Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-23262

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to increase the (a) number of modern language teachers in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools and (b) uptake of modern languages at senior level.

Since 2013, we have supported key aspects of language learning by providing an additional £30.2million to local authorities and £9.67million to Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools for the implementation of our 1+2 language policy.

Local authorities are using our funding to support language learning in a range of ways to meet their local circumstances, including teacher participation in immersion courses, teacher professional learning and classroom resources. Education Scotland has recently published new educational resources for teachers and more are planned. SCILT is providing professional learning programmes in language teaching and learning. SCILT is also helping schools make links to communities and businesses to improve language learning and understanding and helping schools promote language learning to young people and parents.

Annual targets are set for intakes into modern languages secondary teacher education courses to help address any recruitment difficulties in these subjects.

Our evidence shows that the majority of both secondary and primary schools are now meeting the full entitlement to learning a first additional language from P1 onwards and, across all age groups, more young people than ever before are learning languages.

Question reference: S5O-03328

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for its public sector pay policy of the agreement reached with the teaching profession.

Question reference: S5W-23068

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23019 by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 May 2019, whether it will make an announcement regarding the successful tender bidder before the summer recess.

Question reference: S5W-22583

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the goose policy review that it received from SNH in March 2018.

Question reference: S5W-22893

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the questionnaire that was used to compile the information in the paper, P1 Practitioner Forum: Group Profile, and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) details of the questionnaire returns, broken down by how many were completed by (a) members of organisations that are allied to schools, (b) school management staff, (c) P1 teachers in (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-19 and (d) academics.

Question reference: S5W-22894

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were members of the P1 Practitioner Forum, also broken down by how many were P1 teachers in (a) 2017-18 only, (b) 2018-19 only and (c) both 2017-18 and 2018-19.

The invitation to join the Forum was sent to more than 30 staff from schools, local authorities, Professional Associations, Education Scotland and the Universities. The Forum requested that individuals had experience of doing, managing or advising on the P1 assessments. The Scottish Government did not collect data on which academic year teachers taught P1 children but on how many years teaching experience they had. This information is published in the P1 Practitioner Forum: Group Profile - h ttps://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/participation-group-profile.pdf .

Question reference: S5W-22748

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 8 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22404 by Derek Mackay on 18 April 2019, for what reason it will not place the documents in SPICe, and what its position is on whether this decision is consistent with (a) its commitment in the Ministerial Code to act and take "decisions in an open and transparent manner" and the First Minister's comment in the foreword to "lead by example in following the letter and spirit of this Code, and [that she expects] that Ministers and civil servants will do likewise" and (b) the principles set out in its document, Open Government in Scotland Action Plan 2018-2020, which it published in partnership with the Scotland Civil Society Open Government Network.

Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are required to operate within the terms of the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) which sets out specific arrangements for financial control, internal and external and internal audit arrangements and effective risk management procedures. Our NDPBs will prepare, maintain and hold ownership of their contingency risk plans in line with the guidance in the SPFM and their individual framework document. The Scottish Government does not have ownership of these plans and it would be for each individual NDPB, (if asked) to decide whether they would lay their plans in SPICe. It is not for the Scottish Government to lay these plans in SPICe. In overseeing the work of public bodies including our NDPBs, the Scottish Government will always seek to promote and to help create a culture of openness and transparency across the landscape. As part of our Scottish Open Government Action Plan we are committed to working with others to ensure government is transparent, accountable, and responsive.

Question reference: S5W-22913

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it balances the stewardship of important archaeological sites in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and the importance of access to those sites for visitors at sites such as Jarlshof in Shetland, and therefore, for what reason it has not yet responded to the Member's letter of 4 March 2019 on this issue, and whether it considers this acceptable.

Policy for properties in care is predicated on delivering Scottish Ministers’ priorities for the historic environment in Scotland. These priorities include contribution to Scotland’s intellectual, economic and social wellbeing, both now and in the future and in particular, public access, engagement and education.

The stewardship of archaeological sites in the care of the Scottish Government is delegated to Historic Environment Scotland (HES). Scotland’s strategy, Our Place in Time, sets out how greater access to and interpretation and understanding of the significance of the historic environment is being encouraged.

I have responded to the Member's letter about Jarlshof and apologies for the delay. The letter details further that there are important value for money considerations about the proposals.

Question reference: S5W-22847

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 7 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in exploring options for the provision of free bedside entertainment for hospital patients.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to assess and adopt a patient-centred approach on the expiration of the contracts, with consideration given to both value for money and, importantly, the patient experience.

