Alexander Burnett

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to meet its target to reduce teacher class contact time by the end of this parliamentary session. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We remain committed to reducing class contact timegiving teachers more time out of the classroom. Any changes to terms and conditions for teachers, including how this time will be used, are matters for agreement through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for …

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact will be of Aberdeenshire Council reportedly receiving only 20 of the 44 newly qualified secondary school teachers it requested for the coming school year. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We recognise there is a challenge around the recruitment of teachers in certain geographical areas and in certain subjects. It is for this reason that we have manually allocated Preference Waiver Payment (PWP) probationers this year. Manually allocating PWPs …

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is currently a shortage of Humalog insulin medications in Scotland, and what information it holds on whether any patients who require Humalog insulin have been (a) told to reduce their dosage and (b) denied this medication.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is aware that there is currently a supply issue with the medicine Humalog ® (insulin lispro) 100units/mL 10mL vials, used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus who require insulin for the maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis. At …

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16260 by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023, whether it will provide an update on how many schools are currently mothballed, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data on mothballed schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government does collect data from local authorities in order to collate a list of schools regarded as rural for the purposes of the Schools (Consultation)(…

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the assessment of the National Autistic Society Scotland that "while there are instances when part-time timetables could be beneficial, we know they are being used as a ‘sticking plaster’ for existing inadequacies in ASN provision".

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people get the support they need to reach their full learning potential, including those with autism. It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate educational provi…

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish the extent of the use of informal exclusions in schools.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people get the support that they need to reach their full learning potential. Our national guidance on exclusion, ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2’ makes clear that exclusion should be the last r…

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish the extent of the use of part-time timetables in schools.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Information on pupils that are subject to reduced or part-time timetable is not reported centrally by the Scottish Government. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additi…

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of Forestry and Land Scotland (a) upgrading existing and (b) building any new roads in anticipation of onshore windfarm developments that have yet to receive planning approval.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) do not undertake any road upgrades, or build new roads, for the purpose of windfarm development. FLS include the right for a windfarm developer to upgrade roads or build new roads, at their expense, within a lease agreement. F…

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland has received any payments from Statkraft for widening roads at Brown Hill.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) do not own or manage the land where Statkraft are proposing the development of the Craigwatch windfarm. They have therefore not been approached by Statkraft or received any payment from them for widening of roads. There are s…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many tonnes of peat were damaged by the landslide at the Viking Wind Farm site in Shetland on 7 May 2024. 

Answer · Gillian Martin: SSEN have shared with the Scottish Government that they estimate that a volume of approximately 1700 cubic metres of peat has been disturbed. SSEN have suggested that the loss was generally the surface layer of peat in the area. SSEN have confirmed to the Sco…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on its energy policy in Scotland, what its position is on the proposed introduction of locational marginal pricing for the GB wholesale electricity market, and whether it plans to respond to the UK Government’s consultation on the review of electricity mar…

Answer · Gillian Martin: The UK Government’s Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) provides an opportunity to take a whole systems view of our future electricity market and consider how it can be reformed to support further renewable deployment, ensure security of supply a…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, when setting its target to produce 20 GW of onshore wind energy by 2030, what analysis it undertook regarding the need for more wind energy in Scotland.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Onshore Wind Policy Statement 2022 , which was the culmination of an extensive consultative process with industry, our statutory consultees and the public, sets an overall ambition of 20 GW of installed onshore wind capacity in Scotland by 2030. In add…

8 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26962 by Natalie Don on 2 May 2024, whether it has considered reviewing its funded early learning and childcare eligibility guidance to include multiples.

Answer · Natalie Don: We do not have plans to review the legislation or statutory guidance for the current offer of funded ELC. Statutory eligibility for access to funded early learning and childcare (ELC) is set out in the relevant legislation (Children and Young People (Scotlan…

8 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the justice secretary last met with the Lord Advocate.  

