- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which representatives of the education and lifelong learning sectors it is scheduled to engage with on the Scottish Education Exchange Programme (SEEP) in the next six months.
Answer
The Scottish Education Exchange Programme Test and Learn project group, which includes representatives from universities and colleges, is expected to continue to meet regularly over the next six months.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to help grow Scotland’s economy through the tech sector and to bridge the technical skills gap, for what reason it reportedly did not provide support to CodeClan.
Answer
Codeclan was a private sector enterprise and its financial stability was the sole responsibility of its management and board of directors.
The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise worked intensively with CodeClan to explore every possible option to secure a sustainable future, including commissioning the support of private sector consultants.
Ministers are legally bound by subsidy control rules which set clear thresholds on the level of public funding that can be injected into private businesses. In this case the sum required to place the business on a stable footing significantly exceeded these thresholds, with no guarantee of future viability.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly did not undertake any consultation or issue a warning before deciding to close the photovoltaic (PV) panels loan scheme for applications that are not part of a package of measures.
Answer
The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme offers funding for a range of zero direct emissions heating systems, energy efficiency measures and additional measures, including solar PV and energy storage systems in some circumstances.
The Scottish Government has not closed this scheme, but has changed the conditions for funding of solar PV and energy storage systems.
For an answer to the question asked, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19952 on 9 August 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website .
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what it will do to progress information and communications technology (ICT) and digital technologies training, in light of the liquidation of CodeClan.
Answer
We look forward to working Codebase and other partners to ensure the provision of quality, modular skills training is continued and enhanced.
In the meantime, Scotland’s tech sector is served by a world class post-16 education system which each year generates thousands of skilled graduates in key technological disciplines.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with further education institutions regarding saving the digital skills academy, CodeClan.
Answer
The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise worked intensively with CodeClan to explore every possible option to secure a sustainable future, including commissioning the support of private sector consultants and considering options involving other public sector entities. In this case, the financial liabilities carried by the business were substantial, making those options unviable.
Codebase, the operator of Scotland's Techscaler network, has acquired CodeClan’s training materials and other assets. The Scottish Government has agreed to provide financial support to Codebase for the explicit purpose of allowing students who have paid for courses to complete their studies.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many households in Scotland have received support through boiler replacement schemes in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government operated a boiler scrappage scheme from May 2010 to March 2013. Details of the number of boilers replaced through this and other historic schemes funded by the Scottish Government are published on the Energy Saving Trust website .
Since 2013 the Scottish Government has provided help with the cost of replacement heating systems as part of our wider energy efficiency schemes. These include Area Based Schemes launched in 2013 and Warmer Homes Scotland which replaced the previous Energy Assistance Scheme in September 2015.
The Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback scheme was launched in 2016. Since December 2022, the Scottish Government only provides support towards the costs of replacement heating systems with low or zero direct emissions through the new Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme.
Table 1. Households receiving support with a replacement heating system through the Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback Scheme (now HES Grant and Loan)
Local Authority | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
Aberdeen City | 32 | 35 | 64 | 26 | 36 | 26 |
Aberdeenshire | 34 | 33 | 35 | 42 | 83 | 69 |
Angus | 19 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 28 | 26 |
Argyll & Bute | 9 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 34 | 32 |
City of Edinburgh | 101 | 94 | 73 | 43 | 87 | 113 |
Clackmannanshire | 3 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 14 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 41 | 29 |
Dundee City | 35 | 37 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 13 |
East Ayrshire | 11 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 26 |
East Dunbartonshire | 11 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 24 |
East Lothian | 21 | 16 | 20 | 12 | 33 | 30 |
East Renfrewshire | 15 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 21 |
Falkirk | 22 | 22 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 31 |
Fife | 64 | 74 | 47 | 38 | 81 | 73 |
Glasgow City | 44 | 53 | 36 | 20 | 35 | 42 |
Highland | 59 | 39 | 36 | 48 | 109 | 105 |
Inverclyde | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 6 |
Midlothian | 10 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 25 |
Moray | 4 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 29 | 33 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 11 |
North Ayrshire | 15 | 28 | 11 | 13 | 21 | 13 |
North Lanarkshire | 28 | 30 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 28 |
Orkney Islands | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 31 | 14 |
Perth & Kinross | 18 | 28 | 21 | 27 | 50 | 70 |
Renfrewshire | 14 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 26 | 23 |
Scottish Borders | 17 | 27 | 22 | 26 | 47 | 42 |
Shetland Islands | 8 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 7 |
South Ayrshire | 16 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 25 |
South Lanarkshire | 29 | 42 | 29 | 22 | 41 | 55 |
Stirling | 14 | 27 | 19 | 16 | 28 | 37 |
West Dunbartonshire | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
West Lothian | 20 | 23 | 22 | 13 | 15 | 50 |
Total | 702 | 800 | 619 | 527 | 1057 | 1112 |
Replacement heating systems have also been installed through our Warmer Homes Scotland scheme which is targeted at those in or at risk of fuel poverty.
