- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on what the total number of staff dedicated to child protection services has been in each year since 2012, including the current year to date, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The recruitment and management of staff dedicated to child protection services is a matter for individual local authorities. The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to maintain an adequate workforce to meet the needs of their service users and to fulfil their statutory duties in respect of social work.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many cases in the children’s hearings system have been subject to delay due to a shortage of panel members or professionals since 2012.
Answer
This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government as it relates to an operational matter for the children’s hearings system.
The member should contact the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, one of the statutory bodies of the hearings system, for this information.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 20 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25927 by Natalie Don on 14 March 2024, whether it will provide an updated table regarding how much Disclosure Scotland has spent on employing temporary staff, based on the latest information available.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:
The spend on employing temporary staff in the 9 month period of January to September 2024 was £7,504,000. The spend on employing temporary staff from 2012-2023 was provided in the answer to question S6W-25927 on 14 March 2024. 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.
To note, these figures relate to both agency staff and contractors.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25674 by Patrick Harvie on 7 March 2024, whether it will provide an updated table regarding the number of children who have undertaken cycling proficiency training, based on the latest information available.
Answer
Further to question S6W-25674, the latest Bikeability Scotland participation statistics are as follows:
LOCAL AUTHORITY | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
Aberdeen City | 21% | 25% | 31% | 57% | 68% | 62% | 68% | 42% | 47% | 9% | 27% | 67% | 100% | 100% | |
Aberdeenshire | 93% | 93% | 76% | 91% | 91% | 63% | 80% | 79% | 85% | 27% | 51% | 65% | 65% | 71% | |
Angus | 74% | 72% | 74% | 57% | 43% | 45% | 50% | 67% | 78% | 41% | 71% | 88% | 94% | 96% | |
Argyll & Bute | 45% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 22% | 26% | |
Clackmannanshire | 11% | 11% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 44% | 17% | 33% | 100% | 33% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
Dumfries & Galloway | 70% | 73% | 47% | 30% | 29% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 36% | 4% | 5% | 29% | 69% | 86% | |
Dundee | 0% | 0% | 3% | 23% | 29% | 17% | 11% | 53% | 91% | 67% | 82% | 97% | 100% | 100% | |
East Ayrshire | 7% | 9% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 10% | 8% | |
East Dunbartonshire | 5% | 3% | 5% | 24% | 14% | 8% | 22% | 15% | 67% | 76% | 94% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
East Lothian | 0% | 0% | 11% | 26% | 29% | 23% | 29% | 41% | 49% | 24% | 47% | 94% | 100% | 100% | |
East Renfrewshire | 33% | 40% | 70% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 67% | 83% | 96% | |
Edinburgh | 29% | 40% | 52% | 72% | 70% | 48% | 68% | 60% | 53% | 7% | 26% | 40% | 41% | 38% | |
Falkirk | 4% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 22% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 19% | 6% | 2% | 21% | 19% | |
Fife | 31% | 21% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 21% | 36% | 22% | 29% | 23% | 24% | 33% | 35% | 21% | |
Glasgow | 4% | 4% | 15% | 28% | 25% | 34% | 29% | 35% | 34% | 22% | 33% | 31% | 22% | 24% | |
Highland | 34% | 28% | 16% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 36% | 21% | 30% | 12% | 15% | 22% | 32% | 26% | |
Inverclyde | 4% | 21% | 35% | 10% | 30% | 30% | 20% | 15% | 26% | 0% | 5% | 5% | 10% | 30% | |
Midlothian | 10% | 40% | 63% | 87% | 63% | 63% | 81% | 75% | 69% | 22% | 41% | 65% | 67% | 67% | |
Moray | 96% | 65% | 58% | 47% | 62% | 49% | 37% | 40% | 56% | 27% | 62% | 76% | 93% | 95% | |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 96% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
North Ayrshire | 0% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | |
North Lanarkshire | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 4% | No return | 9% | 10% | 11% | 15% | 29% | 50% | 82% | 64% | |
Orkney | 40% | 40% | 65% | 95% | 90% | 65% | 68% | 63% | 58% | 37% | 90% | 65% | 100% | 100% | |
Perth & Kinross | 91% | 61% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 62% | 52% | 51% | 61% | 26% | 67% | 87% | 90% | 99% | |
Renfrewshire | 6% | 8% | 22% | 29% | 20% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 29% | 10% | 59% | 72% | 84% | 86% | |
Scottish Borders | 54% | 54% | 43% | 8% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 8% | 2% | 25% | 41% | 100% | 100% | |
Shetland | 100% | 53% | 45% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 25% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
South Ayrshire | 79% | 55% | 73% | 76% | 83% | 76% | 81% | 83% | 88% | 44% | 34% | 41% | 59% | 58% | |
South Lanarkshire | 0% | 10% | 17% | 28% | 39% | 34% | 39% | 39% | 43% | 15% | 10% | 40% | 40% | 32% | |
