Chamber and committees

This is a decision for the NHS board as the relevant employer.

NHS Lothian took the decision on 2 May to discontinue the provision of nursery services at St John’s Hospital when the last child based there has moved to
pre-school education.

The board has a wide range of family friendly policies and will fully support staff who experience any difficulties in finding alternative childcare arrangements, including flexibility around working times.

The Scottish Government is aware that NHS Lothian has reviewed nursery provision across all NHS Lothian sites.

Whilst the Scottish Government welcomes employers providing family friendly work practices, any decisions to provide nursery care for the staff in NHS Lothian are entirely for the NHS board to take, as the relevant employer.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S4W-12541 on 25 February, S4W-13016 on 5 March 2013, S4O-01947 on 21 March and ‘Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The search facility for written questions can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx,

the search for oral questions can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/OfficialReport.aspx

and the emergency question can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7893&mode=html#iob_71862.

I refer the member to the Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March 2013, which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7893&mode=html#iob_71862.

Yes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4O-01947 on 21 March 2013 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/OfficialReport.aspx

and to Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March 2013 which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7893&mode=html#iob_71862.

In May 2012, we introduced a new three year resource planning system to enable councils to plan the delivery of affordable housing more efficiently and effectively. This new approach has enabled each council to bring forward strategic local programmes of social and affordable housing based on local needs, identified through the Housing Needs and Demand Assessment and Local Housing Strategy Councils will therefore decide upon the size and tenure of housing required to help satisfy these local needs.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which comprises membership from the Scottish Government, local authorities and teacher organisations, has undertaken three surveys to analyse the impact of the changes. The SNCT is currently discussing the issue and the Scottish Government is fully engaged in those discussions.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to monitor issues relating to supply staff.

The numbers of teachers trained each year includes an allowance to ensure that there is a pool of supply teachers from which schools can draw as necessary. The Scottish Government recommended an increase in student teacher intake numbers in the primary sector by 300 for academic year 2012-13. Those teachers will enter the workforce in August 2013.

In addition the teacher workforce planning advisory group, which comprises local authorities, CoSLA, teacher unions, the teacher education universities and other relevant stakeholders, has considered the evidence of statistical modelling and other indicators related to teacher employment and agreed unanimously in December 2012 that student teacher intake numbers in the primary sector should increase again in 2013. The Scottish Government issued guidance to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) that a further increase of 370 should be made for academic year 2013-14. The SFC Circular of 27 February 2013 (SFC/02/2013) confirms that increase. The group also agreed that a thorough review should be conducted of the arrangements used to influence the number of students in each of the secondary subjects and this work is currently underway.

The provision of a nursery service, whether in a public, private or third sector workplace is the responsibility of the individual employer and not Scottish Government.