Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-01165

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-29691 and S5W-22664 by Angela Constance on 2 March 2016 and by John Swinney on 1 May 2019, whether it will provide the figures for each year since 2018-19.

Table 1 provides information on average gross revenue expenditure in Scotland per pre-school registration, and primary and secondary pupil along with information on teaching allocations per college and university place (Average Teaching Grant Funding per FTE - including controlled SG funded places – expenditure on tuition fees and student support not included).

Table 1: Average expenditure per place for each education level in cash terms
Education level	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13 1	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 2	2016-17 3	2017-18 4	2018-19 4,5	2019-20 4,6	2020-21
Pre-school	£3,456	£3,193	£3,194	£3,102	£3,411	£3,957	£4,344	£4,561	£5,190	£6,958	-
Primary School	£5,001	£4,935	£4,899	£4,880	£4,819	£4,877	£4,980	£5,169	£5,444	£5,779	-
Secondary School	£6,598	£6,495	£6,629	£6,714	£6,795	£6,920	£7,046	£7,127	£7,454	£7,787	-
College	£3,803	£3,601	£3,496	£3,317	£3,317	£3,421	£3,527	£3,615	£3,972	£4,064	£4,284
University	£5,219	£5,115	£5,379	£5,514	£5,620	£5,655	£5,435	£5,437	£5,560	£5,563	£5,703

Table 2 provides the same information in 2020-21 prices.

Table 2: Average expenditure per place for each education level in real terms (2020-21=100)
Education level	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13 1	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 2	2016-17 3	2017-18 4	2018-19 4,5	2019-20 4,6	2020-21
Pre-school	£4,321	£3,933	£3,854	£3,678	£3,989	£4,589	£4,917	£5,073	£5,641	£7,397	-
Primary School	£6,252	£6,078	£5,912	£5,785	£5,635	£5,657	£5,636	£5,749	£5,917	£6,143	-
Secondary School	£8,249	£7,999	£8,000	£7,959	£7,946	£8,026	£7,975	£7,927	£8,102	£8,278	-
College	£4,754	£4,435	£4,219	£3,932	£3,879	£3,968	£3,992	£4,021	£4,318	£4,321	£4,284
University	£6,525	£6,299	£6,492	£6,537	£6,572	£6,559	£6,152	£6,047	£6,044	£5,913	£5,703

For pre-school education, estimates are derived by dividing total expenditure adjusted for inter-authority transfers on pre-school education, reported by local authorities in the Local Finance Return, by the total number of early learning and childcare registrations, reported in the Scottish Government’s Early Learning and Childcare statistics.

Average gross revenue expenditure per pupil in primary and secondary education respectively is arrived at by taking the total gross revenue expenditure adjusted for inter-authority transfers, reported by local authorities on primary and secondary education to the local financial return, divided by the number of pupils in primary and secondary education as per the most recent statistics reported in the pupil census.

To ensure comparability with the 2019-20 figures, the earlier figures provided here for pre-primary, primary and secondary education expenditure have been re-calculated on a consistent basis and have been updated to take into account any methodological changes and revisions to the calculation of expenditure figures from the Local Government Financial returns. Some of the figures presented here, therefore, may differ from those provided previously in answers to parliamentary questions.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) have supplied detail of the cost of a College place (expenditure per full-time equivalent (FTE)). This is calculated by taking funding provided to Colleges for core teaching and fee waiver grant divided by the weighted SUMs (relative cost to a college of delivering different subjects). Expenditure excludes tuition fees not paid by SFC (mainly the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)) and student support funding or funding from the European Social Fund.

The cost of a University place, also provided by the SFC, is estimated by taking the total teaching grant awarded to Universities divided by the total number of SFC funded places for Scottish and EU domiciled FTEs. Expenditure figures exclude funding for student support, SFC’s research and strategic funds, and tuition fees that SAAS pay. Total FTE figures are SFC/SG funded places and do not include fees only and international places.

Real terms figures are in 2020-21 prices and are calculated using HM Treasury’s GDP Deflator Series, June 2021.

Additional notes

1. The rest of UK places were removed from 2012-13 on a phased basis (new students in 2012-13 and each new cohort thereafter over a 5 year period).

2. In AY 2015-16 SFC moved college funding to a credits based system, rather than WSUMS. It is assumed that 15 credits = 1 FTE.

3. In AY 2016-17 there was a 2.9% reduction in HEI gross teaching prices.

4. In 2017-18 and 2018-19, funding for colleges includes additional funding for national bargaining.

5. In 2018-19, The additional places at St Andrew’s for rUK Calman students clinical training were funded separately by SFC however are not included for continuance.

6. The university allocation includes funded places and funding for childcare that were announced after the publication of the final funding announcement, to ensure consistency with other years

7. The funded places/weighted SUMS/credits figures used are taken from the final published main grant letters or outcome agreements, and do not take account of any subsequent adjustments.