Stirling | 17% | 18% | 5% | 43% | 65% | 68% | 50% | 72% | 66% | 26% | 58% | 74% | 87% | 100% | |
West Dunbartonshire | 9% | 12% | 9% | 21% | 44% | 41% | 49% | 56% | 59% | 13% | 38% | 28% | 31% | 38% | |
West Lothian | 21% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% | 9% | 9% | 22% | 30% | 37% | |
TOTALS | 32% | 32% | 35% | 37% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 42% | 47% | 20% | 37% | 50% | 60% | 60% | |
| | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
Number of pupils trained across all levels of Bikeability Scotland | 25,974 | 30,800 | 32,105 | 33,082 | 36,711 | 36,314 | 43,700 | 16,327 | 41,046 | 52,604 | 60,228* | 54,039 |
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for dental extractions in rural NHS board areas.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of nurseries received a rating of (a) excellent, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) poor from inspections conducted by (i) the Care Inspectorate and (ii) Education Scotland in each year since 2012, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested as it relates to inspection activities undertaken by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland, who will be able to provide analysis of inspection grades on request.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that approximately 1,200 applications for places in special schools were refused, whether it will increase funding and resources to ensure that all children requiring specialised support can access appropriate education without placing any additional pressure on families.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish what direct engagement the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills had with young people, in light of the comments made in her ministerial statement on 19 September 2024 on the Scottish Government's response to the recommendations from the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment.
Answer
I routinely discuss the development of education policy, including in respect of qualifications and assessment, with young people through frequent visits to schools and a range of other events and meetings. The Scottish Government does not intend to publish details of this range of engagements.
I also met with representatives of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) on the 19th of September, prior to the statement, to provide an overview of the Scottish Government response to the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment ahead of its publication.
The views of young people have, and continue to be, vital to informing our approach to evolving the qualifications and assessment system and I remain committed to meaningfully engaging with young people (including the SYP) as we take this work forward.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how the success of the Young Person's Guarantee is evaluated, and what criteria are used to measure its effectiveness.
Answer
The Young Person’s Guarantee Measurement and Evaluation Framework was published in February 2022. This set out the approach envisaged at the time to monitor and evaluate the progress with the Guarantee, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and a planned Implementation Evaluation. The framework is available at: Young Person's Guarantee: measurement and evaluation framework - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
The Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Progress Report (July 2021) and Update Report (March 2023) both highlight progress made over the 2 years. The reports also summarised developments at the time in relation to KPIs identified in the monitoring and evaluation framework. These reports can be found at:
Young Person's Guarantee - implementation: progress report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Young Person's Guarantee: update report March 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The Scottish Government published the Implementation Evaluation of No One Left Behind & the Young Person's Guarantee in August 2023. This evaluation considered progress in implementation and delivery, the experiences of service providers and service users, barriers and enablers to implementation and identified lessons from early delivery.
The Implementation Evaluation of No One Left Behind & the Young Person's Guarantee is available at: No One Left Behind and the Young Person's Guarantee: implementation evaluation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
From April 2023 the Young Person’s Guarantee has been mainstreamed across Government, with activity across education, skills and employability supporting young people into opportunities.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what collaboration exists between the Young Person’s Guarantee and other youth support programmes to ensure comprehensive and equitable support for all young people.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to provide funding to a wide range of organisations and third sector partners to improve support for young people; this includes more specialist support for young people furthest from positive destinations through third sector partners, many whom work in collaboration such as the Young Person’s Consortium (Barnardo’s, Princes Trust and Action for Children) and Inspiring Scotland.
From April 2023 the Young Person’s Guarantee has been mainstreamed across Government, with activity across education, skills and employability supporting young people into opportunities.
