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-16487

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what responsibilities (a) schools and (b) education authorities have regarding bullying incidents (i) on and (b) off school property where the victim and perpetrator are pupils at that school.

Children and young people should feel happy, safe, respected and included in their learning environment and all staff must be proactive in promoting positive relationships and behaviour in the classroom, playground, and wider learning community.

In November 2017 we published ‘Respect for All: The National Approach to Anti-bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People’ which provides support and advice to schools and local authorities and all those working with children and young people to address incidents of bullying. The focus of the guidance is on prevention and early intervention, to understand and act on the reasons for the behaviour behind any incident of bullying.

All schools should develop and implement an anti-bullying policy, which should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. ‘Respect for All’ provides guidance on what should be included within an Anti-bullying policy, which should as a guiding principle demonstrate a clear commitment to develop a respectful, equitable and inclusive culture and ethos within a school.

respect me , Scotland’s anti-bullying service, will continue to provide direct support to local authorities, youth groups and all those working with children and young people, to build confidence and capacity to address bullying effectively aligned to ‘Respect for All’ This engagement includes Independent and faith-based schools.

A priority for this service will continue to promote a preventative and inclusive approach to addressing bullying through partnership working.

Question reference: S5W-16501

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether instances of (a) racial and (b) sexualised racial assault in schools are recorded centrally.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on instances of racial and sexualised racial assault in schools. The Short Life Working Group on Recording and Monitoring Bullying in Schools will recommend improvements to SEEMiS to enable the recording of incidents of racial bullying at a local level.

If an assault has taken place then schools must record this through their Child Protection procedures and liaise with Police Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-16491

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government which third-sector organisations were represented on its advisory council for its anti-bullying strategy, and whether any have a specific remit of advocating for discriminated persons.

The working group that informed the development of ‘Respect for All’ included LGBT Youth Scotland; Stonewall Scotland; and ENABLE. All of these organisations have a specific remit for advocating for discriminated persons.

LGBT Youth Scotland and Stonewall Scotland advocate for equality for LGBTI pupils, ENABLE is a member led charity that supports people who have learning disabilities and their families.

Question reference: S5W-16488

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines prejudice-based bullying in its work to tackle bullying in schools.

We published ‘Respect for all : The National Approach to Anti-Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People’ in November 2017 which includes a definition of prejudice-based bullying.

Prejudice-based bullying is when bullying behaviour is motivated by prejudice based on an individual’s actual or perceived identify; it can be based on a characteristics unique to a child’s or young person’s identify or circumstance.

Bullying behaviour may be a result of prejudice that relates to perceived or actual differences. This can lead to behaviour and language that could manifest into racism, sexism, homophobia, biphopia or transphobia or prejudice and discrimination towards disability or faith.

Question reference: S5W-16498

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on collecting national data regarding prejudice-based bullying, instead of collecting this on a local basis.

We recognise that monitoring of bullying incidents is essential and helps organisations identify recurring patterns thereby ensuring early intervention and support. In addition, the data can help identify numeric trends, specific issues around equality and diversity and other relevant data/patterns which may help schools and local authorities to address bullying incidents efficiently.

That is why we believe that collection of data is more appropriate at the local authority and school level.

Question reference: S5W-16495

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that education authorities meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to work to (a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, (b) advance equality of opportunity and (c) foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, in relation to bullying.

Bullying of any form is entirely unacceptable and we must challenge and address all types of bullying behaviour in schools. We want all children and young people to learn tolerance, respect, equality and good citizenship to address and prevent prejudice.

Education authorities are covered by the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (as amended), which sets out a number specific duties for public authorities, including: publishing equality outcomes, assessing policies and practices against the requirements of the public sector equality duty; publishing employee information; and reporting on the mainstreaming of equality throughout the organisation.

Education authorities publish regular reports, either in their own right or as part of a local authority, on the work they are doing to deliver the public sector equality duty. Regulation of the Equality Act 2010, including the 2012 Regulations, is carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Education Scotland is responsible for inspecting all schools in Scotland (local authority and independent) against the same quality indicators as part of assessing How Good is Your school (HGIOS4).

Question reference: S5W-16496

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that prejudice-based bullying is recorded and monitored by education authorities.

Monitoring of bullying incidents is essential and helps organisations identify recurring patterns thereby ensuring early intervention and appropriate support.

Following the publication of ‘Respect for All’ we have been working closely with local authority representatives, teacher and parent organisations and key stakeholder bodies to develop a universal and consistent approach to recording and monitoring incidents of bullying in schools.

The implementation of the universal approach to recording and monitoring will continue to be overseen by the Working Group on Recording and Monitoring of Bullying in Schools to ensure consistency in use and to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Question reference: S5W-16492

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to incorporate a legal definition of prejudiced-based bullying in Scots law and, if so, how this is being progressed.

There is no legal definition of bullying in Scotland and there are currently no plans to define bullying including prejudice-based bullying in law.

The Equality Act 2010 places an obligation on schools and other public authorities to ensure that bullying by pupils that is related to a protected characteristic is treated with the same level of seriousness as any other form of bullying and that anti-bullying and other relevant policies are assessed against the public sector equality duty.

Question reference: S5O-01880

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group regarding Cold Weather Payments.

Question reference: S5O-01784

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential economic impact on East Kilbride, what its response is to reports that HMRC has leased premises in Glasgow to progress the closure plans for Centre 1.