- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average time for a child to be seen for an initial hearing following a referral to the children's hearings system and (b) the total number of children referred to the system has been in each year since 2012.
Answer
This information is not held by the Scottish Government as it relates to an operational matter for the children’s hearings system.
The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) publish their annual statistics, which sets out a measure on time taken to progress referrals through the children’s hearings system and total number of children referred to the children’s hearings system. The information is available on the SCRA website: .
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that the supply chain for primary school meals is (a) sustainable, (b) environmentally friendly and (c) aligned with the national climate goals.
Answer
Under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, a public body with an annual procurement spend of at least £5 million must report each year on how, when its procurements involve the provision of food, it is improving the health, wellbeing and education of communities in the body’s area, and promoting the highest standards of animal welfare.
The Scottish Government continues to support the delivery of the Food for Life Programme in local authorities across Scotland which has a primary focus on school meals. Food for Life accreditation ensures that at least 75% of school food is fresh and unprocessed, as well as greatly increasing the amount of fresh fruit (including berries) and vegetables; fish; and wholegrains on the menu. There are currently 16 councils who hold Food for Life accreditation, with ongoing work to ensure retention, expansion and development of the programme.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 20 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25927 by Natalie Don on 14 March 2024, whether it will provide an updated table regarding how much Disclosure Scotland has spent on employing temporary staff, based on the latest information available.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:
The spend on employing temporary staff in the 9 month period of January to September 2024 was £7,504,000. The spend on employing temporary staff from 2012-2023 was provided in the answer to question S6W-25927 on 14 March 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
To note, these figures relate to both agency staff and contractors.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25674 by Patrick Harvie on 7 March 2024, whether it will provide an updated table regarding the number of children who have undertaken cycling proficiency training, based on the latest information available.
Answer
Further to question S6W-25674, the latest Bikeability Scotland participation statistics are as follows:
LOCAL AUTHORITY | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
Aberdeen City | 21% | 25% | 31% | 57% | 68% | 62% | 68% | 42% | 47% | 9% | 27% | 67% | 100% | 100% | |
Aberdeenshire | 93% | 93% | 76% | 91% | 91% | 63% | 80% | 79% | 85% | 27% | 51% | 65% | 65% | 71% | |
Angus | 74% | 72% | 74% | 57% | 43% | 45% | 50% | 67% | 78% | 41% | 71% | 88% | 94% | 96% | |
Argyll & Bute | 45% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 22% | 26% | |
Clackmannanshire | 11% | 11% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 44% | 17% | 33% | 100% | 33% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
Dumfries & Galloway | 70% | 73% | 47% | 30% | 29% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 36% | 4% | 5% | 29% | 69% | 86% | |
Dundee | 0% | 0% | 3% | 23% | 29% | 17% | 11% | 53% | 91% | 67% | 82% | 97% | 100% | 100% | |
East Ayrshire | 7% | 9% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 10% | 8% | |
East Dunbartonshire | 5% | 3% | 5% | 24% | 14% | 8% | 22% | 15% | 67% | 76% | 94% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
East Lothian | 0% | 0% | 11% | 26% | 29% | 23% | 29% | 41% | 49% | 24% | 47% | 94% | 100% | 100% | |
East Renfrewshire | 33% | 40% | 70% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 67% | 83% | 96% | |
Edinburgh | 29% | 40% | 52% | 72% | 70% | 48% | 68% | 60% | 53% | 7% | 26% | 40% | 41% | 38% | |
Falkirk | 4% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 22% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 19% | 6% | 2% | 21% | 19% | |
Fife | 31% | 21% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 21% | 36% | 22% | 29% | 23% | 24% | 33% | 35% | 21% | |
Glasgow | 4% | 4% | 15% | 28% | 25% | 34% | 29% | 35% | 34% | 22% | 33% | 31% | 22% | 24% | |
Highland | 34% | 28% | 16% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 36% | 21% | 30% | 12% | 15% | 22% | 32% | 26% | |
Inverclyde | 4% | 21% | 35% | 10% | 30% | 30% | 20% | 15% | 26% | 0% | 5% | 5% | 10% | 30% | |
Midlothian | 10% | 40% | 63% | 87% | 63% | 63% | 81% | 75% | 69% | 22% | 41% | 65% | 67% | 67% | |
Moray | 96% | 65% | 58% | 47% | 62% | 49% | 37% | 40% | 56% | 27% | 62% | 76% | 93% | 95% | |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 96% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
North Ayrshire | 0% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | |
North Lanarkshire | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 4% | No return | 9% | 10% | 11% | 15% | 29% | 50% | 82% | 64% | |
