- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22203 by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2023, whether it will provide the information requested regarding how much of the £140 million to support the roll-out of digital devices in the Capital Spending Review has been allocated to date; for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer, and, if it has not allocated any of the £140 million to date, whether it will confirm that.
Answer
The £140 million indicated in the Capital Spending Review was for the years 2023-24 to 2025-26. As you will be aware, the current Budget allocates £13m of capital funding for 2023-24. As reported by the Deputy First Minister on 21 November, that £13 million has been announced as part of the budget savings required to reach a balanced budget.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are currently working on the development of a national digital academy.
Answer
Scottish Government are currently developing options for a National Digital Academy. A core team of four officials within Education Scotland are currently working together on the development of options. Other officials within Education Scotland and Scottish Government are also inputting as necessary to this work.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has carried out and (b) is undertaking any progress reports on the development of a national digital academy, and, if so, where they are published.
Answer
Scottish Government are currently developing options for a National Digital Academy. Accordingly, specific formal progress reports have not been produced or published.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what process its Innovation Funding Review will use to ensure that it is inclusive of the views of institutions and organisations currently in receipt of research and innovation funding.
Answer
In developing the actions within Scotland’s National Innovation Strategy, including our Innovation Funding Review, we engaged extensively with a diverse and extensive range of institutions, organisations and stakeholders from across the innovation ecosystem.
This included a public consultation, events, workshops and engagements with businesses from a range of different sectors and sizes across the country, industry leadership groups, all of our universities and colleges, our innovation centres, investors, entrepreneurs and the wider public sector including our enterprise and skills agencies.
As we further develop the Innovation Funding Review we will continue to utilise this evidence-led, open, inclusive and collaborative approach to ensure we meet the needs of our diverse innovation community.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21483 by Graeme Dey on 3 October 2023, when it expects to conclude its consideration of options, and (a) in what form and (b) when it will publish its conclusions.
Answer
The Scottish Government is still awaiting some responses to the Lessons Learned report from partners in the National Collective Bargaining process and is currently considering next steps with respect to the report’s recommendations that are for Scottish Government to progress, particularly in relation to the independent Chair of the National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC).
Once all responses have been received from all partners in the National Collective Bargaining process, the Scottish Government will engage with the Education, Children and Young People Committee on those findings.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21484 by Graeme Dey on 3 October 2023, whether it plans to exercise its convening power to assist employers and trade unions to work together to improve industrial relations in the college sector; if so, when it plans to do so, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government has continued to use its convening power to meet both trade unions and employers to urge continued dialogue and collaboration over a range of workforce issues, including the ongoing pay negotiations. However, the Scottish Government has been absolutely clear that it has no locus to be involved directly in the national bargaining process. This position is in line with the findings of the Lessons Learned report and respects the national collective bargaining framework.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on introducing free school breakfasts for all primary school pupils.
Answer
There is a currently a mixed delivery of breakfast provision across Scotland with a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We have conducted provisional modelling of breakfast provision and have begun work with local authorities and key stakeholders to better understand and map provision in order to identify gaps in provision. This will help us develop a plan for breakfast provision, designed around the needs of children and families.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the ongoing annual cost of providing free school breakfasts for all primary school pupils will be.
Answer
Breakfasts are being provided across Scotland by a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We are working with local authorities and key stakeholders to better understand and map existing provision. This will help us develop a plan for breakfast provision, designed around the needs of children and families, which will include estimated costs.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many additional pupils have accessed free school breakfasts since the beginning of the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Breakfasts are being provided across Scotland by a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We do not collect national-level data associated with this provision.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether the conclusions of the Audit Scotland report, Investing in Scotland's infrastructure, and, in particular, the stated change in status of the Borders railway decarbonisation project to "Paused", alter the status of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan's objective to electrify the Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen mainline by 2035, and whether it can confirm that the Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen mainline will be fully electrified by 2035, as committed to in the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Answer
The objectives in the July 2020 Rail services Decarbonisation Action Plan DAP currently remain. Any updates will be included in the refreshed plan, which is under development, and is due to be published in the near future.