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-15099

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government which third sector organisations no longer provide services under the Fair Start Scotland scheme, and in light of these organisations leaving it, whether it will provide an update on the future of the initiative.

Question reference: S5W-14700

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13715 by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 January 2018, what the reasons are for the delay in the delivery of the report and by what date the (a) cabinet secretary will conclude her review and (b) report will be published.

Question reference: S5W-14459

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues regarding the use of restraint and seclusion of children in schools.

The Scottish Government published ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School Exclusions’ in June 2017. This refreshed guidance includes information on seclusion and restraint, and also guidance on recording and monitoring such incidents. The section on restraint and seclusion was approved by the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviours in Schools (SAGRABIS) to be included in the publication.

The Scottish Government also has produced guidance ‘Holding Safely’ on the use of restraint in residential settings, which is also applicable in schools and other establishments. This was refreshed in 2013.

Question reference: S5W-14458

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to hold a consultation on restraint and seclusion in schools, including its guidance on this, similar to the consultation that was launched by the UK Government in 2017.

The Scottish Government has no plans to hold a consultation on the guidance around restraint and seclusion in schools.

In June 2017 we published refreshed guidance ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School which contains information on seclusion and restraint and guidance on recording and monitoring such incidents.

The section on restraint and seclusion was reviewed and approved by the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviours in Schools (SAGRABIS), whose members include representatives from the main teaching unions including Scottish Council of Deans of Education, Association of Headteachers and Deputies Scotland, Educational Institute of Scotland, UNISON and Scottish Secondary Teachers Association.

The Scottish Government also has produced guidance ‘Holding Safely’ on the use of restraint in residential settings, which is also applicable in schools and other establishments.

Question reference: S5W-14152

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether road equivalent tariff for Orkney and the Shetland Islands will be included in its 2018-19 Budget.

Question reference: S5W-14022

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13640 by Derek Mackay on 11 January 2018, when its sector stakeholder engagement will commence; what the time frame will be, and when it expects to know when it will make any changes to sports club relief.

Question reference: S5W-13865

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date in 2018 Road Equivalent Tariff will be introduced for the Shetland Islands.

Question reference: S5W-13715

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12894 by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2017, whether it will provide an update on when the review of the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme will conclude.

Question reference: S5W-13723

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10674 by John Swinney on 24 August 2017, whether the work to agree an approach to help drive improvement progress in reducing the attainment gap concluded in December 2017 and, if (a) not, (i) for what reason and (ii) by what date it will conclude and (b) so, what approaches it (A) selected and (B) rejected, broken down by reason, including whether each method would enable direct comparisons with previous years.

The Scottish Government published its basket of key measures and milestones towards closing the attainment gap for each of those measures as part of the National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan in December 2017. The Scottish Government worked with key stakeholders to explore and agree these specific measures and milestones which will bring clarity about the outcomes being achieved across the system and help drive improvement across all stages of the learner journey and the breadth of issues that can impact on attainment.

As set out in the NIF and Improvement Plan, responses to the consultation generally supported the proposed approach and agreed that a single measure could not describe the attainment gap appropriately. There was also broad support for the use of stretch aims to set milestones for improvement. In response to the views expressed an additional three measures have been included in the basket of key measures: two additional health and well-being measures, covering the social, emotional and behavioural development of children and young people, and one on the achievement of one or more SCQF level 4 qualification upon leaving school.

This is the first time we have had a consistent, national approach to measuring the attainment gap and agreed milestones towards closing it. Some of the key measures are based on existing data which is directly comparable with previous years. Other key measures are new. Moving forward, we will be able to make direct comparisons against previous years across all of the key measures.

Question reference: S5W-13716

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards the university student intake targets for (a) primary and (b) secondary school teacher education.