Orkney | 40% | 40% | 65% | 95% | 90% | 65% | 68% | 63% | 58% | 37% | 90% | 65% | 100% | 100% | |
Perth & Kinross | 91% | 61% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 62% | 52% | 51% | 61% | 26% | 67% | 87% | 90% | 99% | |
Renfrewshire | 6% | 8% | 22% | 29% | 20% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 29% | 10% | 59% | 72% | 84% | 86% | |
Scottish Borders | 54% | 54% | 43% | 8% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 8% | 2% | 25% | 41% | 100% | 100% | |
Shetland | 100% | 53% | 45% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 25% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
South Ayrshire | 79% | 55% | 73% | 76% | 83% | 76% | 81% | 83% | 88% | 44% | 34% | 41% | 59% | 58% | |
South Lanarkshire | 0% | 10% | 17% | 28% | 39% | 34% | 39% | 39% | 43% | 15% | 10% | 40% | 40% | 32% | |
Stirling | 17% | 18% | 5% | 43% | 65% | 68% | 50% | 72% | 66% | 26% | 58% | 74% | 87% | 100% | |
West Dunbartonshire | 9% | 12% | 9% | 21% | 44% | 41% | 49% | 56% | 59% | 13% | 38% | 28% | 31% | 38% | |
West Lothian | 21% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% | 9% | 9% | 22% | 30% | 37% | |
TOTALS | 32% | 32% | 35% | 37% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 42% | 47% | 20% | 37% | 50% | 60% | 60% | |
| | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
Number of pupils trained across all levels of Bikeability Scotland | 25,974 | 30,800 | 32,105 | 33,082 | 36,711 | 36,314 | 43,700 | 16,327 | 41,046 | 52,604 | 60,228* | 54,039 |
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for dental extractions in rural NHS board areas.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of nurseries received a rating of (a) excellent, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) poor from inspections conducted by (i) the Care Inspectorate and (ii) Education Scotland in each year since 2012, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested as it relates to inspection activities undertaken by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland, who will be able to provide analysis of inspection grades on request.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that approximately 1,200 applications for places in special schools were refused, whether it will increase funding and resources to ensure that all children requiring specialised support can access appropriate education without placing any additional pressure on families.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish what direct engagement the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills had with young people, in light of the comments made in her ministerial statement on 19 September 2024 on the Scottish Government's response to the recommendations from the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment.
Answer
I routinely discuss the development of education policy, including in respect of qualifications and assessment, with young people through frequent visits to schools and a range of other events and meetings. The Scottish Government does not intend to publish details of this range of engagements.
I also met with representatives of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) on the 19th of September, prior to the statement, to provide an overview of the Scottish Government response to the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment ahead of its publication.
The views of young people have, and continue to be, vital to informing our approach to evolving the qualifications and assessment system and I remain committed to meaningfully engaging with young people (including the SYP) as we take this work forward.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what partnerships are involved in delivering the Young Person's Guarantee, and how these partnerships are monitored for effectiveness.
Answer
The Young Person’s Guarantee was delivered in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce, local government, Local Employability Partnerships, services from Skills Development Scotland, employers, universities and colleges.
The Scottish Government published the Implementation Evaluation of No One Left Behind & the Young Person's Guarantee in August 2023. This is available at:
From April 2023 the Young Person’s Guarantee has been mainstreamed across Government, with activity across education, skills and employability supporting young people into opportunities.
Local Employability Partnerships continue to deliver through the No One Left Behind approach. The No One Left Behind: employability strategic plan 2024 to 2027 can be found here:
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what collaboration exists between the Young Person’s Guarantee and other youth support programmes to ensure comprehensive and equitable support for all young people.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to provide funding to a wide range of organisations and third sector partners to improve support for young people; this includes more specialist support for young people furthest from positive destinations through third sector partners, many whom work in collaboration such as the Young Person’s Consortium (Barnardo’s, Princes Trust and Action for Children) and Inspiring Scotland.
From April 2023 the Young Person’s Guarantee has been mainstreamed across Government, with activity across education, skills and employability supporting young people into opportunities.
