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: S4W-22979

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 13 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what statutory duties local authorities have regarding how school mergers can impact on pupils' health and safety when travelling to school.

The statutory responsibility for the provision of education in Scotland rests with local authorities, including changes to their school estate such as school closures or mergers and consideration of any impact of the change on pupils’ journeys to school.

Local authorities have a duty to make arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing and attending schools in their area. All authorities provide free school transport for pupils living more than the statutory walking distance from the school that is identified as the nearest suitable school, which is defined as two miles for children under the age of eight and three miles for those aged eight and over. In considering these arrangements, authorities are required to have regard to the safety of the pupil.

Question reference: S4O-03638

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest figures on manufactured exports in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-22822

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what statutory duties local authorities have to maintain the buildings of their special needs schools to a safe standard.

Section 17 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 places the responsibility for the maintenance of all school buildings with the local authority. Local authorities also have responsibility, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to ensure - as far as is reasonably practicable - the health and safety of pupils in school. The Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 places the responsibility with those in control of the land or premises (in this case local authorities) to maintain or repair the premises.

Question reference: S4W-22536

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to help disabled people to gain and retain employment.

The Scottish Government places great value on the contribution disabled workers can make to our economy, and is committed to supporting disabled people to enter and sustain employment.

While the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has primary responsible for delivering employment services for disabled people in Scotland, the Scottish Government supports a range of activity to complement and add value to the DWP’s offer.

We support the employability of disabled people by funding a number of programmes and initiatives which include dedicated support for disabled people, for example through employment recruitment initiatives and graduate internships. We also work with local authorities to promote the supported employment framework, a model which places and trains disabled people in work, while supporting their transition to mainstream employment.

The value of employment for disabled people is also embedded in our approach to health and wellbeing, through for example, our mental health strategy and ‘keys to life’ learning disability strategy.

Question reference: S4O-03534

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in tackling unemployment and increasing employment.

Question reference: S4W-22244

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 15 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what happens to childcare funding if a child is unable to use a place offered by a local authority.

Question reference: S4W-22010

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to dyslexic (a) pupils and (b) students who are sitting exams.

With regards to pupils with dyslexia, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) operates a needs-based policy in relation to assessment. Schools identify any assessment arrangements a dyslexic candidate may require. Those most commonly provided for dyslexic candidates in SQA external examinations include extra time, a human reader/scribe, digital question papers or the use of appropriate information and communications technology equipment.

The Scottish Government funds CALL (Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning) Scotland at the University of Edinburgh to lead the development and provision of assistive and communication technology for pupils with disabilities and additional support needs in Scotland. As part of this work, CALL and SQA have developed digital question papers and these have been available for students with additional support needs, including dyslexia, since 2008.

In addition, the Scottish Government has funded the licensing and distribution of “Heather” and “Stuart” which are high quality computer voices with Scottish accents. These can be downloaded from CALL Scotland’s website and installed on school computers free of charge.

All Scottish Higher Education Institutions have specialist dyslexia or disability advisers who can organise individualised support for students with dyslexia, including assessment of their needs, provision of appropriate resources and examination arrangements.

Question reference: S4W-21917

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities have adopted a six-week settling-in period for pupils starting primary one.

The statutory responsibility for the provision of education in Scotland rests with local authorities. In discharging these duties authorities are responsible for the day to day organisation of the schools including the arrangements for the settling in of primary one pupils each year. Information relating to how many local authorities have adopted a six week-settling in period for primary one pupils is not collected centrally by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S4O-03395

Asked by: Fiona McLeod, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to inform doctors about the medical certificate of cause of death that is expected to be introduced in August.

Question reference: S4O-03217

Current Status: Withdrawn