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-18102

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to reduce journey times on railway services between Inverness and Wick.

Question reference: S4O-02578

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcomes were of the President of Turkey's recent visit to Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-17561

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what encouragement it is giving to the establishment of more standalone Gaelic schools.

The Scottish Government is committed to the expansion of Gaelic medium education through support to local authorities who wish to establish new units and schools in their areas. Every encouragement is being given to the establishment of more standalone schools. We are in regular contact with local authorities on this matter and recognise the importance that these developments have for increasing the numbers of those who are able to use the language and that is why I announced on 23 September an additional £4 million over the next two financial years to the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund. Local authorities will be approached again to highlight the funds availability and to invite bids.

Question reference: S4W-17550

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what role single outcome agreements play in the delivery of the National Gaelic Language Plan 2012-17.

Question reference: S4W-17549

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure the visibility of Gaelic at major events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Year of Homecoming and the Ryder Cup.

Question reference: S4W-17559

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that a course, similar to Ceumannan, is made available to students fluent in the Gaelic language.

Ceumannan is an excellent course for Gaelic learner education at secondary level. A multi-year project is on the current Stòrlann Niseanta na Gidhlig publishing programme. The aim is to produce a suite of graded materials comprising of new and existing material. A comprehensive language framework will be a key feature of the new resource. The rationale for such a framework was the focus of practitioner workshops at An t-Alltan in Aviemore.

The language framework articulates with CfE and existing grammar resources such as Mìrean. Materials and resources will be linked to the framework at the various levels. Stòrlann will develop the resource in close collaboration with the teaching profession, Education Scotland, SQA, and local authority advisors.

The materials will be made available to schools and students fluent in the Gaelic language as they are developed and produced. More information can be found at:

http://www.storlann.co.uk/ceumannan/.

Question reference: S4W-17548

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to strengthen the delivery of the National Gaelic Language Plan 2012-17.

The National Gaelic Language Plan is key to the delivery of the Scottish Government’s ambitions for Gaelic in Scotland. We will ensure that National Gaelic Language Plan priorities are at the centre of our Gaelic activity and, along with other key partners, we will seek to improve effectiveness and strengthen delivery in key areas such as early years, school education and promotion in communities. The delivery of the priorities in the plan is a demanding task and cannot be delivered by one body working in isolation. It is essential that all public bodies work in a coordinated manner to ensure the commitments highlighted in the Plan are met. I have asked Bòrd na Gaidhlig to review progress with these commitments and that this is reported to me at our Quarterly meetings.

Question reference: S4W-17551

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its definition is of Gaelic-medium education.

Gaelic medium education has been defined in recent acts of the Scottish Parliament, including the Gaelic (Scotland) Act 2005 and Schools (Consultation) Act 2010, as “teaching by means of the Gaelic language as spoken in Scotland”. The Scottish Government is currently working to prepare National Guidance on Gaelic education. This will provide a more detailed definition of Gaelic medium education.

Question reference: S4W-17557

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers trained to teach Gaelic-medium education have moved to teaching in English at the conclusion of their probationary period since 2007 because there was no full-time post available in Gaelic.

Question reference: S4W-17560

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring forward legislation offering a statutory entitlement to Gaelic education.