- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent staffed posts there have been in the Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team in each of the last five years.
Answer
The full-time equivalent staffed posts within the Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team to ensure compliance with the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Order, over the last five years, is:
Financial Year | Full Time Equivalents |
2020-2021 | 0.8 |
2021-2022 | 0.8 |
2022-2023 | 1.2 |
2023-2024 | 2.1 |
2024-2025 | 2.25 |
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what recent contact its agencies have had with the owner of the former Pinneys site in Annan.
Answer
I can advise that South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) are working closely with Bhagat Holdings in regard to the former Pinneys Site in Annan.
With apologies, SOSE need a little more time to report fully on the latest position and I shall be in touch as soon as I have this information.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August 2024, whether it is aware of the concerns identified by Ofqual in January 2022 regarding the SQA's approach to investigating and dealing with with malpractice and maladministration concerns and. if so. what whose concerns were.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
SQA have regularly updated the Scottish Government on the Ofqual review from its inception.
Ofqual has published its findings: Undertaking given by Scottish Qualifications Authority to Ofqual in accordance with B8 of the Conditions of Recognition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what is its response to research published by NASUWT, which suggests that 21% of teachers are using money from Pupil Equity Fund to buy school meals for children coming to school hungry.
Answer
There is a package of national and local support available to assist schools in planning how to use their Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). Local authorities issue specific complementary guidance and headteachers can use their professional judgement to identify children in their school who may benefit from targeted interventions. Headteachers must develop a clear rationale for their use of PEF and plans must be grounded in evidence of what is known to be effective at raising attainment.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information resources and training are available for teachers in all local authority areas to learn more about antisemitism and the need to guard against this form of hatred.
Answer
There is a range of investment and resources available to support teachers to promote equality and address racism and other forms of discrimination within their school communities.
For example, Education Scotland, our national education improvement body, in partnership with Interfaith Scotland, has developed an Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning framework: Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning Framework | Leading professional learning | Professional Learning | Education Scotland which includes resources on religious literacy, aimed at supporting teachers’ understanding of the diverse needs, issues and discrimination experienced by different religious communities in the UK, including Jewish communities. Education Scotland also provides guidance on preventing radicalisation and extremism in schools; Prevent radicalisation and extremism | Resources | Education Scotland.
In relation to antisemitism specifically, the Scottish Government provides funding for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Holocaust Educational Trust - LFA Project (het.org.uk) and Vision Schools Scotland’s Holocaust education programme: Vision Schools Scotland (uws.ac.uk) which aims to promote excellence in Holocaust teaching. While both programmes focus on the Holocaust, they also promote awareness of Jewish people, culture and their contribution to society and address antisemitism in the world today, including through professional learning and resources for teachers.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August 2024, what steps it and the SQA have taken to ensure that the issues identified by Ofqual’s investigation, similar to the resit assessments for the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification, do not occur in future.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
We expect all public bodies to comply with their obligations and the Ofqual findings must be fully addressed.
SQA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. As a NDPB, SQA is responsible for making its own operational decisions. SQA has taken forward an action plan to address the concerns raised by Ofqual and the plan will be independently audited.
The Scottish Government will be monitoring progress closely.
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what emotional support, such as a school counsellor, is available in schools for children living with at least one alcoholic parental figure.
Answer
The mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland is of paramount importance. That is why we continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that all school pupils aged 10 and above and all secondary schools in Scotland have access to school counselling services. Children impacted by parental alcohol or substance misuse can access these services and can also be referred to the school nurse service in order to receive appropriate support.
We are also providing local authorities with £15 million per annum to deliver community-based mental health and wellbeing support and services for children and young people, with many of these delivered through primary and secondary schools. It is for local authorities and schools to determine what support is put in place to best meet the needs of children and young people in their area.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with stakeholders, such as Education Scotland, to determine whether feedback needs to be sought on what information and what training should be available to teachers about antisemitism through initiatives such as the Building Racial Literacy programme.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable educational environment. Engaging with key partners such as Education Scotland to gather feedback on professional learning, training and the information provided about antisemitism takes place in various ways, including during meetings of the Education Learning and Professional Leadership workstream of the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education programme.
Education Scotland supports a range of organisations who create resources for or deliver teaching about antisemitism. It is crucial that any approach to antisemitism within educational materials also considers the broader context of how race and racism operate in society. This includes understanding the role of structural racism, institutional discrimination, and the persistence of stereotypes.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Ofqual regarding the undertaking the SQA gave to Ofqual, which was accepted on 16 August 2024, following Ofqual's identification of non-compliance with its conditions into the resit assessments for the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
The Scottish Government meets regularly with SQA to discuss a range of matters. This has included updates on Ofqual’s investigation of SQA.
SQA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. As a NDPB, SQA is responsible for making its own operational decisions. The undertaking by the SQA to Ofqual is a matter for Ofqual. The Scottish Government will be monitoring progress closely.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the undertaking given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to Ofqual, which was accepted on 16 August 2024, and the non-compliances identified by Ofqual's investigation into the resit assessments for the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
We expect all public bodies to comply with their obligations and the Ofqual findings must be fully addressed.
SQA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. As a NDPB, SQA is responsible for making its own operational decisions. SQA has taken forward an action plan to address the concerns raised by Ofqual and the plan will be independently audited.
The Scottish Government will be monitoring progress closely.