Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-09419

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to act on new research published by Epilepsy Scotland, which highlights reported significant caseloads of more than 1,000 patients for many Epilepsy Specialist Nurses across Scotland and a 15% reduction in such nurses since 2021.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with epilepsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

That is why in 2019 we published a Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25, which sets out a vision that everyone with a neurological condition, including epilepsy, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. Since October 2020, we have invested £324,500 in funding via the Framework to projects that specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy in Scotland.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published a National Workforce Strategy on 11 March 2022. The Strategy commits to publishing new workforce projections in the autumn, once we have had the opportunity to consider Health Board and Health and Social Care Partnerships' three year workforce plans. The staffing needs for services and professional specialities across NHS Scotland such as epilepsy care will be, in partnership with stakeholders, factored into the development of these projections. As part of this work, we are actively listening to colleagues to understand where the current pressures are, and what actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff. Decisions on local staffing requirements are, however, the responsibility of individual NHS Boards.

Question reference: S6W-09281

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many secondary school STEM subject teachers are women.

The following table shows the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) teachers with STEM subjects listed as their main subject as reported during the 2021 census of teachers in publicly funded schools in Scotland.

The figures exclude head teachers and deputy head teachers.

	Female	Male	Total
Biology	1,011	332	1,343
Chemistry	658	361	1,019
Computing Studies	249	346	595
Home Economics	760	31	791
Mathematics	1,429	1,035	2,464
Physics	275	561	836
Science (general)	87	78	165
Technical Education	429	811	1,239
All STEM subjects	4,897	3,555	8,452

Source: Teacher census supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-09278

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is giving sufficient funding to local authorities to provide the number of permanent teaching posts that are required to meet the needs of children and young people.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Scottish Government has provided £240m funding to local authorities to support the recruitment of additional teachers and support staff.

We have committed further permanent funding of £145.5m to support education staffing. This will ensure sustained employment of additional teachers, while meeting local needs and benefitting Scotland’s children and young people.

We will also fund 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this Parliamentary term – over and above the 1,400 teachers recruited during the pandemic.

We continue to work closely with COSLA regarding the employment of teachers to maximise the number of jobs available, including permanent posts.

Question reference: S6W-09279

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports women who have qualifications in STEM subjects to find employment in (a) teaching and (b) STEM-related industries.

The recruitment and deployment of teachers is a matter for individual local authorities, as they are responsible for using available resources to provide a complement of staff which meets the needs of each of their schools and its pupils based on local needs and priorities.

The Scottish Government has a number of ambitions to address the lack of women in STEM occupations and settings, such as schools. The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning is also considering how best to ensure that girls and young women are able to freely choose activities, subjects and areas of study including those traditionally dominated by boys and men.

The Scottish Government recognises challenges in STEM teacher recruitment and continues to offer 150 bursaries of £20,000 for career changers, wishing to undertake a one year PGDE Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course that leads to the award of registered teacher status in the hardest to fill STEM subjects.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) seeks to equip each individual with highly effective Career Management Skills which will empower them to proactively direct their career, as well as give them the ability to manage key transition points throughout their lives. SDS has a network of Careers Advisers working in every school in Scotland, as well as at SDS Careers Centres across the country.

Question reference: S6W-09280

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of female teachers with experience and qualifications in STEM subjects being unable to find employment in a school setting.

The recruitment and deployment of teachers is a matter for individual local authorities, as they are responsible for using available resources to provide a complement of staff which meets the needs of each of their schools and its pupils based on local needs and priorities.

However, the Scottish Government has a number of ambitions to address the lack of women in STEM occupations and settings, such as schools. These ambitions start early: the Gender Pay Gap Action Plan examines how schools have a key role to play in helping young women make transitions into a broader range of more successful careers, as well as setting out measures which address occupational segregation, which can lead to fewer women accessing STEM careers.

The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning is also considering how best to ensure that girls and young women are able to freely choose activities, subjects and areas of study including those traditionally dominated by boys and men.

We have provided £240 million of additional investment, over two financial years and a further £145.5 million of permanent funding from April this year to support the employment of additional teachers and support staff.

In addition, we will also fund 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this Parliamentary term – over and above the 1,400 teachers recruited during the pandemic. We will also continue to work closely with COSLA regarding the employment of teachers, to maximise the number of jobs available.

Question reference: S6W-09283

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the recommendations of the Ventilation Short-Life Working Group (a) were submitted to the Scottish Government and (b) will be published, and what the reasons are for any delay.

Question reference: S6W-09276

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 4 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet all the short-term targets outlined in its Women's Health Plan published in August 2021.

Question reference: S6W-09277

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 4 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has appointed someone to a dedicated menopause policy post, as outlined in the short-term targets of its Women’s Health Plan.

Question reference: S6O-01300

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations have been made to protect the economy of rural communities in areas like South Scotland from a repeat of the storms experienced last year.

Question reference: S6W-09073

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason no NHS board reportedly provides abortion care up to the legal limit.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work with NHS Boards to improve abortion services, including NHS Boards providing abortions up to the legal limit. Some NHS Boards provide abortion services up to the legal limit for fetal anomalies, however we are aware that women seeking abortions after 20 weeks' for other reasons are often referred to services in England. The Scottish Government is committed to progressing work which would allow women to access abortions services in a way that is right for them.

Chamber and committees