Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-27759

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing on 3 March 2020 (Official Report, c. 78), which members of the Expert Women’s Health Group have specific experience and expertise in dealing with the issues regarding pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, and whether it will publish the agenda and minutes of the meeting that took place on 5 February 2020 and routinely make public future agendas and minutes.

A full list of members of the Women’s Health Group can be found on the Women’s Health Plan page of the Scottish Government website using the following link: https://www.gov.scot/groups/womens-health-plan-womens-health-group/ Those members who are obstetricians have specific experience and expertise in dealing with pre-eclampsia. Papers including approved minutes of meetings will also be published on the website.

Question reference: S5W-27677

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help encourage an increase in the recycling of medical plastic, including anaesthetic plastic, and what support it provides to NHS boards, anaesthetists and other staff to assist with this.

Each NHS Board has an appointed Waste Management Officer or Manager whose responsibilities include promotion of best practice in waste management and recycling. They work closely with clinical and estate colleagues to ensure that the appropriate waste collection infrastructure is in place and that correct use if promoted throughout the Board.

At a national level, NHS National Services Scotland provides a range of professional advice and support to all NHS Boards in relation to waste management and sustainability, including development of national best practice guidance such as the NHSScotland Waste Management Action Plan, training programmes, and procurement advice. These services are provided primarily through Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) via its Energy and Sustainability Team and NHSScotland National Procurement.

In terms of specific actions relating to anaesthetic services, the Health Facilities Scotland Energy and Sustainability Team works with organisations such as the Association of Anaesthetists Great Britain and Northern Ireland to raise awareness of climate change and sustainability issues and to promote sustainable best practice.

Question reference: S5W-27726

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many ambulances have been out of use, for example because of requiring repair, since 2007, also broken down by (a) quarter and (b) percentage of the total number of ambulances.

Question reference: S5W-27660

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many places have been available for people to study (a) childcare and (b) adult social care in each year since 1999.

The number of places which have been made available to study childcare and adult social care qualifications is not held centrally. The Scottish Social Services Council gathers data on the provision and uptake of Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Health and Social Care and Children’s Care Learning and Development in Scotland and the latest report can be found at https://data.sssc.uk.com/data-publications/20-svq-reports .

Question reference: S5W-27659

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have graduated in (a) childcare and (b) adult social care in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S5O-04275

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is making with efforts to reduce waiting times for toxicology results.

Question reference: S5W-27696

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the time period is for the confirmation of a positive case of the coronavirus, COVID-19, following initial testing.

Question reference: S5W-27697

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how long it takes for samples of suspected cases of the coronavirus, COVID-19, in Scotland to be sent to the Public Health England laboratory in London for confirmatory tests.

Question reference: S5W-27679

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out a pilot study into medical techniques that recapture anaesthetic vapour, similar to that being undertaken in NHS England.

For clarity, recapturing anaesthetic vapour is an engineering solution, not a medical technique.

NHS Scotland currently has no plans to pilot an engineering solution that recaptures anaesthetic vapour in Scotland, though we remain open to new ideas being tested in other countries. However, NHS Scotland anaesthetist teams are proactive in this area and since 2012, Health Facilities Scotland estimate that they have reduced emissions in anaesthetic gases by more than one third. This has been achieved through the combination of the use of low-flow anaesthesia techniques, and using oxygen / air as a primary carrier for anaesthetic agents rather than Nitrogen oxides.

Question reference: S5W-27605

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21804 by John Swinney on 5 March 2019, whether it will provide the same information for 2018-19.

Data detailing spending on additional support for learning is collected from local authorities via the Local Financial Returns (LFR).

Data from 2018-19 is provided in the following tables.

Local authorities are asked to provide this data in line with relevant guidance to ensure returns are completed on a consistent basis to allow for a reasonable degree of comparability. However, these figures may be affected by variations in local accounting practices and Education strategies. It is important to consider these factors when making comparisons between local authorities and years.

Local authorities are asked to record all centrally funded additional support for learning expenditure under Special Education, irrespective of where it is delivered. The level of centrally funded additional support for learning provision will vary between local authorities and so can make comparisons at this level difficult to interpret.

The 2017-18 data previously provided (S5W-21804) has been revised, and is therefore included here for reference).

Decisions about prioritisation and budgets, including those for the provision of services for pupils with additional support needs, are a matter for individual councils. We recognise the challenges facing authorities in balancing their need to meet a wide range of statutory duties, local priorities and local circumstances.

Table 1 shows gross revenue expenditure on additional support for learning education from 2018-19 split by Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Special Education.