We are currently working with NHS Directors of Estates to establish feasibility of free bedside entertainment across NHSScotland. For example, NHS Lothian have now implemented free patient Wi-Fi services, including access to video streaming, in two of their acute sites. It is expected that other NHS Boards consider provision of free patient Wi-Fi and other suitable alternatives to the current Hospedia services when assessing patient entertainment services.

Question reference: S5W-22664

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29691 by Angela Constance on 2 March 2016, whether it will provide the figures for each year since 2015-16.

The following table provides information on average gross revenue expenditure in Scotland per pre-school registration, primary pupil and secondary pupil along with information on teaching allocations per college and university place (Average Teaching Grant Funding per FTE - including controlled SG funded places – expenditure on tuition fees and student support not included).

	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	1 2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2 2015-16	3 2016-17	4 2017-18	4,5 2018-19
Pre-school	£2,943	£3,456	£3,193	£3,194	£3,102	£3,411	£3,957	£4,344	£4,599	-
Primary	£4,875	£5,001	£4,935	£4,899	£4,871	£4,814	£4,877	£4,980	£5,169	-
Secondary	£6,524	£6,598	£6,297	£6,397	£6,711	£6,790	£6,920	£7,046	£7,127	-
College	£3,740	£3,803	£3,601	£3,496	£3,317	£3,317	£3,421	£3,527	£3,615	£3,972
University (HEI)	£5,209	£5,219	£5,115	£5,379	£5,514	£5,620	£5,655	£5,435	£5,437	£5,560

The following table provides the same information in 2017-18 prices.

	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13 1	2013-14	2014-15	2 2015-16	3 2016-17	4 2017-18	4,5 2018-19
Pre-school	£3,360	£3,946	£3,646	£3,647	£3,542	£3,894	£4,518	£4,960	£5,251	-
Primary	£5,566	£5,605	£5,460	£5,313	£5,187	£5,061	£5,088	£5,079	£5,169	-
Secondary	£7,449	£7,396	£6,966	£6,938	£7,147	£7,139	£7,218	£7,186	£7,127	-
College	£4,270	£4,263	£3,984	£3,791	£3,533	£3,488	£3,568	£3,598	£3,615	£3,901
University (HEI)	£5,947	£5,850	£5,659	£5,834	£5,872	£5,909	£5,899	£5,543	£5,437	£5,460

For pre-school education, the estimates are derived by dividing the total expenditure on Pre-School Education reported by Local Authorities in the Local Finance Return by the total number of early learning and childcare registrations reported in the Scottish Government Early Learning and Childcare Statistics.

For primary and secondary education, average gross revenue expenditure per pupil is total gross revenue expenditure reported by local authorities on primary or secondary education, sourced from the Local Financial Return, divided by the number of pupils in that school sector on Pupil Census date during the September of the relevant year.

Data from SFC on college teaching allocations per place is derived by taking funding provided to colleges for core teaching and fee waiver grant, divided by the weighted SUMs (relative costs to a college of delivering different subject) to derive expenditure by total Scottish and EU domiciled FTE. Expenditure excludes tuition fees not paid by SFC (mainly SAAS) and student support funding or funding from European Social Fund.

Data from SFC on University teaching allocations per place is derived by taking the total teaching grant provided by SFC for teaching places, divided by the total of SFC funded places for Scottish and EU domiciled FTEs. The expenditure figures do not include funding for student support, SFC’s research and strategic funds or the tuition fees that SAAS pay. The total FTE figures are SFC/SG funded places and do not include fees only and international places.

Notes

1. The rest of UK places were removed from 2012-13 on a phased basis (new students in 2012-13 and each new cohort thereafter over a 5 year period).

2. In AY 2015-16 SFC moved college funding to a credits based system, rather than WSUMS. It is assumed that 15 credits = 1 FTE.

3. In AY 2016-17 there was a 2.9% reduction in HEI gross teaching prices.

4. In 2017-18 and 2018-19, funding for colleges includes additional funding for national bargaining.

5. In 2018-19, The additional places at St Andrew’s for rUK Calman students clinical training were funded separately by SFC however are not included for continuance.

6. The funded places/weighted SUMS/credits figures used are taken from the final published main grant letters or outcome agreements, and do not take account of any subsequent adjustments.

7. SFC (not matched) ESF funding included together with all ESF student number targets.

8. Real terms conversions using 2017-18 prices and December 2018 HMT GDP deflators.

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