Daniel Johnson

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it educates children about the benefits of cycling.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government believes that educating young people about the benefits of cycling, and indeed of active travel and physical activity in general, is fundamental to the current and future health and wellbeing of the country. We support various organisa…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts it makes to encourage (a) its civil servants and (b) other public sector staff to cycle to work.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government's vision is of a more active Scotland. Our national Physical Activity Implementation Plan, "A More Active Scotland", includes commitments to support employers to create opportunities for people to be more active during their working da…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more girls to study STEM subjects at (a) Higher, (b) Advanced Higher, (c) college and (d) university level.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to my answer to S5O-00046 on 15 June 2016. The Scottish Government is fully committed to encouraging more girls, and young people more generally, to study STEM subjects. STEM is vital to Scotland’s future economic growth and prosperity. T…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24381 by Derek Mackay on 19 February 2015, what percentage of journeys was made by bicycle in each of the last six years and whether it will provide an update on progress with meeting the target of at least 10% of journeys by 2020, including by what…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The following table, taken from the Transport and Travel in Scotland, Scottish Household Survey 2014 and published on the Transport Scotland website here http://www.transport.gov.scot/statistics/j389989-10.htm outlines cycling levels for the last six years. T…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the STEMEC group (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Answer · John Swinney: The independent STEMEC group was set up to take forward work arising from the earlier Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group report on school science and to help improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and learning…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the transport budget is allocated to cycling policy (a) nationally and (b) at a local authority level.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In 2016-17 the Scottish Government has committed to matching record levels of funding for active travel and the percentage of the (a) national transport budget will be 1.9%. We have also committed to matching record levels of funding for active travel over th…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing (a) nationally and (b) to local authorities to ensure a long-term commitment to cycling.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government funding for active travel (a) nationally is £39.2 million in 2016-17. This figure includes both capital and revenue funding from the Support for Sustainable and Active Travel budget, capital funding from the Future Transport Fund and the C…

10 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that childcare is available for children of parents who work unsociable hours.

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 …

4 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been provided to local authorities to ensure consistent reporting of the number of pupils with additional support needs (ASN) and what percentage of pupils are recorded as having ASN.

Answer · John Swinney: The ScotXed Unit within the Scottish Government provide guidance notes to schools in Scotland responsible for reporting on the school/pupil census. This includes the reporting of pupils with additional support needs.The Scottish Government is committed, throu…

30 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason recent figures from the Chief Statistician regarding children who have experienced living in care show that (a) 8% of them achieved at least one qualification at SCQF level 6 in 2014-15, compared with 60.2% of all school leavers and (b) there has been a drop in their (i) …

Answer · John Swinney: The published data for 2016 confirms that while outcomes for looked after children have been improving, the gaps are still big compared to all pupils and progress needs to be accelerated. These differences are, in part, linked to the fact that looked after…

15 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the gender pay gap, in light of figures published by the Scottish Human Rights Commission showing that women in full-time employment in Scotland earn on average 10.6% less than men.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: It is unacceptable in 2016 that a gender pay gap still exists and that women continue to be paid less than men for work of equal value. It is encouraging to see however that Scotland is making progress in addressing the gender pay gap. At 10.6% for the mean …

15 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings in the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s April 2016 submission to the United Nation’s Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, how it will make sure that everyone in Scotland enjoys their full range of human rights equally.

Answer · Angela Constance: Human rights are at the heart of Scotland’s constitutional settlement. They are fundamental to the work of the Scottish Government, our Parliament and all of Scotland’s public authorities. They are reflected in our national laws and directly inform public pol…

13 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have made use of their new powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to provide local discretionary business rates relief.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government will monitor local discretionary rates relief awarded under powers created by Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act.

13 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional tax revenue it expects will be generated in each local authority area by the doubling of the large business rates supplement.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Additional non-domestic rates income generated in each local authority area from the increase in the large business supplement is estimated to be as follows in 2016-17. Local Authority Estimated Additional Revenue (£m) Aberdeen City 5.0 Aberdeenshire 2.…

13 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many commercial properties the doubling of the large business rates supplement will apply to, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) industry sector.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Data by industry sector is not held. However, the number of properties the large business supplement is estimated to apply to in respect of 2016-17, by local authority area and by property classification type, are as follows. (a) by local authority area Lo…

13 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the proposed review of non-domestic rates.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Ken Barclay has been appointed as chair of the group to review non-domestic rates and announcements on additional members will be made shortly.

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to assess the condition of the country's roads; what discussions it has with local authorities regarding these conditions, and what action it is taking to prevent deterioration in road quality.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Transport Scotland road asset management plan sets out how Scotland's trunk road network is maintained strategically and efficiently in order to protect our assets and ensure maximum value for money from our road maintenance activities. Transport Scotland…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans with the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner regarding improving coordination between utility companies when carrying out road works.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Officials from Transport Scotland meet the Scottish Road Works Commissioner on a regular basis, normally at least once per month. Transport Scotland also holds quarterly meetings of the 'Road Works Policy Development Group', which includes the commissioner an…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprenticeship starts it expects over each of the next five years, broken down by (a) age, (b) level, (c) sector and (d) gender.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government has committed to offer at least 30,000 new modern apprenticeship (MA) starts each year by 2020. The first stage of this increase has been delivered - the 2015-16 target of 25,500 new MA opportunities has been exceeded with 25,818 sta…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the proportion of modern apprenticeship starts in construction and related frameworks.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government has consistently maintained the employed status element of the modern apprenticeship (MA) programme here in Scotland, linking apprenticeship opportunities to real, sustainable jobs. The availability of places in any sector is therefore…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of modern apprenticeship starts is in construction and related sectors.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) publish statistical information about the modern apprenticeship (MA) programme, including a breakdown by framework followed, on a quarterly basis. Year end statistics for 2015-16 were published on 7 June 2016, and can be acce…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more modern apprenticeship starts in construction and related sectors.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government, in partnership with our national skills body, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) undertakes range of activity to encourage more modern apprenticeships (MA) in construction and related sectors. This includes: Prioritising key and enab…

2 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the findings of the review of the functions of the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner will be published, and when it expects to announce its response to the findings.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We aim to publish the findings of the review in July 2016 and to announce our response to its recommendations at the same time.