Table 2. Households receiving support with a heating system through Warmer Homes Scotland
Local authority | 15-16 | 16-17 | 17-18 | 18-19 | 19-20 | 20-21 | 21-22 | 22-23 |
Aberdeen City | 39 | 121 | 93 | 100 | 64 | 71 | 109 | 130 |
Aberdeenshire | 56 | 193 | 144 | 115 | 98 | 74 | 146 | 144 |
Angus | 29 | 118 | 87 | 75 | 54 | 39 | 90 | 116 |
Argyll & Bute | 24 | 127 | 91 | 85 | 74 | 49 | 92 | 73 |
City of Edinburgh | 59 | 259 | 250 | 201 | 180 | 159 | 311 | 334 |
Clackmannanshire | 14 | 47 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 20 | 34 | 60 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 59 | 178 | 205 | 145 | 120 | 79 | 155 | 129 |
Dundee City | 55 | 181 | 193 | 112 | 87 | 93 | 146 | 164 |
East Ayrshire | 36 | 102 | 85 | 61 | 84 | 57 | 120 | 92 |
East Dunbartonshire | 25 | 75 | 58 | 55 | 65 | 55 | 100 | 69 |
East Lothian | 20 | 66 | 43 | 50 | 49 | 32 | 60 | 98 |
East Renfrewshire | 24 | 61 | 69 | 60 | 49 | 43 | 72 | 62 |
Falkirk | 34 | 92 | 96 | 71 | 89 | 74 | 116 | 112 |
Fife | 104 | 329 | 315 | 228 | 216 | 196 | 333 | 408 |
Glasgow City | 132 | 408 | 432 | 388 | 348 | 347 | 540 | 467 |
Highland | 72 | 435 | 293 | 199 | 156 | 109 | 192 | 160 |
Inverclyde | 26 | 218 | 145 | 110 | 125 | 66 | 134 | 114 |
Midlothian | 20 | 67 | 59 | 56 | 54 | 41 | 73 | 87 |
Moray | 17 | 81 | 66 | 47 | 52 | 40 | 69 | 73 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 5 | 89 | 144 | 85 | 82 | 50 | 50 | 20 |
North Ayrshire | 45 | 131 | 92 | 68 | 81 | 53 | 123 | 123 |
North Lanarkshire | 84 | 320 | 254 | 222 | 242 | 235 | 353 | 339 |
Orkney Islands | 6 | 27 | 29 | 24 | 21 | 10 | 16 | 9 |
Perth & Kinross | 41 | 118 | 115 | 83 | 70 | 58 | 102 | 117 |
Renfrewshire | 56 | 154 | 156 | 115 | 119 | 80 | 166 | 163 |
Scottish Borders | 21 | 95 | 101 | 62 | 57 | 42 | 70 | 81 |
Shetl& Islands | 1 | 6 | 44 | 28 | 34 | 17 | 32 | 29 |
South Ayrshire | 29 | 132 | 108 | 64 | 76 | 48 | 104 | 108 |
South Lanarkshire | 81 | 299 | 284 | 169 | 224 | 213 | 340 | 336 |
Stirling | 25 | 56 | 56 | 32 | 43 | 24 | 45 | 55 |
West Dunbartonshire | 18 | 67 | 52 | 55 | 51 | 46 | 78 | 56 |
West Lothian | 33 | 122 | 111 | 103 | 82 | 68 | 147 | 169 |
Total | 1,290 | 4,774 | 4,300 | 3,297 | 3,175 | 2,588 | 4,518 | 4,497 |
Information about the number and type of measures delivered by local councils since 2013 through Area Based Schemes is published on the Scottish Government website.
Details of the number of replacement heating systems funded as part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme since 2013 are published by the UK Government .
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of CodeClan entering liquidation, what assessment it has made of how the loss of the digital skills academy will impact its ambition to establish Scotland as a leading destination for tech companies.
Answer
Codebase, the operator of Scotland's Techscaler network, has acquired CodeClan’s training materials and other assets. The Scottish Government has agreed to provide financial support to Codebase for the explicit purpose of allowing students who have paid for courses to complete their studies.
We look forward to working Codebase and other partners to ensure the provision of quality, modular skills training is continued and enhanced.
In the meantime, Scotland’s tech sector is served by a world class post-16 education system which each year generates thousands of skilled graduates in key technological disciplines.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers are currently trained in identifying dyslexia.
Answer
The General Teaching Council for Scotland’s (GTCS) Standard for Full Registration, which is the benchmark for competence required of all registered teachers, outlines that all teachers are required to demonstrate a depth of knowledge and understanding of pedagogical and learning theories, and draw on these appropriately to inform practice in areas such as dyslexia. Furthermore, the GTCS Guidelines for Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programmes, are clear that programmes should expose all students to national priorities and pedagogies to develop their understanding and practice in areas such as dyslexia.
Over 700 teachers have GTCS registration in additional support needs which is available to those with appropriate qualifications.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it last undertook a review of the school estate, and what the conclusions were.
Answer
The Scottish Government collects information on the condition, suitability and capacity of all local authority schools in the annual School Estates Core Facts Survey. Information is also collected on schools that were built or substantially refurbished during the previous year. The latest School Estate Statistics were published on 5 September and are available on the Scottish Government website .
The Scottish Government’s School Estates Core Facts Survey show that we have a record number of schools in “good” or “satisfactory” condition in Scotland. Moreover, the proportion of schools in “good” or “satisfactory” condition has increased from 61% in April 2007 to 90.7% in April 2023.
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Fraser of Allander survey that found that only 9% of businesses felt that the Scottish Government understands the business landscape in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023