8. SFC (not matched) ESF funding included together with all ESF student number targets.

9. A “-“ symbol indicates no available data.

Question reference: S6W-01247

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) Forth Valley Alcohol and Drug Partnership, and what was discussed.

Scottish Government officials regularly meet with Alcohol and Drug Partnerships which allows for discussion on a wide range of issues as part of our shared commitment to reduce drug deaths.

Meetings with officials have taken place in May, June and July 2021. Most recently I met with Cathie Cowan, CEO of NHS Forth Valley, on 6 July discussing drug deaths, MAT implementation, Buvidal and workforce culture. I also met with Carol Chamberlain, Strategic Lead for South Lanarkshire ADP, on Wednesday 23 June as part of a joint meeting with stakeholders to discuss residential rehabilitation.

The next meeting with all ADPs is scheduled to take place in August 2021 and will focus on funding the national mission to reduce drugs deaths.

Question reference: S6W-01496

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00743 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 June 2021, what its response is to the campaign, Everyone's Invited, which encourages survivors to share their stories anonymously online, naming 120 schools in Scotland in connection with allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

The significant work already underway in relation to this issue in Scotland, as outlined in S6W-00743, is a broader approach than suggested by the Ofsted review. The ongoing work across schools as well as the further and higher education sectors is designed to help tackle sexual harassment and gender based violence. This is part of our wider Equally Safe work to eradicate violence against women and girls.

The Everyone’s Invited suggested approach of ensuring all schools are enabled to prevent and respond effectively to sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviours is the correct approach, and one which the Scottish Government has been pursuing for some time.

Question reference: S6W-01337

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35656 by John Swinney on 11 March 2021, what progress has been made regarding updated guidance for schools on supporting transgender children and young people, and whether the guidance will be ready for the return of schools in August 2021.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of trans and non-binary people in Scotland. Trans people continue to suffer poorer outcomes relative to the wider population, and this needs to change.

We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people are supported in school and are able to reach their full potential, including transgender young people. We committed to develop guidance to support schools to do this and will publish guidance shortly.

Question reference: S6W-01262

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish a lived-experience panel, as recommended by the National Review of Eating Disorder Services.

Question reference: S6W-01257

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00728 by Jamie Hepburn on 5 July 2021, whether the international students required to quarantine in accommodation provided by their university through the pilot scheme will be required to pay an additional charge.

Question reference: S6W-01157

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of pupils missed one school day or more in a continuous period of ten school days in the academic years (a) 2017/18, (b) 2018/19, (c) 2019/20, and (d) 2020/21.

The Scottish Government only collects school pupil attendance and absence information every 2 years, so no data is available for 2017-18. In addition, the structure and format of data gathered in 2018-19, as well as some partial data gathered in 2019-20 (due to the Covid pandemic) does not enable the necessary analysis to be undertaken to answer this question.

For the 2020-21 school year, the Scottish Government does have daily attendance and absence data that would enable such analysis to be undertaken. However, this could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, information we do have in relation to school pupil attendance and absence can be found here

Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 10: 2019 edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Covid19ELCandHubs | Tableau Public

COVID19 - Schools and Childcare Information 2021 | Tableau Public

Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): trends in daily data - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

COVID-19 Education Recovery Group: children and young people infographic - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

This information includes the attendance and absence rates over the course of the entire 2020-21 school year (when schools were open for all pupils to return from specific stages).

It shows that attendance generally started at around 95% when schools fully reopened after a lockdown (i.e. August 2020 and April 2021).

On any given day, more children and young people were not in school due to non-Covid reasons, and that most pupils not in school due to Covid-related reasons was due to pupils being required to self-isolate. The actual number of pupils who were absent due to having tested positive for Covid (or displaying Covid symptoms) was generally under 1,000 pupils (out of approximately 700,000 pupils) on any given day over the course of the entire 2020-21 school year.

Question reference: S6W-01155

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the absence rate for pupils has been 50% or greater since full-time education in school buildings returned, broken down by (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

No. Absence rates for pupils were never 50% or greater when schools were fully open for all pupils during the 2020/21 school year.

The Scottish Government have published information in relation to school pupil attendance and absence throughout the 2020/21 school year, which can be found here:

COVID19 - Schools and Childcare Information 2021 | Tableau Public

Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): trends in daily data - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

COVID-19 Education Recovery Group: children and young people infographic - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-01145

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its civil contingency plans and preparedness for any potential future pandemic.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving planning and preparedness for any potential future pandemic.

We set out within our first one hundred days to establish a standing committee on pandemics, bringing together scientists and clinicians to advise us on the future risks and to ensure we are as prepared as it is possible to be. We have also committed to a comprehensive public inquiry and we will continue to work with local, regional and national partners to inform and improve pandemic planning and preparedness in Scotland.

Additionally, we continue to work closely with other UK nations to plan and prepare for a range of pandemic diseases.

Question reference: S6W-01451

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the funding given to each local authority to employ additional teachers, as part of its first-100-days commitment, and how many additional teachers it expects each local authority to recruit.

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