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-05447

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 27 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to establish an equality and diversity working group for its Putting Learners at the Centre initiative and, if so, when this will be established.

The Scottish Government takes its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty very seriously and we continue to work to ensure that the policy and spending decisions we take pay due regard to their impact on equality and diversity.

As part of our Post-16 Reform process issues relating to equality and diversity are currently being considered on a continual basis as we develop our policy in this area. We will continue to consider, in discussions with stakeholders, the equality and diversity issues raised in the responses to the “Putting Learners At the Centre” consultation paper. In these discussions we will also consider the need for establishing a formal external equality and diversity working group.

Question reference: S4W-05448

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 27 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive who carried out the equality impact assessment in relation to the further education sector section in the equality statement in the Scottish Spending Review and Draft Budget for 2012-2013.

Question reference: S4W-05429

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 27 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what each local authority's success rate is in obtaining short-term supply teacher cover.

Recruitment and deployment of supply teachers are matters for local authorities to determine and the information requested is not centrally collected.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers is currently monitoring the implementation of all aspects of the teachers’ pay agreement, including the impact of the changes to the terms and conditions of short term supply teachers, and the Scottish Government will play its full part in that through our representation on the committee.

Question reference: S4W-05117

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 6 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure further education provision for (a) older female students, (b) disabled students and (c) students from low-income backgrounds if there are reductions in the funding of non-recognised qualifications.

Question reference: S4W-05115

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what new approach the Scottish Funding Council Access and Inclusion Committee is taking to equality, access and inclusion.

In 2010, the Scottish Funding Council reviewed all of its access and inclusion programmes and funding related to retention, articulation, schools/college programmes and community programmes in response to the implementation of Horizon funding and the emergence of new policy contexts, particularly Curriculum for Excellence. The Scottish Funding Council’s priority is to better target resources to where there is greatest need and to align resources to deliver maximum return on the Government’s investment.

In relation to the Post-16 Reform process, issues relating equality, access and inclusion are currently being considered and the Scottish Government will work with the Scottish Funding Council on a continual basis to develop policy in these areas.

Question reference: S4W-05110

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many times and (b) when the post-16 education equality and diversity working group has met and who attended the meetings.

Question reference: S4W-05113

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) any reports produced and (b) the equality impact assessment carried out by the post-16 education equality and diversity working group prior to the publication of the Scottish Spending Review 2011 and Draft Budget 2012-13.

Question reference: S4W-05111

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the post-16 education equality and diversity working group has met the Scottish Funding Council Access and Inclusion Committee.

Question reference: S4W-05114

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the Scottish Funding Council Access and Inclusion Committee.

Question reference: S4W-05116

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have met the (a) Scottish Funding Council Access and Inclusion Committee and (b) post-16 education equality and diversity working group and what was discussed.

Scottish ministers have not met with the Scottish Funding Council's Access and Inclusion Committee and have no immediate plans to do so. An official from the Scottish Government attends the Access and Inclusion Committee meetings as an observer.

No post-16 education equality and diversity working group has been established as part of the Post-16 Reform process. Issues relating to equality and diversity are currently being considered on a continual basis as we develop our policy in this area.