Parliamentary questions
Daniel Johnson
1,103 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, how many additional trade envoys it plans to employ and at what cost, and how this compares to the number and cost of the envoys that it currently employs.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting Scottish companies to access global markets and to ensuring that Scotland is open for business with Europe and the rest of the world. Plans to appoint a number of trade envoys to champion export market oppo…
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, by what date the review of the (a) existing data and evaluation functions, (b) learning journey, (c) innovation support ecosystem, (d) effectiveness of investment in learning and skills and (e) r…
Answer · Keith Brown: Phase 2 of the Enterprise and Skills Review will conclude in Spring 2017. A programme of work for implementation of the recommendations from phase 1 will be set out during phase 2. This programme will be undertaken over the lifetime of the parliament.
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list each (a) consultation and (b) review that it has announced since May 2016; broken down by the (i) minister in charge and (ii) title, subject and date of each announcement, and whether it will publish details of (A) where any findings can or will be found online and (…
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government now runs all consultations online through its consultation hub (http://consult.scotland.gov.uk). Each consultation is listed with its title, start and end dates. Consultations can be filtered by subject (interest) and policy team (depa…
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, how many staff the new Scotland-wide statutory board that is expected to deliver international activities and support will have; what the cost will be, and whether the staff will be new employees…
Answer · Keith Brown: Detailed operational planning for the new Scotland-wide statutory board has yet to be taken forward. This work will take place as part of phase 2 of the review. We plan to consult with the current boards to take this forward.
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, whether it will provide details of Scottish Development International’s (SDI) current presence in Europe, and what areas would be covered by SDI doubling this.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government proposes an increase in the number of people working for Scottish Development International in Europe from 20 to 40 over the next two years. SDI currently has four European offices in Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Paris and Stavanger. Deta…
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, how many members the new Scotland-wide statutory board that is expected to deliver international activities and support will have; when its chair will be appointed; whether the Parliament will be…
Answer · Keith Brown: Detailed operational planning for the new Scotland-wide statutory board, including how many staff will be delivering international activities, the chair of the new board and the appointment process, will take place as part of phase 2 of the review.
27 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the comments in the publication, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1, by what date the innovation and investment hub in Berlin will be established; how many staff will be based there, and at what cost.
Answer · Keith Brown: Plans to establish an innovation and investment hub in Berlin are currently in development and details will be made available in due course.
19 Oct 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is meaningful and inclusive community engagement in the planning system.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are continuing with our Design Charrettes Programme and Activating Ideas Fund. Backed by funding of £300,000, they will enable people across Scotland to have their say on the long-term future of their community. We will consult on further proposals for a f…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its publication, Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland, when a Chief Attainment Advisor will be appointed; how they will be appointed; what the salary for this post will be, and what their role and budget will b…
Answer · John Swinney: Plans for the appointment of a new Chief Education Advisor for the Scottish Attainment Challenge are in the advanced stages of development and I expect to be able to announce further details in due course.
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its publication, Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland, what progress has been made in focussing school inspection and self-evaluation more directly on closing the attainment gap.
Answer · John Swinney: Good progress has been made. A new model of inspection was introduced in September 2016 following extensive consultation with stakeholders. The school inspection is based around the self-evaluation framework How Good is Our School? 4 (HGIOS?4) which sets out …
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its publication, Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland, when data will be available through the national improvement framework to identify the attainment gap at P1, P4, P7 and S3 at school and local authority le…
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government made clear in the Delivery Plan that new data would become available through the National Improvement Framework in October. This data has now been received, is being analysed and will be published in December. The criteria for measurin…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its publication, Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland, what progress has been made in extending the reach and impact of Attainment Advisors.
