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-29170

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much Pupil Equity Funding has been spent by each local authority during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This information is not held centrally and is only gathered annually. The latest detailed figures available, showing 2018-19 Pupil Equity Funding levels of spend, at both Local Authority and School level, were published on 31 October 2019 and are available to access here:- https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/pupil-attainment/

On 1 May 2020, for the first time, Pupil Equity Funding allocations were confirmed for two years, with over £250 million committed to schools across 2020-21 and 2021-22. This will help to provide more certainty for head teachers and aid learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond.

In recognition of the financial and other resource implications of maintaining critical provision for children and families at this time, the Scottish Government is providing Local Authorities and Headteachers with flexibility on the use of Attainment Scotland Funding, including Pupil Equity Funding, in order that Local Authorities and Headteachers can best support our most vulnerable children.

Question reference: S5W-29179

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities to contact pupils who are not taking part in remote learning or educational support while schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Responsibility for the provision and monitoring of home learning rests with schools and local authorities. Individuals schools and local authorities are utilising a range of methods to maintain contact with pupils during this period.

We recognise that there are some pupils who are more difficult to reach at this time. Education Scotland is supporting local authorities to ensure that critical provision for the most vulnerable children and families is maintained and extended through flexible use of Pupil Equity Funding and Attainment Scotland Funding.

Question reference: S5W-29181

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects remote learning to continue through the scheduled summer break and, if so, what resources it will be allocating to facilitate this.

While the provision of distance learning by schools is a matter for local authorities and individual schools, we have no formal plans that remote learning continues in the summer break. There are, however, a number of home learning initiatives we support (for example, the Deputy First Minister's Maths Challenge), by community learning and development providers, by third sector organisations, and local community organisations that will be available during the summer holidays.

As in previous years, we anticipate that a range of summer learning activities will be promoted to families in the lead up to and during the summer holidays. In addition, Education Scotland's new "Scotland Learns" website, set up to assist with distance learning during Covid-19, hosts a wide range of learn at home materials and resources which parents and carers can access. Our Education Recovery group is considering how learning can best be supported during the summer break.

Question reference: S5O-04365

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to older people who are facing increased fuel bills during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Question reference: S5O-04309

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support remote learning.

The national online learning environment, Glow, is freely available to all learners and teachers from any internet connected device. Officials are working hard to make sure the platform is able to cope with increased demand and have provided a range of advice, guidance and support to local authorities on how best to make use of the Glow services.

Over and above the technical platform, Education Scotland are currently working on collation of a wide range of curricular resources which will be located in a single online source, to help teachers find the resources they need to deliver continuity of education.

Question reference: S5W-27285

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders in relation to the creation of a new abattoir in Orkney.

In the run up to and following the formal closure of the Orkney Abattoir myself and my officials met and discussed the future options available for slaughter on Orkney with many local stakeholders. This included meeting with the Council leader, council officials, local MSP’s, butchers, NFUS, livestock market and farming representatives. At these meetings it was stated that the Scottish Government stood ready to work with any party who came forward with a viable and sustainable plan for the future.

Unfortunately, and following the Orkney Island Council launch of an ‘abattoir challenge fund’, no interested party came forward to reinstate slaughter provisions in Orkney. The Scottish Government remains open to discuss options with any potential provider.

Question reference: S5O-04253

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve travel connectivity to and within the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S5W-27273

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 3 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has sought updated legal advice since September 2014 on the position of an independent Scotland in relation to (a) membership or accession to the EU, (b) currency, (c) involvement in the Schengen Agreement, (d) border controls or cross-border trade and (e) involvement in international defence co-operation.

Question reference: S5W-27271

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many European nationals domiciled outside of the UK received funded places at a university in Scotland in the last year.

Question reference: S5W-27270

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many university applicants domiciled in Scotland did not receive an offer from any institution in Scotland but were accepted by an institution in the rest of the UK in the last year.