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-17254

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many copies of its guide to the curriculum for excellence it has produced and what the cost was, also broken down into (a) print, (b) design and (c) distribution costs.

Question reference: S4W-17310

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of higher education it expects to be delivered in colleges by 2020.

Through the outcome agreement process individual colleges work with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to determine the profile of learning activity that will best meet the needs of the learners and employers in the communities they serve.

The annual nature of outcome agreement development sees frequent dialogue between colleges and the SFC. It does not however allow for a prediction of the likely proportion of higher education studied in Scottish colleges in 2020.

Question reference: S4W-17307

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) Students Awards Agency for Scotland-funded and (b) self-funded students have undertaken a Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-17250

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding its plans for a nationally coordinated programme to partner schools.

Education Scotland is leading the development of this work and has had regular discussions with the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and other stakeholders about plans for the School Improvement Partnership Programme. Education authorities were provided with materials on the partnership programme which outlined the purpose and rationale of the partnerships and are being supported by Education Scotland in drafting proposals for partnership working in line with this rationale.

Question reference: S4W-17252

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional resource will be required or allocated to support its plans for a nationally coordinated programme to partner schools.

Question reference: S4W-17258

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to launch its new college for educational leadership; how much resource has been allocated to the work, and when it will open.

I announced on 25 September 2013 that I had endorsed the proposal to establish a Scottish college for educational leadership and have asked Tony Finn to take on the role of interim chair. I anticipate that the college will move quickly to establish an on-line presence and start delivering support for teachers by spring 2014. The college will also need to establish a clear operational plan including governance arrangements early next year and I expect it to be fully operational by August 2014. The Scottish Government has set aside funding of up to £1.3 million to establish the college and to provide initial running costs. The establishment of the college has been agreed by partners across education who are committed to supporting the new body.

Question reference: S4W-17251

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide details of its plans for a nationally coordinated programme to partner schools and who will decide which schools are partnered.

Details of the School Improvement Partnership Programme were provided to education authorities at the beginning of August 2013. A panel made up of representatives from Education Scotland, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Glasgow University evaluated initial proposals on 5 September 2013. The panel agreed to progress three successful partnership proposals. A project team led by Education Scotland will continue to work with these Education Authorities to confirm the schools that will be involved in the partnerships. Further proposals will be evaluated in early November 2013.

Question reference: S4O-02451

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the replacement for the Glow network will be operational by December 2013.

Question reference: S4W-17045

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the meetings that the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with local authority (a) education conveners and (b) directors of education since January 2013.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had the following meetings which have included both local authority education convenors and directors of education since January 2013:

Angus Council meeting regarding schools capital project: 28 February 2013

East Ayrshire Council meeting regarding Phase 3 school within the Schools for the Future Programme: 8 May 2013

ADES Conference on Curriculum for Excellence: 13 May 2013

Official opening of Dreghorn Primary School in North Ayrshire: 15 May 2013

Official opening of Spittal primary, Rutherglen: 9 September 2013

The Second Education Round-table event co-hosted by Cosla and the Scottish Government (education convenors and directors of education in attendance) 11 September 2013

Official opening of Haddington Infants and St Mary’s primary: 12 September 2013

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has also met with education convenors and directors of education during school visits and summer cabinet.

Question reference: S4T-00457

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the shortage of supply teachers.