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-18826

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many students have enrolled in (a) PGDE and (b) other qualifying courses in business education in each year since 2013.

The following table shows the number of students enrolled (full person equivalent) in either (a) a PGDE or (b) an undergraduate degree programme who have allocated Business Studies as their chosen subject, since academic year 2012/13.

Student enrolments in Education with Business Studies in Scotland

	Undergraduate degree	PGDE	Total
2012-13	20	15	35
2013-14	20	20	35
2014-15	20	30	50
2015-16	15	55	70
2016-17	20	65	85

Source: HESA Student data, SG analysis.
‎ Numbers are full person equivalent and are rounded to the nearest 5.
‎ Numbers may not sum exactly due to rounding.

Question reference: S5W-19141

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether claimants under the new social security arrangements will be supplied with a copy of the audio recording of their assessment, and have the right to ensure that Social Security Scotland's copy is destroyed.

Question reference: S5W-19126

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 17 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review or amend the regulations governing where funerals can be conducted.

Question reference: S5W-19124

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 17 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review or amend the regulations governing the storage and preparation of human remains prior to funeral.

Other than Health & Safety Executive guidance there are currently no regulations which govern the storage and preparation of deceased persons prior to a funeral taking place or where funerals may be conducted.

The Scottish Government, in extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, is currently drafting a statutory Funeral Director Code of Practice. Provision for such a document is set out within the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.

This code will set out the standards and practices in relation to care of the deceased which funeral director businesses must adhere to. The code will include measures for the appropriate storage and preparation of the deceased before a funeral.

The content of this code will be publicly consulted upon later this year.

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-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-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.