Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37115 on 6 May 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

A small number of local authorities have provided indicative figures for the number of pupils enrolling in state schools from independent schools.

However, the annual fluctuation of pupil rolls in those local authorities is typically significantly larger than the increase in the number of pupils enrolling in schools from the independent sector that has been reported. We do not therefore anticipate the number of pupils transferring representing a significant issue for Local Authorities.

In terms of funding, the Scottish Government collects information on the number of pupils in state schools every September as part of the pupil census. The distribution methodology for calculating the Local Government Settlement is agreed with local authorities and is informed by a number of indicators including pupil numbers from the latest annual school census.

Local authorities have the statutory responsibility to provide education for children and young people in their area.

In 2025/26, an additional £28m will be invested in additional support for learning, to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce at a local level, to help enhance professional learning on inclusion for all teachers at all stages of their careers and to support teacher specialism in inclusion. A further £1 million will be provided to support national initiatives, which will enable us to build on the work being delivered through our Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

The Scottish Government remains committed to an all-age careers information and guidance offer that supports all people, including young people who are at risk of leaving school with no or few SQA qualifications to progress rewarding careers.

The Scottish Government invested in battery reprocessing and recycling facilities through the Recycling Improvement Fund, but these were delivered prior to the 2024-25 financial year.

Responsibility for the delivery of education, including decisions on which courses are offered, is a matter for individual local authorities.

However, I understand that Education Scotland Attainment Advisors have been engaged with East Lothian Council and have confirmed that East Lothian schools will continue to offer a range of Advanced Higher courses in session 2025-2026, including Advanced Higher English.

The provision of Advanced Higher English will be determined on a school-by-school basis and schools will continue to work collaboratively to determine provision within the local authority.

Where schools are unable to provide a course offer, the Council has advised that they will draw on Edinburgh College or another course provider to support this. Alternatively, schools will work on a consortium model whereby young people may attend another high school within the region where a course is being offered.

Following the introduction of a new HR system, data on the number of civil servants dismissed due to poor performance is only available from 2008. Data available prior to this does not specify the reasons for dismissal.

The number of civil servants dismissed due to poor performance since 2008 is provided in the following table:

Each of the bodies referenced are responsible for setting their budgets in accordance with their strategic plans and to meet the needs of their local population. How they allocate funding to delivery partners to achieve their outcomes is a decision for them however there is an expectation that public bodies funded by the Scottish Government will develop Equality Impact Assessments through the Equality Act 2010.

Where individuals or organisations feel that public bodies have not fulfilled their obligations under the Equality Act 2010, this should be drawn to the attention of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as escalation is a matter for the Commission. The process involves the Commission's power to issue a compliance notice, and subsequently seek enforcement through the courts, if necessary.

Scottish Ministers cannot direct EHRC because it is independent from Government. As it is a reserved public body, the Scottish Parliament cannot change its powers.

As part of a commitment made in its improving urban waters routemap, Scottish Water installed 1000 new overflow monitors by December 2024 and it now publishes overflow information online. It is not correct to state that combined sewer overflows spill every 90 seconds as the data published by Scottish Water only covers a subset of overflows.

Scottish Water aims to install an additional 700 monitors during 2025. Information gathered by overflow monitors allows Scottish Water to optimise the management of its sewer networks and understand where spills occur most frequently and why. This information is critical in informing future investment needs to achieve the greatest benefit for customers and the environment.

Furthermore, Scottish Water’s investment in its assets has contributed towards 87% of Scotland’s entire water environment being assessed by SEPA as having a ‘high’ or ‘good’ classification for water quality and 97% of Scotland’s bathing waters currently achieve the bathing water quality standards.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS do not record this information. SPS’ Disciplinary Hearings guidance does not provide a specific ‘breach of discipline’ relating to having illicit articles obtained via a drone. Any prosecution remains a matter for Police Scotland and the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service.