Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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: S6W-20385

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which schools are currently required to accommodate pupils in temporary modular buildings, broken down by local authority area; for how long such temporary accommodation will be required, and what remedial action it is taking to reduce the requirement for temporary modular buildings in schools.

Question reference: S6W-20622

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 August 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates it will permit the creation of Licensed Legal Services Providers under the Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010 before the end of 2023, and what it is waiting for before permitting such creation to begin.

Question reference: S6W-20229

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on how many newly qualified teachers (NQTs) were not offered permanent employment from August 2023, in each local authority, in order to create space for a probationary teacher.

All newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are guaranteed a place on the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) probationer. Data on the number of teachers who are then in employment in a publicly funded school in the year following their probationary year will be is published in the Teacher census supplementary statistics in March and can be accessed at .

The recruitment and employment of teachers in local authority schools are matters for individual councils, as they have the statutory duty for education expenditure and to deliver education.

Question reference: S6W-20230

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages teachers in training to consider undertaking their probationary year outside of their "home" local authority, including through marketing or presentations, and, specifically, how it seeks to encourage probationary teachers to carry out their probationary year in areas such as the north east.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is responsible for administering the Teacher Induction Scheme and as such undertakes seminars and information sessions with prospective probationary teachers. This includes encouraging probationary teachers to consider taking a placement further afield.

The Preference Waiver Payment (PWP) was introduced in 2004-05 to attract newly qualified teachers to more remote and rural local authorities who experience difficulties in securing probationers . Students can opt for the PWP whereby they waive their right to express a preferred local authority and will be prioritised to remote and rural local authorities such as the north east in return for an additional payment.

Currently the PWP is £6000 per annum for Primary teachers and £8000 per annum for Secondary teachers.

Question reference: S6W-20227

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are employed in Scottish state schools, as at June 2023.

All newly qualified teachers in Scotland must complete a period of probationary service to show that they meet the Standard for Full Registration.

In the September 2022 Teacher census there were 2,889 full-time equivalent probationary teachers employed in publicly funded schools on the Teacher Induction Scheme(TIS) or other single year induction schemes. A small number of teachers may also enter into teaching via a flexible or alternative route.

Question reference: S6W-20228

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many probationary teachers were requested by each of the 32 local authorities to commence their probationary year in August 2023, and how many were allocated to each local authority.

Question reference: S6W-20225

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what role it and/or its agencies should play in matching newly qualified teachers (NQTs), who have not been offered a teaching post in their "home" local authority, with local authorities that have a shortage of teachers, such as those in the north east.

The allocation of places on the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) is based on students selecting a preference of five local authorities in which they wish to undertake their probationary year. The system is set to ensure that all newly qualified teachers are, in the first instance, offered a place in one of their preferred choices.

As an alternative to selecting a preference of five local authorities, a student can opt for the Preference Waiver Payment whereby they waive their right to express a preferred local authority and will be prioritised to remote and rural local authorities in return for an additional payment.

TIS does not provide a guarantee of future employment within that council. The future employment of teachers is solely a matter for local authorities. While it is for councils to recruit and employ sufficient teaching staff to meet the needs and interests of children and young people living in their areas, we would expect them to fill posts in an open and fair manner.

Question reference: S6W-20226

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals attained newly qualified teacher (NQT) status in summer 2023.

Teachers attain Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) status on completion of their teaching qualification.

Information on the number of UK domiciled students qualifying from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes at Scottish Higher Education Institutions is published in the “Diversity Teaching Profession Annual Data Report”. The latest information, covering 2021-22 academic year, can be found here:

Question reference: S6W-20068

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils were recorded as (a) persistently and (b) severely absent in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in the last five years, broken down by year and local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not produce any statistics on persistently or severely absent pupils. This is because it is the responsibility of local authorities, not Scottish Government, to monitor attendance locally within their own school estate. The Scottish Government routinely gathers data on attendance - National Statistics on attendance and absence rates are collected and published every two years with attendance and absence snapshots to be published approximately once a month throughout the 2023-24 school year.

Question reference: S6W-20044

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it (a) has provided and (b) will provide for any remedial action in relation to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in school buildings

Building safety is a matter for the owner - who in this case would be individual local authorities - acting in accordance with the relevant health and safety legislation. Before any decisions can be taken on funding, it is important to understand the scope and nature of the issue.

Health and Safety legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government. The Health & Safety Executive is the UK-wide regulator for health and safety and they intend to carry out research into buildings which contain RAAC. The research methodology is in the final stages of development which includes assessment tools to help measure the risks associated with RAAC planks. We will monitor the research when it is commissioned and apply the findings and recommendations appropriately.