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The Scottish Government provides a bi-annual report to the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee on progress with the 1+2 approach. Our most recent report to the committee was considered on 14 January: /S5_European/Meeting%20Papers/20210114_MeetingPapers.pdf .

We continue to prioritise support for the 1+2 approach, with £35.6 m invested since 2013 to enable local authorities to implement it in schools. This includes £2.4 m announced on 1 February to support consolidation of progress so far.

We also provide over £1 m each year to partners to support professional learning for teachers, pedagogy and leadership, immersion courses, and the provision of language assistants.

Our 2019 survey of local authorities on 1+2 implementation showed good progress with delivering the entitlement to learning a first additional language. A report is available at: .

To avoid adding to schools’ workload during the pandemic, a survey was not distributed in 2020. Officials are considering how and when a new survey should be issued.

Local authorities and schools have responsibility for delivering a curriculum that meets the needs of learners in their areas and running multi-level course classes is one approach that schools use to increase the amount of choice available to their pupils.

In 2019, the Scottish Government commissioned an Independent Review of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, by the Organisation for Economic‎ Co-operation and Development (OECD). This review is intended to help us better understand how the curriculum is being designed and implemented in schools and to identify areas for improvement across the country. It is due to report in June 2021 and the recommendations from that report will be vital in helping us to ensure that Scotland’s education framework continues to deliver quality learning and positive outcomes for all young people.

Subject to local partners’ agreement, the Scottish Government plans establish increased symptomatic mobile testing unit coverage and further asymptomatic testing coverage across Ayrshire.

The legal requirements that apply to travel and, in Level 4 areas, to leaving one’s home without a reasonable excuse are set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. They are designed to allow, amongst other things, local outdoor exercise by permitting that to start and finish at a place in the local authority area in which a person lives or is within 5 miles of that area. Guidance stresses that people should stay as close to home as possible including by travelling no further than they need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place to exercise in a socially distanced way.

From 18 January all people arriving in Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area (UK, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) have to self-isolate for 10 full days. They must also have a valid negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.

During the contact tracing process, information is collected on whether a positive case has travelled outside of Scotland. This figures set out confirmed cases who, when interviewed, reported that they had travelled outside Scotland.

As published by PHS in the weekly Covid Statistical briefing:

I refer the member to the information sent to all MSP’s dated 23 December 2020 which provides the prioritisation information requested.

Statistics on pupils not in school due to Covid-19 related reasons can be found here:

Pupils are recorded as being not in school due to Covid-19 related reasons if:

The school is closed due to Covid-19

The pupil is self isolating in relation to Covid-19

The pupil is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or have tested positive for Covid-19

The pupil's parent(s) chose to keep them away from school as a precautionary measure contrary to public health guidance

We recognise that travel agents have been severely hit by the Covid pandemic and it is vital that we support them through the crisis. £5.1 million of the £185 million fund will be made available to travel agents. This covers agencies, limited companies and sole traders that sell outbound travel services to customers for business and/or leisure purposes. Local authorities will contact those businesses which are eligible for the support.

In addition, the Job Retention Scheme and Self Employed Income Support Scheme are essential to protect jobs and livelihoods across all sectors in Scotland. We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to ensure this support will continue to be available to businesses and workers for as long as is required.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34128 on 11 January 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at

In preparation for the return to school, the Scottish Government developed and published guidance which highlighted the need to consider the wellbeing of all pupils including those with additional support needs, this would include those with learning difficulties. The guidance set out the particular considerations required to meet a wide range of children and young people's needs, including the mental health and wellbeing of pupils.

The Scottish Government has also developed and published guidance on which

is designed to provide a comprehensive package of information, resources and organisations which are freely available to support primary and secondary school staff to support the mental wellbeing of children and young people. This guidance was published prior to the return of pupils to school earlier in the year. In addition, we have continued to progress the implementation of the commitment to provision of counselling through schools.

was also issued on 21 December regarding the detailed arrangements for schools after the festive break. That guidance provides clarity for learning arrangements through to 15 January, including for those who may be vulnerable, including as a result of additional support needs and where they and/or their parents are experiencing poor physical or mental health. From 18 January onwards, our current planning assumption is that schools will be open to all pupils for in-person teaching and learning as normal. However, this will be subject to an assessment of the state of the pandemic in Scotland and any further developments with regard to the new variant in the new year.