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-18828

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is no provision to study for a business education degree in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S5W-18824

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to OECD figures that record teacher pay in Scotland falling by over 5% in real terms over the last 12 years.

Teachers’ pay in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. The Scottish Government was the first government in the UK to commit to lift the 1% public sector pay cap and this was reflected in the 2017-18 pay deal for teachers. The Scottish Government remains very happy to continue discussions with Trade Unions in securing a negotiated outcome for a 2018-19 pay deal.

It is encouraging that the OECD figures show that the average salaries of pre-primary and primary teachers in Scotland are now above the OECD average, and worth noting that Scotland is one of seven OECD countries where teachers receive the same salary irrespective of the level of education taught.

Question reference: S5W-18831

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage people to train to be (a) business management and (b) accounting teachers.

The Scottish Government is taking a number of actions to support further improvement in teacher recruitment for all subjects including business management and accounting.

We have taken decisive action to recruit and retain teachers through our Teaching Makes People campaign and are providing £88 million this year to fund councils to maintain teacher numbers. We are also continuing to support universities in the development of new routes into teaching.

Question reference: S5W-18823

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many business education teaching posts are vacant.

Question reference: S5W-18830

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the number of pupils being entered for National 5 (and Standard Grade/Intermediate), Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications in Accounting has changed over the last 10 years.

The following table shows the number of entries in Accounting and Accounting and Finance over the last 10 years for secondary school pupils, for which data is available.

Number of entries 1 in Accounting and Accounting & Finance for secondary school pupils 2,3 , 2008 to 2017

Subject	Qualification Name	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Accounting	Intermediate 1	89	51	72	78	58	62	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Intermediate 2	314	304	291	239	237	262	149	4	n/a	n/a
	National 5	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	777	937	850	810
	Higher	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	585	1,359	1,306
	Previous Higher	1,430	1,322	1,182	1,182	1,154	1,070	1,275	551	n/a	n/a
	Advanced Higher	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	39	53
	Previous Advanced Higher	74	78	50	39	41	45	37	44	n/a	n/a
Accounting & Finance	Standard Grade	2,003	1,932	1,630	1,601	1,374	1,281	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

1. Post-review (December) data

2. Secondary school pupils include S1-S6 pupils

3. These figures on S1-S6 pupils do not match ‘School’ entries as published by SQA. ‘School’ entries published by SQA include Further Education, Adult Learners in Schools, and external and workplace candidates.

Question reference: S5W-18827

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason only five universities offer undergraduate or postgraduate education courses specialising in business, and what impact it considers this has on the (a) number of business management and accountancy teachers and (b) availability of courses available for pupils to study business management and accountancy courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level.

What is offered in way of undergraduate and postgraduate education courses is a matter for universities, given they operate as autonomous bodies. It is not practicable for each Initial Teacher Education university to offer teaching programmes in all subjects.

For the 2018-19 academic year, 83 places have been allocated to Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes in Business Education. These are available at the Universities of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Highlands and Islands and Strathclyde. The University of Stirling also offers a combined undergraduate degree in Business Education and teaching.

As the national awarding body, the SQA offers a range of national qualifications including Accounting and Business Management. The precise number and range of qualifications on offer for pupils will be a decision for schools to take in consultation with learners and parents.

Question reference: S5W-18829

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of state secondary schools are entering pupils at (i) National 5, (ii) Higher and (iii) Advanced Higher Accounting level in 2018-19, and how this compares with the equivalent exam in each of the last 10 years.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information on the number of state secondary school pupils entered for National Qualifications for 2018-19. Data on the number of pupils entered for Accountancy at National 5, Higher and Advance Higher for the last 10 years was provided in response to S5W–18830 on 15 October 2018. Data on 2018-19 entries is not yet available. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-18825

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) business management and (b) accounting teachers there have been (i) in Lothian and (ii) nationally in each of last five years.

Statistics on the number of teachers buy main subject taught are published in Table 3.9 of the teacher census supplementary tables, available on the Scottish Government here:

https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teachcenssuppdata/TeaSup2017

These tables show the number of teachers with a main subject of Business Studies. Statistics on the number of accounting teachers are not collected.

Question reference: S5W-18744

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any instances where mesh implants for hernia have resulted in long-term health issues for the recipient.

As with any surgical procedure, there is a risk of complication and the Scottish Government has received a small number of letters from patients describing symptoms after hernia mesh surgery. However, the use of mesh in hernia repair is accepted practice across the UK and there no evidence to suggest its use is unsafe, with no medical device alert having been issued in any jurisdiction anywhere in the world. Any complications are expected to be followed up as necessary by the clinicians involved in the case.

Question reference: S5W-19125

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review or amend the regulations governing the arrangement and conduct of funerals.

Part 3 of the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 sets out who can make the arrangements for the burial or cremation of an adult, child, still-born baby and pregnancy loss. As part of the ongoing implementation of the 2016 Act, Part 3 will be laid before the Scottish Parliament for commencement soon.

The 2016 Act does not restrict or govern who may organise or conduct the funeral of a deceased person. The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce regulations governing who can conduct a funeral.