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-05642

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there has been a 65% increase in the number of requests for paper remarking or checks by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

The number of requests to the SQA’s Post Results Service in 2016 needs to be seen in the context of the introduction of a new service from 2014.

Whilst the 13,908 requests made in 2016 represents a 64.6% increase on the 8,448 requests made in 2014, it is a much smaller increase of 15.2% on the 12,077 requests made in 2015. Furthermore, in 2013, the final year of the previous Appeals system, the number of appeals lodged was 66,204 (or 6.5% of entries).

It is not unexpected that the number of review requests since 2014 should increase as schools and colleges become more familiar with the service.

The number of Post Results Service requests made in 2016 is a very small proportion of the total number of entries at 2.7%. Grades only changed for 0.5% of all eligible entries as a result of marking reviews.

Question reference: S5W-05811

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether any local authorities have made changes to the definition of "Additional Support Needs" since 2010.

Question reference: S5W-05835

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government which academic or research studies it considered prior to the publication of the review of school governance.

The Scottish Government is committed to taking an evidence-led approach to the reform of Scottish education. The Education Governance Review is underpinned by current evidence on the performance of Scottish education and best practice internationally of the effective governance of education systems.

The key sources and documents used to inform our approach to the review are set out in chapter 10 (“Evidence and Reference Materials”) on page 20 of “Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve excellence and equity in education: A governance review”, which is available on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/09/1251.

Question reference: S5W-05836

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05026 by John Swinney on 6 December 2016, whether it will confirm that local authorities hold teacher vacancy data.

Question reference: S5W-05665

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the minutes of each meeting that it had with (a) Universities Scotland, (b) Colleges Scotland and (c) the Scottish Funding Council regarding the enterprise and skills review (i) prior to and (ii) after the announcement of the review.

Question reference: S5W-05666

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with (a) Universities Scotland and (b) Colleges Scotland regarding the abolition of the Scottish Funding Council board in advance of the publication of the report, Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 1.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with both Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland to discuss a range of matters, including the Enterprise and Skills Review. Most recently, SG officials discussed the conclusions of Phase one and preparations for Phase two of the Review at the Colleges Scotland Principals’ Group on 5 December 2016 and with Universities Scotland on 7 December 2016.

Question reference: S5W-05667

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the evidence that it has received from stakeholders that supports the abolition of the Scottish Funding Council board.

Question reference: S5W-05444

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to receive the final report on the consultation carried out by Peter Brett Associates on ferry fares between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland.

The recent consultation exercises carried out by consultants PBA were held to give those who use the services a voice, and an opportunity to feed into the process.

Peter Brett Associates (PBA) have now completed the Fares Consultation on ferry fares for Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) and analysed almost 2000 responses.

Their draft Consultation Report is currently being finalised. The Scottish Government expects to receive it soon.

Question reference: S5W-05348

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what role further education institutions will play in the allocation of the Apprenticeship Levy.

Question reference: S5W-05343

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 19 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04942 by Michael Russell on 1 December 2016, by what date it will publish each specific proposal.