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-24896

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it received the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report dated June 2019.

Question reference: S5W-24891

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23961 by Maree Todd on 18 July 2019, whether it expects the near doubling of uptake of the two-year-old offer to be achieved by the end of the funding agreement with local government in 2021-22, or whether an alternative deadline has been set.

The Scottish Government and local government reached a multi-year funding package to enable the near doubling of the statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare from 600 to 1140 hours each for all 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds from August 2020. Our funding agreement includes the resources sufficient to deliver the welcome commitment from local authorities to nearly doubling the uptake of funded early learning and childcare among eligible 2 year olds in 2021-22.

The recent ELC Delivery Progress Report published by the Improvement Service showed that over 2,000 2 year olds are already accessing more than 600 hours of funded ELC as a result of early phasing. Local authorities are working hard to reach their forecast uptake levels in 2021-22 through raising awareness and uptake locally, supported by the national actions described in my answer to S5W 24894 on 23 September 2019.

Having the same access to UK Government administrative data about potentially eligible households as English local authorities will make a real difference to Scottish local authorities’ ability to promote the 2 year old funded early learning and childcare offer. We continue to work with the UK Government to secure the necessary legal data-sharing gateway, in line with UK Parliament timescales.

It is of course for families to choose whether they wish to take up some or all of their child’s entitlement to funded early learning and childcare – it is an offer rather than a mandatory requirement, and families must be allowed to make the best decision for their child. We are working with our partners to ensure that all families with eligible children are aware of the offer and the benefits of funded ELC, so they can make an informed choice for their family.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-24897

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) a copy of all the local authority free text narratives referred to in the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report dated June 2019.

The Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Delivery Progress Report published in August 2019, which uses data collected by the Improvement Service from local authorities in June 2019, provides a national level overview of progress in delivering the expansion.

The Scottish Government has no plans to place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre information a breakdown of the figures or narrative provided by individual local authorities.

Question reference: S5W-24890

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23960 by Maree Todd on 18 July 2019, what training, guidance and support is available to professionals regarding the two-year-old entitlement in order to increase awareness and uptake.

Trusted professionals play a crucial role in raising awareness and uptake of funded early learning and childcare by eligible two year olds – especially where families are new to early learning and childcare.

We are working with partners with a remit around health, child poverty and parenting to raise awareness of the two year old offer amongst Health Visitors , Social Workers and other professionals who come into contact with families who may be eligible for funded ELC, for example through attending at sector events and highlighting the ELC offer in publications. Early Learning and Childcare is included as a topic that can be discussed at the Child Health Development reviews in the Universal Health Visiting Pathway. We have also created a toolkit of useful materials to help partners share information about ELC in the way that best suits their sector. This includes advice on language; FAQs; and materials for local dissemination.

We are increasing national resources and advice, so that trusted professionals can signpost families to find out more about funded ELC for 2 year olds. Our new ELC hub on Parent Club is designed for parents and carers and those working with them. We also publish and disseminate leaflets through a range of routes to reach families and trusted professionals – for example Book Bug, libraries and ELC settings.

The ELC offer and application process for eligible 2 year olds vary by individual council area, so local authorities’ information and communication about what is available locally for eligible 2 year olds and how to access the offer is very important. The Children and Young People Improvement Collaborative (CYPIC) ELC Practicum is looking at how to improve uptake and awareness in 9 local authority areas, and participants will share their learning with other local authorities later in the year. Local authority colleagues are also using the dedicated ELC Knowledge Hub space to share learning and resources.

Question reference: S5F-03545

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2019

Question to be taken in the Chamber.

Question reference: S5F-03519

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2019

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-24794

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charging and Other Measures.

Question reference: S5W-23979

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23526 by Joe FitzPatrick on 12 June 2019, what the evidence basis is for the three-month tolerance.

Question reference: S5W-23977

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23526 by Joe FitzPatrick on 12 June 2019, when the three-month tolerance was introduced, and how long it expects it to be in place for.

Breast screening is delivered in line with expert advice from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC and Healthcare Improvement Scotland have set performance thresholds for breast screening invitation, and uptake and recall rates to reduce breast cancer mortality and ensure breast screening takes place in a timely manner. NHS boards are responsible for implementing the breast screening standards within their board area and should ensure that at least 90% of all eligible women are invited for screening at 36-month intervals following their first invitation, in line with the NHS Breast Screening Programme consolidated standards.

National Services Division, who commission and performance manage the Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) advise that the 12 week tolerance is a mechanism they have developed within the SBSP since the 1990’s in recognition for the need to allow women flexibility in attending screening appointments and account for any unanticipated events e.g extreme weather conditions.

Existing breast screening clinical standards for the provision of 3 yearly screening invitations, appointments and results at all points on the pathway must be adhered to. Delay is monitored locally and reported monthly to National Services Division who commission and manage the programme. Where delays are significant, screening centres are required to submit a robust action plan detailing the initiatives and timescales to reduce delays.

Question reference: S5W-23976

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 17 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23526 by Joe FitzPatrick on 12 June 2019, what assurances it can provide that, when NHS boards are running behind the three-month tolerance period, women who will have gone above the screening age during this time will continue to be invited for screening.

As recommended by the UK National Screening Committee, the Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) invites women who are aged between 50 and 70 years, for breast screening in a 3 year cycle. The SBSP uses a national IT system to manage the call and recall of women for breast screening. The IT system includes a safeguard report which identifies any woman reaching her 71st birthday that has not been invited for their final screening and automatically generates an invitation letter to the woman.