Table 1

Additional Support for Learning Expenditure 2018-19 (£000s)
	Pre-Primary Education	Primary Education	Secondary Education	Special Education	Total
Scotland	7,545	67,040	51,369	534,671	660,625
Aberdeen City	0	8,775	4,110	10,216	23,101
Aberdeenshire	0	0	0	33,970	33,970
Angus	0	0	0	9,065	9,065
Argyll & Bute	544	3,222	3,673	2,553	9,992
City of Edinburgh	0	5	4	36,869	36,878
Clackmannanshire	0	0	0	8,649	8,649
Dumfries & Galloway	0	0	0	18,617	18,617
Dundee City	211	3,633	1,701	6,700	12,245
East Ayrshire	0	0	0	14,827	14,827
East Dunbartonshire	123	1,798	1,573	10,703	14,197
East Lothian	0	2,786	1,990	8,930	13,706
East Renfrewshire	435	2,057	1,426	7,163	11,081
Falkirk	0	0	0	20,492	20,492
Fife	0	0	0	34,497	34,497
Glasgow City	3,183	15,489	13,731	65,445	97,848
Highland	0	0	0	40,941	40,941
Inverclyde	201	0	0	9,386	9,587
Midlothian	32	3,281	2,097	10,893	16,303
Moray	0	0	0	13,518	13,518
Na h-Eileanan Siar	0	0	0	4,772	4,772
North Ayrshire	0	0	0	14,177	14,177
North Lanarkshire	410	6,824	3,453	29,321	40,008
Orkney Islands	10	1,299	1,053	1,686	4,048
Perth & Kinross	257	1,961	1,194	12,602	16,014
Renfrewshire	1,119	3,638	3,246	14,889	22,892
Scottish Borders	0	0	0	10,979	10,979
Shetland Islands	0	0	0	6,096	6,096
South Ayrshire	0	0	0	15,687	15,687
South Lanarkshire	550	8,371	8,703	18,925	36,549
Stirling	73	1,184	1,945	9,924	13,126
West Dunbartonshire	397	2,717	1,470	11,592	16,176
West Lothian	0	0	0	20,587	20,587

All figures are gross expenditure on a funding basis. This means they have not been adjusted for inter / intra authority transfers.

Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

Table 2 shows the percentage of total gross revenue expenditure on education by local authorities which is accounted for by spending on additional support for learning in 2018-19.

Table 2

Percentage of total education spending on additional support for Learning 2018-19
All Local Authorities	12%
Aberdeen City	13%
Aberdeenshire	12%
Angus	8%
Argyll & Bute	9%
City of Edinburgh	9%
Clackmannanshire	15%
Dumfries & Galloway	12%
Dundee City	8%
East Ayrshire	11%
East Dunbartonshire	11%
East Lothian	14%
East Renfrewshire	9%
Falkirk	12%
Fife	10%
Glasgow City	16%
Highland	15%
Inverclyde	11%
Midlothian	16%
Moray	15%
Na h-Eileanan Siar	11%
North Ayrshire	9%
North Lanarkshire	11%
Orkney Islands	12%
Perth & Kinross	10%
Renfrewshire	14%
Scottish Borders	9%
Shetland Islands	12%
South Ayrshire	13%
South Lanarkshire	11%
Stirling	13%
West Dunbartonshire	15%
West Lothian	10%

Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 1) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

Table 3 shows the average per-pupil spending on additional support for learning by local authority. This data shows gross revenue expenditure on additional support for learning in primary, secondary and special education from the local financial returns, divided by the number of pupils identified as having additional support needs recorded in the 2018 Pupil Census

Table 3 (2018-19)

Additional support for learning spending per pupil recorded as having additional support need (£s)
All Local Authorities	3,286
Aberdeen City	3,240
Aberdeenshire	2,289
Angus	3,431
Argyll & Bute	3,893
City of Edinburgh	2,506
Clackmannanshire	4,610
Dumfries & Galloway	2,987
Dundee City	2,920
East Ayrshire	3,455
East Dunbartonshire	4,137
East Lothian	3,773
East Renfrewshire	2,806
Falkirk	3,561
Fife	2,907
Glasgow City	3,704
Highland	3,235
Inverclyde	3,497
Midlothian	4,741
Moray	3,421
Na h-Eileanan Siar	4,669
North Ayrshire	2,746
North Lanarkshire	4,753
Orkney Islands	5,054
Perth & Kinross	2,607
Renfrewshire	3,701
Scottish Borders	2,308
Shetland Islands	5,655
South Ayrshire	4,618
South Lanarkshire	3,085
Stirling	3,814
West Dunbartonshire	3,440
West Lothian	2,703

Sources:

1. Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government. (2018-19)

2. Pupil Census – published annually - for further details go to: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus18

Updates for 2017-18 data:

