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: S5W-05715

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04621 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2016, how much income was generated by inbound military flights to Glasgow Prestwick Airport in (a) November – December 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015 and (d) 2016.

Question reference: S5W-05731

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05179 by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016, what the value is of the inward investment for expansion, new and safeguarding projects from 2011-12 up to and including 2015-16.

Question reference: S5W-05714

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much income has been achieved by Glasgow Prestwick Airport in each year since November 2013, and what profit or loss was made.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information by calendar year. However, since the Scottish Government took ownership, the income achieved, along with the operating loss, as reported in the Statement of Profit and Loss in the TS Prestwick Holdco Limited annual report and financial statements are:

Year	Turnover (income) £m	Operating loss £m
For the 17 month period ended 31 March 2015	15.6	8.4
For the 12 month period ended 31 March 2016	11.5	8.7

Question reference: S5W-05688

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it first consulted Scottish Development International on the First Minister's announcement in the Programme for Government on increasing its presence in Berlin.

The September 2016 Programme for Government indicated that we would take further action to boost exports, maintain and attract investment and actively demonstrate that Scotland is open for business. This was reflected in the four point plan to boost Scotland’s export performance, including plans to establish an Innovation and Investment Hub in Berlin, announced by the First Minister on 15 October 2016. We have regular dialogue with Scottish Development International on operational activities to deliver our trade and investment objectives. The Berlin Hub formed part of continuing discussions about increasing our presence in Europe following the outcome of the EU Referendum.

Question reference: S5W-05633

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (c) the Scottish Funding Council and (d) Skills Development Scotland has a legal personality distinct from ministers and from any new statutory board.

Question reference: S5W-05493

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional support for learning teachers there are, also broken down by each year since 2007.

Question reference: S5W-05649

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how arrangements for teacher salaries are determined for grant-aided special schools and whether they are covered by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) sets out the pay and conditions of service for teachers and associated professionals employed by Scottish Councils. As grant-aided special schools are independent of Scottish Councils and the Scottish Government, pay and conditions set by the SNCT do not automatically apply. It is for each grant-aided special school and its Board of Governors to decide if they wish to apply the SNCT pay and conditions to their teachers as part of their role as employers.

Question reference: S5W-05648

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether its funding arrangements for grant-aided special schools make provision for teaching staff, including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

Grant-aided special schools receive funding from the Scottish Government. This funding is provided to enable delivery of specialist provision for children and young people with complex additional support needs to overcome barriers to learning and realise their potential. This targeted support will be tailored to the needs of the child and may include speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

Question reference: S5W-05491

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children with learning disabilities are being taught in special schools, also broken down by each year since 2007.

The percentage of children with learning disabilities being taught in special schools broken down by each year since 2007 is as follows.

Pupils in Scotland with a Learning Disability - 2007-2016

Learning Disability	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Special Schools	3388	4134	4097	4126	4266	4421	4604	4601	4569	4311
All Schools	7399	8956	9232	11534	14673	15979	15859	15600	15324	14608
Percentage Special	46%	46%	44%	36%	29%	28%	29%	29%	30%	30%

All pupils with an ASN	36,510	38,716	44,176	69,587	98,523	118,034	131,621	140,542	153,192	170,329
of which special school pupils	6,709	6,756	6,673	6,800	6,973	6,976	6,984	6,981	6,920	6,735
of which mainstream school pupils	29,801	31,960	37,503	62,787	91,550	111,058	124,637	133,561	146,272	163,594

All special school pupils	6,709	6,756	6,673	6,800	6,973	6,976	6,984	6,981	6,920	6,735
All mainstream school pupils	685,506	674,817	670,067	666,333	663,538	664,242	666,546	669,974	673,087	677,680
All pupils	692,215	681,573	676,740	673,133	670,511	671,218	673,530	676,955	680,007	684,415
Percentage ASN	5%	6%	7%	10%	15%	18%	20%	21%	23%	25%
Percentage of ASN pupils that are at Special schools	18%	17%	15%	10%	7%	6%	5%	5%	5%	4%

Percentage of Special school pupils with a Learning Disability	50%	61%	61%	61%	61%	63%	66%	66%	66%	64%

Question reference: S5W-05492

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on each of the 22 recommendations in the Enable Scotland report, #IncludED in the Main?!, and how it will implement them.

The Scottish Government will consider the recommendations of the Enable Scotland Report #Included In the Main?! In conjunction with the Advisory Group for Additional Support for Learning and other key stakeholders.

The Scottish Government is in the process of developing revised guidance for education authorities and schools on the presumption of mainstream education. This guidance is being developed in partnership with key stakeholders including Enable Scotland and will be published for public consultation early in 2017.