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-25715

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gives to the views of (a) service users and (b) carers when determining the resources to be allocated to centres for people with (i) learning difficulties and (ii) other additional support needs.

The approach being taken across many local authorities is one of personalised and tailored support in line with self-directed support legislation and guidance. The Scottish Government expects local authorities to undertake detailed planning work with individuals and relevant carers where each are supported to describe personal outcomes including meaningful day activities.

Whilst the Scottish Government provides the funding and sets national policy direction to local authorities and NHS boards, ultimately it is up to local authorities to set their own targets, deliver services and allocate resources according to local pressures and priorities.

The Scottish Government expects local authorities to consult with service users and carers when determining the resources to be allocated to centres for people with learning disabilities and other additional support needs.

Question reference: S4W-25716

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the guidelines published in The keys to life - Improving quality of life for people with learning disabilities have had in the number of day centres.

Question reference: S4W-25714

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on the quality of life of disabled people who (a) have and (b) do not have access to a community-based day centre.

Question reference: S4W-25576

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been recorded as having (a) a language or speech disorder, (b) an autistic spectrum disorder and (c) a social and emotional behavioural difficulty in each year since 2003.

The number of children, as recorded by the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, as having (a) a language or speech disorder, (b) an autistic spectrum disorder and (c) a social and emotional behavioural difficulty in each year since 2003 was recorded as follows:

Main Difficulty	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Language and speech disorder*	1,440	1,514	1,679	853	393
Autistic spectrum disorder	2,663	3,090	3,484	1,608	631
Social, emotional and behavioural difficulty	3,849	4,131	4,445	2,051	1,290
Reason for Support	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Language or speech disorder				2,134	3,330	4,415	4,754	7,200	9,782	11,367	12,708	13,697
Autistic spectrum disorder				2,443	3,919	4,900	5,254	6,506	7,801	8,650	9,946	10,805
Social, emotional and behavioural difficulty				4,243	5,696	8,138	9,267	14,738	20,430	23,485	26,715	28,354

Notes:

*From 2004-07, this was called ‘significant language and speech disorder’

‘Main Difficulty’ meant each child could only be assigned one difficulty, while children can be assigned any number of reasons for support.

The way in which additional support for learning statistics were collected was changed in 2010. Prior to 2010, only pupils with co-ordinated support plans, individualised education programmes or who were attending a special school were recorded as having additional support needs. In 2010, this was extended to include anyone receiving additional support, regardless of whether it was under a formal plan. This accounts for the large increase in the number of pupils recorded with additional support needs since 2010.

Question reference: S4W-25486

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what process it used to identify candidates for the role of the independent adviser on poverty and inequality, and how many people (a) applied, (b) it approached and (c) were interviewed for the post.

Question reference: S4W-25485

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the appointment of the independent adviser on poverty and inequality.

Question reference: S4W-25487

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the remit will be of the independent adviser on poverty and inequality and what budget has been allocated to the post.

As set out in the Programme for Government, the independent advisor’s role will include gathering insights into people’s experiences, raising the public awareness of the scale and realities of living in poverty, seeking views on further actions to reduce poverty and inequality in Scotland, and holding public events including with the First Minister.

We will finalise the budget allocated to the post following the appointment and in discussion with the independent advisor.

Question reference: S4W-25493

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what process it used to consult stakeholders regarding the remit of the independent adviser on poverty and inequality and what stakeholders (a) were approached and (b) responded.

Question reference: S4O-04375

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy's position is on reclassifying Scottish Futures Trust debt as public borrowing and how much he expects the total to be.

Question reference: S4W-25440

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 20 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it will help parents who are subject to unfair childcare retainer fees.

Most afterschool care services are either small parent committee led voluntary sector services or small private businesses. The use of retainer fees in after school care services, private nurseries and sometimes by childminders, is fairly common practice in Scotland, and we are not aware that providers are acting illegally by charging such fees.

Retainer fees could be used to hold a childcare place over the summer or as a form of insurance for the provider as they need to pay rent and staff wages, no matter what a parents chooses to do (e.g. if a parent cancels a child's place at short notice).

The use of retainer fees by private business, are a matter for individual businesses, and the Scottish Government cannot comment on or intervene in such decisions.