Table 1 Additional Support for Learning Expenditure 2017-18 (£000s)
	Pre-Primary Education	Primary Education	Secondary Education	Special Education	Total
Scotland*	6,504	70,094	48,867	507,668	633,133
Aberdeen City	0	7,814	3,175	11,640	22,629
Aberdeenshire	0	0	0	33,317	33,317
Angus	0	0	0	9,083	9,083
Argyll & Bute	502	2,976	3,393	2,338	9,209
City of Edinburgh	0	3	1	34,554	34,558
Clackmannanshire	0	0	0	8,932	8,932
Dumfries & Galloway	0	7,040	2,279	8,811	18,130
Dundee City	375	3,419	1,618	7,017	12,429
East Ayrshire	0	0	0	12,201	12,201
East Dunbartonshire	112	1,608	1,494	10,372	13,586
East Lothian	0	2,786	1,990	8,763	13,539
East Renfrewshire	543	1,977	1,394	7,327	11,241
Falkirk	0	0	0	19,032	19,032
Fife	0	0	0	33,715	33,715
Glasgow City	2,744	14,100	11,303	62,268	90,415
Highland	0	0	0	39,729	39,729
Inverclyde	165	0	0	9,034	9,199
Midlothian	57	3,071	2,000	10,540	15,668
Moray	0	0	0	12,400	12,400
Na h-Eileanan Siar	0	0	0	4,786	4,786
North Ayrshire	0	0	0	13,389	13,389
North Lanarkshire	495	7,767	3,649	28,318	40,229
Orkney Islands	35	1,230	928	1,572	3,765
Perth & Kinross	236	1,924	1,150	11,766	15,076
Renfrewshire	433	3,091	2,303	16,052	21,879
Scottish Borders	0	0	0	10,496	10,496
Shetland Islands	0	0	0	5,719	5,719
South Ayrshire	0	0	0	15,726	15,726
South Lanarkshire	429	7,787	8,126	17,705	34,047
Stirling*	0	734	1,486	10,688	12,908
West Dunbartonshire	378	2,767	2,578	11,381	17,104
West Lothian	0	0	0	18,997	18,997

Notes

*All figures are gross expenditure on a funding basis. This means they have not been adjusted for inter / intra authority transfers.

*For Stirling, the figure in the column for special education has changed from that previously provided (£5,495k). This also impacts on the Total Schools figure for Stirling (previously £7,715k), the proportion figure of the total education expenditure figure (previously 7%, see next Table 2).

*Scotland figures in special education and total schools have changed from those previously provided due to the revisions relating to Stirling.

Table 2 shows the percentage of total gross revenue expenditure on education by local authorities which is accounted for by spending on additional support for learning in 2017-18.

Table 2

Percentage of total education spending on additional support for Learning 2017-18
All Local Authorities	12%
Aberdeen City	12%
Aberdeenshire	12%
Angus	8%
Argyll & Bute	9%
City of Edinburgh	10%
Clackmannanshire	16%
Dumfries & Galloway	12%
Dundee City	9%
East Ayrshire*	9%
East Dunbartonshire	11%
East Lothian	14%
East Renfrewshire	10%
Falkirk	12%
Fife	10%
Glasgow City	17%
Highland	15%
Inverclyde	11%
Midlothian	16%
Moray	14%
Na h-Eileanan Siar	11%
North Ayrshire	9%
North Lanarkshire	11%
Orkney Islands	12%
Perth & Kinross	10%
Renfrewshire	14%
Scottish Borders	9%
Shetland Islands	12%
South Ayrshire	14%
South Lanarkshire	11%
Stirling 3	12%
West Dunbartonshire	17%
West Lothian	10%

Notes: *The proportion for East Ayrshire has changed from that previously provided (10%). No apparent revisions to these figures so may have been a rounding error.

Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 1) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

Table 3 shows the average per-pupil spending on additional support for learning by local authority. This data shows gross revenue expenditure (2017-18) on additional support for learning in primary, secondary and special education from the local financial returns, divided by the number of pupils identified as having additional support needs recorded in the 2017 Pupil Census

Table 3 (2017-18)

Additional support for learning spending per pupil recorded as having additional support need (£s)
All Local Authorities	3,421
Aberdeen City	3,268
Aberdeenshire	2,326
Angus	4,431
Argyll & Bute	3,710
City of Edinburgh	2,697
Clackmannanshire	4,614
Dumfries & Galloway	3,024
Dundee City	3,267
East Ayrshire	2,934
East Dunbartonshire	3,998
East Lothian	4,171
East Renfrewshire	2,940
Falkirk	3,474
Fife	3,078
Glasgow City	4,157
Highland	3,312
Inverclyde	3,414
Midlothian	4,854
Moray	3,138
Na h-Eileanan Siar	4,571
North Ayrshire	2,691
North Lanarkshire	4,879
Orkney Islands	4,440
Perth & Kinross	2,440
Renfrewshire	5,221
Scottish Borders	2,391
Shetland Islands	6,052
South Ayrshire	5,024
South Lanarkshire	3,191
Stirling	3,834
West Dunbartonshire	3,620
West Lothian	2,650

Sources:

1. Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government. (2017-18)

2. Pupil Census – published annually - for further details go to: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus/dspupcensus17 .

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