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: S4W-27302

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many referrals there have been to the Scottish Ministers resulting in independent adjudication under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by local authority.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 made amendments to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. One of those amendments introduced a requirement on parents or young people making an application to dispute resolution to make that application directly to the Scottish Ministers. Therefore, the following information outlines the number of referrals made directly to Scottish Ministers since the legislation was commenced on 14 November 2010.

Since 14 November 2010 Scottish Ministers have received 21 referrals for dispute resolution which resulted in independent adjudication. These are broken down by authority in the following table:

Aberdeenshire Council	1
Aberdeen City Council	1
Angus Council	1
City of Edinburgh Council	1
Dumfries and Galloway Council	1
East Lothian Council	1
Fife Council	1
Falkirk Council	2
Glasgow City Council	1
The Highland Council	4
Midlothian Council	1
Moray Council	1
North Lanarkshire Council	2
Scottish Borders Council	1
West Dunbartonshire Council	2

Question reference: S4W-27301

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that parents are aware of their rights to independent adjudication under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Every education authority must publish and keep under review information on any person specified by the Scottish Ministers to allow the parents of children and young people with additional support needs to obtain advice and support. One of those person’s specified under The Additional Support for Learning Sources of Information Scotland Order is Children in Scotland. Scottish Ministers currently fund Children in Scotland to provide the Enquire service – a national, independent, advice and information service for the families of children who require extra help at school. Enquire has developed a number of resources aimed at helping parents and carers navigate the system, including advice on resolving disagreements.

Further, Scottish Ministers currently fund Govan Law Centre’s Education Law Unit (http://www.edlaw.org.uk) to provide advice and support to parents or young people on any aspect of education law, which includes independent adjudication.

Question reference: S4O-04609

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussion it has had with NHS Lanarkshire since its interim service model for out-of-hours GP services was implemented on 1 July 2015.

Question reference: S4W-27136

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on developing an environmental deposit return scheme; what discussions it has had with (a) local authorities, (b) manufacturing companies and (c) other relevant stakeholders regarding such a scheme, and what assessment it has made of the potential (i) advantages and (ii) disadvantages.

I commissioned a study from Zero Waste Scotland (which can be found here: http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/deposit-return-system-feasibility-study) to explore the feasibility of a national deposit return system in Scotland. Following publication of this study, Zero Waste Scotland hosted a workshop with key stakeholders and launched a call for evidence that sought further information from all interested parties. Furthermore, the current Scottish Government circular economy consultation, ‘Making Things Last’, is providing a further opportunity for engagement and to explore further the important points raised in the call for evidence.

Question reference: S4O-04556

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what cumulative loss to the block grant has resulted from the UK Government's policy on tuition fees in higher education.

Question reference: S4O-04531

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights last met Citizens Advice Scotland and what was discussed.

Question reference: S4W-26369

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Smart Energy GB and (b) other relevant stakeholders regarding the use of smart meters in tackling fuel poverty.

Question reference: S4W-27148

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-27147

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-27146

Current Status: Withdrawn