, (b) disabled and (c) living in school hostels or lodgings in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the school exclusion rate of pupils who were adopted or living in school hostels or lodgings. Statistics on the exclusion rate of disabled pupils since 2009/10 are published in Table 15 of the exclusion s…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance and support it provides to schools to ensure that plans are in place to support pupils who return from exclusion.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published its refreshed guidance “Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School Exclusions” on 19 June this year. This guidance promotes the importance of positive relationships and restor…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance and support it provides to ensure that pupils excluded from school continue to receive education.
Answer · John Swinney: Section 14(3) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 provides that education authorities have a duty to continue to provide education for a child or young person during a period of exclusion from school. The Scottish Government’s refreshed guidance “Included, …
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many pupils have been excluded from school (a) once, (b) two to four times and (c) five or more times in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · John Swinney: Statistics on pupils being excluded multiple times for the period since 2009-10 are published in Table 7 of the exclusion statistics supplementary data, available on the Scottish Government website here: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-E…
21 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many pupils who were excluded from school on a (a) temporary and (b) permanent basis in each of the last 10 years failed to gain any qualifications.
Answer · John Swinney: This data is not held by the Scottish Government.
19 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many building (a) warrants and (b) completion certificates have been issued by each local authority in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has only been collecting information on the numbers of building warrants granted and completion certificates accepted since 2009-10. This information is provided by local authority in the following tables. LOCAL AUTHORITY NUMBER OF B…