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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 38 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S7W-01763

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop national training programmes to support educators to identify and respond to children's needs, and what funding and resources it will provide to ensure that staff across nurseries, schools and colleges receive such training.

Scotland’s education system is designed to be inclusive for all children and young people, with or without additional support needs(ASNs).

In Early Years provision, the recent National Occupational Standards review is informing the redevelopment of qualifications and associated learning resources to ensure those entering and working within the profession develop the knowledge, skills and values needed to support children's learning, development and wellbeing, including identifying and responding to diverse ASNs.

The Scottish Government also worked with the Scottish Social Services Council to develop an online professional learning portal specifically for childcare professionals.

In schools, every teacher is trained to assist those with ASNs to meet professional registration standards as part of Initial Teacher Education. In addition, teachers and school staff have access to Education Scotland’s Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning Framework.

We are investing a further £29 million this year to support ASN staff. This is in addition to the record local authority spend on ASN of nearly £1.1 billion in 2024-25.

The National ASN Data Improvement Programme is focusing on improving the consistency of how additional support needs are identified and recorded across Scotland. As part of this work, the Scottish Government is working with local authorities and national partners to develop and deliver professional learning and guidance to support staff in identifying and responding to additional support needs.

Colleges work closely with schools and other relevant agencies to ensure children accessing further education benefit from an inclusive learning environment that supports the needs of a diverse range of learners. Operational decisions, such as staff training requirements to enable colleges to fulfil legal and wider duties, is the responsibility of individual colleges.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to build on these professional learning opportunities during this parliamentary session.

Question reference: S7W-01762

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to revise guidance to local authorities on supporting autistic children with a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile.

Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional needs of their pupils including those with a Pathological Demand Avoidance profile.

Support should be evidence led and we have worked closely with partners to develop resources for teachers such as the Autism Toolbox. The toolbox provides a range of information and guidance to support the education of autistic learners. We have also created resources to support universities teaching their students about autism and how best to support autistic children and young people in schools. We will continue to work with education partners and the wider autistic community to consider and develop new areas of work to improve the support on offer to autistic children and young people.

Question reference: S7W-01619

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to pilot the proposed three-year job guarantee scheme for newly qualified teachers prior to any national implementation.

Question reference: S7W-01628

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to deliver its proposed three-year job guarantee scheme for newly qualified teachers in circumstances where there are insufficient suitable vacancies within a teacher's preferred subject area, local authority area or sector.

Question reference: S7W-01624

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact of its proposed three-year job guarantee scheme for newly qualified teachers on the wider teaching labour market.

Question reference: S7W-01623

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide any additional funding to local authorities and schools to help them support the delivery of its proposed three-year job guarantee scheme for newly qualified teachers.

Question reference: S7W-01621

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide funding directly for its proposed three-year job guarantee scheme for newly qualified teachers or whether funding will be distributed through local authorities, existing school budgets or through another mechanism.

Question reference: S7O-00122

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether children and young people in kinship care are eligible to receive the care leaver payment.