1 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the rural affairs secretary last met with Forestry and Land Scotland.

25 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long a hospital must be closed before it is formally recognised as closed.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government and COSLA’s Planning with People guidance sets out how NHS boards, Integration Joint Boards and Local Authorities should involve people and communities throughout the development, planning and decision-making process for service change…

22 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26479 by Siobhan Brown on 22 April 2024, what information it has on what criteria the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman uses for categorising cases as (a) priority and (b) non-priority.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) prioritises cases based on a number of factors. These include whether the person bringing the complaint, or person affected, is vulnerable; any immediate health issues of the complainant or person affected; whethe…

22 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether parents of multiples aged two years old qualify for funded early learning and childcare under exceptional circumstances.

Answer · Natalie Don: Since August 2021, we have implemented the funded early learning and childcare (ELC) offer which provides up to 1140 hours per year (equivalent to 30 hours/week term time or approx. 22 hours/week year-round) for all three- and four-year-olds and eligible 2-ye…

12 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under whose ministerial remit its support for Scottish Men's Sheds Association falls. 

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has been supportive of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association since their inception in Scotland and since 2016-17 has supported the movement’s growth. In the financial year 2023-24, grant funding was provided under the portfolio of mysel…

2 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its national action plan on relationships and behaviour in schools.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Work is well underway to bring forward a joint National Action Plan with COSLA, setting out the range of actions needed at both local and national level on relationships and behaviour in schools. We will publish the action plan in the coming weeks.

2 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish updated guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Updated guidance on the use of mobile phone technologies in schools will be published in the coming weeks. The current guidance to education authorities and schools on this issue remains available from Guidance on Developing Policies to Promote the Safe and …

26 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the views of north east Scotland communities and campaign groups are fully considered by the Energy Consents Unit when assessing planning applications under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Answer · Gillian Martin: It is vital that everyone has the opportunity to engage in decisions about future development. We are clear that this engagement must begin as early as possible by developers, at the pre-application stage. It should be effective, collaborative and meaningful,…

26 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Energy Consents Unit should submit planning applications under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to be considered at a public local inquiry, where the relevant local authority has objected to the planning application.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Electricity Act 1989 preserves the requirement for local planning authorities to be consulted and for a public inquiry to be required in particular circumstances. The Scottish Government is clear that the views of local planning authorities are an importa…

22 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the size is of any backlog of cases that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has, and what the SPSO is doing to reduce any such backlog.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: As of 18 April 2024, the SPSO had a backlog of 286 non-priority cases awaiting allocation and 0 priority cases awaiting allocation. Over the past two years, the timescales for cases requiring further investigation being allocated has reduced from 11 months to…

22 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to be allocated to a complaints reviewer, and what the average length of time is for the conclusion of such a review.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: All cases the SPSO receive are currently subject to an initial review within 5 working days. Cases are triaged and priority cases (categorised for example by a complainant’s vulnerability or immediate health issues) which are considered to require further inv…

22 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25336 by Maree Todd on 4 March 2024, in relation to those who attended their first appointment for assessment in the last five years, how many people experienced each of the three main outcomes that were listed in the previous answer.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not hold the data relating to the three main outcomes outlined in S6W-25336. This information may however be available from individual Health Boards.

21 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in each of the last five years, how many domestic abuse case trials that went ahead had been delayed by (a) between one and two years, (b) between two and three years and (c) three years or longer.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

21 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases have gone to trial in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

21 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases resulted in the accused receiving an absolute discharge in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: There is no single crime of domestic abuse. Instead domestic abuse can refer to any crime that carries a domestic abuse aggravator, which includes offences under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. Data on people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish crimi…

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland is reportedly the last of the four UK nations to confirm its involvement in the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The first Project Gigabit funding to be deployed anywhere in the United Kingdom was secured by the Scottish Government in 2021. A total of £31.2 million of Project Gigabit funding has already been committed for investment in Scotland through the Scottish Gov…