Answer · John Swinney: There is an Attainment Advisor (AA) assigned to each local authority and they are having a positive impact. As the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme progresses Education Scotland is working with partners in local authorities to extend the reach and impa…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its publication, Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education: A Delivery Plan for Scotland, what progress has been made in developing a range of national programmes and further extending the reach and impact of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
Answer · John Swinney: On 9 June 2016, the Deputy First Minister announced that the Scottish Attainment Challenge would be extended to secondary schools, both in the seven Challenge Authority areas and the majority of secondaries associated with the primary schools in the existing …
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Scottish Water's budget has been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Water’s budget, as confirmed in Spring Budget Revisions, has been as follows: 2011-12 Operating Capital Total £m £m £m Voted Loans £0.0 £85.1 £85.1 Interest on Voted Loans -£92.7 £0.0 -£92.7 -£92.7 £85.1 -£7.6 2012-13 Operatin…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reclassification of its funding of capital, what the impact will be of the reduction of planned loans to Scottish Water over the next five years, and which infrastructure projects might be affected by this.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There has been no reclassification of Scottish Water’s funding. Loans made by the Scottish Government to Scottish Water and Interest repaid by Scottish Water to the Scottish Government score in the capital and resource budgets respectively. The Scottish Gover…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the investment in Scottish Water infrastructure has been in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Investment is planned in regulatory periods. In the last regulatory period 2010-15, Scottish Water delivered £2.4billion of investment. The Scottish Government does not hold the investment figures by Local Authority as investment is planned according to need …
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Scottish Water's capital reserves have been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Water’s Annual Report and Accounts are laid before Parliament each year. These contain the information requested. Scottish Water’s Annual Report and Accounts, for each year since its creation in 2002, are available on Scottish Water’s website at: htt…
16 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, since it received its living wage accreditation, what information is has regarding any of its non-departmental public bodies paying their staff less than the living wage.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5O-00180 on 22 September 2016 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx As detailed in the response…
16 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what policies or guidance are in place regarding the terms and conditions of employment used by non-departmental public bodies, and how it ensures that these are adhered to.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The terms and conditions of employment used by non-departmental public bodies are matters for bodies themselves, unless specified by the body’s founding legislation. Non-departmental public bodies are required to operate within the framework set by the Scotti…
16 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what duties Scottish Qualifications Authority examination invigilators undertake, and how long those duties are expected to take beyond the duration of examination times.
Answer · John Swinney: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). I have asked the Chief Executive of SQA to write to you.
16 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) regarding the status of "appointees" to the SQA, and whether they are (a) paid at least the living wage and (b) considered to be employees of the SQA.
Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government is in regular contact with SQA on a range of issues. Payment of the Living Wage is a commitment the Scottish Government takes extremely seriously. The Scottish Government introduced the requirement to pay the Living Wage as an integral p…
16 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that (a) the Scottish Qualifications Authority and (b) other non-departmental public bodies pay their staff at least the living wage.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5O-00180 on 22 September 2016 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many parents of three- and four-year-olds are not using the free childcare they are entitled to.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We do not collect specific data on the number of parents not using funded early learning and childcare. We do collect data on the number of funded registrations through an annual census in September which is published in December.
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its analysis that showed that 46% of parents who do not use the childcare they are entitled to cite a lack of availability, how it will increase the provision of childcare in large urban areas.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government is committed to providing high quality, flexible early learning and childcare that meets the needs of children and their families. That is why we have increased the amount of funded early learning and childcare to 600 hours a year for …
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of three- and four-year-olds are registered for more than one early learning or childcare setting, and how this figure is calculated.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We do not hold this information centrally. We are aware that children can be offered split placements and could therefore be registered with more than one provider. We are seeking to address issues in the data by undertaking a data transformation project to …
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many two-year-old children entitled to funded early learning and childcare in 2015 (a) were looked after, (b) were in kinship care or had a guardian, (c) had a parent on qualifying benefits or (d) were in need, vulnerable or under local priorities, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The information requested is included in the annual Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, published December 2015, table 4. http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00490594.xlsx
26 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many local-action research-based projects regarding closing the attainment gap have been established, and where they are located.
Answer · John Swinney: Local action research projects to close the attainment gap are driven locally and no central register is kept. The Scottish Government through its improvement agency, Education Scotland, promotes the use of action research based approaches across all local a…
26 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all schools have clear strategies in place across the curriculum to reduce the vocabulary gap.
Answer · John Swinney: It is the responsibility of individual schools to develop the most appropriate approach to reducing the vocabulary gap, as they best understand their local needs, context and priorities. However, the Scottish Government have set out in Delivering Excellence a…
26 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01899 by Humza Yousaf on 2 September 2016, what percentage of the transport budget has been allocated to cycling policy nationally in each year since 2010.
26 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it shares confidential information with (a) parliamentary liaison officers and (b) any other MSP.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: As set out in section 4.11 of the Scottish Ministerial Code, government information may be shared with parliamentary liaison officers for the purposes of allowing them to discharge their role effectively. Parliamentary liaison officers are required to respect…