Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-25149

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to prepare schools and infrastructure for the expansion of free school meals.

We are working with local authorities on the infrastructure required to deliver our commitment to the expansion of free school meals.

The 2024-25 budget has made provision for £43m of capital funding for school infrastructure, in addition to the £10m of capital funding provided in 2023-24.

This will support the expansion to P6 & P7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, as part of our wider commitment to expansion.

Question reference: S6W-24947

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it engaged with regarding Education Scotland's Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning framework.

I am advised that Education Scotland’s draft Professional Learning Framework has been an iterative process, developed as a result of formal and informal feedback from a wide range of practitioners and other users who have participated in Education Scotland’s professional learning. This includes direct work with Local Authorities, schools, teachers, Senior Managers in schools, and other stakeholders. Evaluations from these activities and discussions with users over a two-to-three-year period, has shaped our current offer.

Some of the stakeholders involved in shaping the concept and content of the draft Framework are:

ES Inclusion Link officers National Network. Almost all 32 local authority officers attended a presentation of the Professional Learning Framework and provided feedback.
ASLO (Additional Support for Learning Link Officer) National Network, which been involved in commenting over the development phase of the framework. Almost all authorities are represented on this Network.
Social Emotional and Behavioural Needs National Network representing 31 Education Authorities.
Complex Needs National Network. 32 Local Authority representatives working with the most challenging children and young people, have provided feedback.
Evidence from recent Collaborative Improvement Activity with Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, and Scottish Borders, helped to identify gaps in resources, and where a refresh of resources and/or focus was required in current materials.
Cheryl Burnet National Parent Council.
National Network comprising Children’s Parliament, Young Scott, UNICEF, Children in Scotland all of whom are part of a and helped us to identify strengths and gaps in resources.
SG Programme boards in Inclusion, behaviour, anti-racism, gender, Hate Crime, and LGBTI.

Question reference: S6W-25046

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines (a) education, (b) training and (c) employment in terms of positive destinations.

Definitions of destinations used in the Scottish Government's positive destination statistics can be found in the background notes of the relevant publications, for example in section 7.4.1 of the 2021/22 Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver destinations publication . This includes definitions for Higher Education, Further Education, Training and Employment. Note that those still attending education at school are not included in these statistics. The definitions are reproduced below.

Higher Education: includes leavers following Higher National Diploma (HND) or Higher National Certificate (HNC) courses, degree courses, courses for the education and training of teachers and higher level courses for professional qualifications. It includes programmes at a level higher than the standard of the National Qualifications, i.e. above SCQF Level 7. Leavers with a deferred, unconditional place in higher education have also been included in this category.

Further Education: includes leavers undertaking full-time education which is not higher education and who are no longer on a school roll. This may include National Qualifications.

Training: includes leavers who are on a training course and in receipt of an allowance or grant. It also includes leavers who are on local authority or third sector funded training programmes that are in receipt of a training allowance or those participating in Community Jobs Scotland.

Employment: includes those who consider themselves to be employed and in receipt of payment from their employers. It includes young people undertaking training in employment through national training programmes such as Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Apprenticeships.

Question reference: S6W-25052

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23517 by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023, what methods were used by Education Scotland to engage with teachers, and which other stakeholders it engaged with on these materials.

Question reference: S6W-25045

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it collects data on the destination of school leavers six months after they have left school, and, if not, whether it plans to collect such data in the future.

Question reference: S6W-25043

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which headteachers are in its headteacher taskforce, and how they were selected.

Membership of the Head Teacher Task Force represents a range of perspectives from primary, secondary and special schools, with an interest in school improvement and wellbeing. Head Teachers from the following schools were invited to the Task Force meeting held in June 2023:

Brechin High School

Douglas Academy

Glenrothes High School

Hazelwood ASL School

Heathfield Primary School

John Paul Academy

Mearns Castle High School

Ness Castle Primary School

Oban High School

Preston Lodge High School

Royal High School

Saracen Primary School

Smithycroft Secondary School

St Kentigern’s Academy

Stonelaw High School

Members were identified through a variety of means including Local Authority nominations and engagement in other Scottish Government work.

Question reference: S6W-25044

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the recommendations in the Education Scotland report, Improving Attendance: Understanding the Issues, published on 28 November 2023.

I welcome the report from Education Scotland, which was produced in response to my request for a national evidence base to better understand the current barriers and challenges experienced by schools, children and young people and their families which influence school attendance.

Following its publication, I tasked the Interim Chief Executive of Education Scotland to work directly with Directors of Education to take forward improvement on attendance as a matter of priority. The Interim Chief Executive has since written to all Directors of Education setting out current and future support that Education Scotland can provide to schools and local authorities to improve attendance.

We continue to review the findings of Education Scotland’s report, together with the findings of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, as part of the development of our relationships and behaviour action plan.

Question reference: S6W-25171

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will extend the 100% non-domestic rates relief for eligible day nurseries beyond June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-25023

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it anticipates that the advisory group considering the implementation of the recommendations from the review of allied health professionals will report.

The Advisory Group is expected to offer expert advice and provide assurance on activities being taken forward to progress the implementation of the recommendations of the Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review and, although is not expected to exist in perpetuity, will continue until such time as systems, processes and activities are embedded that can demonstrate that progress is adequately assured..

This is likely to mean at least 4 quarterly meetings and meetings are currently scheduled until October 2024.

The group is chaired by Professor Carolyn McDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, who will report progress towards the implementation of the recommendations to the Chief Nursing Officer and Scottish Ministers as required.

Question reference: S6O-03101

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support access to health and social care services in Glasgow.