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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 MSPs 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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-37131

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent steps it is taking to address the reported significant shortfall in Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) secondary teacher training enrolments for the 2024 intake.

The Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group figures are indicative and are provided by universities at the start of the academic session. Official Statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, covering 2024-25, will be available in early 2026. These will provide the most accurate figures on enrolments into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes.

We are taking action to encourage more people into teaching, including in the hardest to fill teaching subjects.

Local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of teaching staff and we are providing them with £186.5 million this year as part of an agreement to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels. We will continue to support local authorities to maximise the number of teaching of jobs available, including through the joint Education and Childcare Assurance Board.

Our Teaching Bursary Scheme provides a £20,000 bursary to career changers wishing to undertake a one year Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in the hardest to fill teaching subjects, including STEM subjects and modern languages.

We have asked Strategic Board for Teacher Education to develop advice on how to encourage more people into teaching, particularly in subjects that are challenging to fill.

Targets for secondary ITE PGDE courses have also been maintained at 2,000 for the 2025-26 academic year and are published on the Scottish Funding Council website - Intake Targets for Initial Teacher Education in AY 2025-26 - Scottish Funding Council

Question reference: S6W-37116

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what specific support it is providing to lowland cattle and sheep farmers, in light of the 87% drop in average income in 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-37111

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it proposes to mitigate any knock-on effects of closures or reductions in provision from independent schools on public sector schools, in light of the UK Government's decision to make independent schools liable for VAT.

Scottish Government continues to work with local authorities and the independent sector to understand the impact of the UK Government policy on Scottish schools to date. Scottish Ministers have received assurance from local authorities that they have the capacity to support increased school rolls.

The distribution methodology for calculating the block grant is agreed with local authorities and is informed by a number of indicators, including pupil numbers from the latest annual school census.

Question reference: S6W-37130

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent analysis it has conducted of the amount of higher education funding per student in Scotland compared with other UK nations, and what steps it will take to close any identified gap.

It is not appropriate to undertake such analysis given Scottish and rUK education systems are not comparable due to several key reasons, including but not limited to:

Higher education is 'free' at the point of delivery in Scotland, and not in the rest of the UK (rUK) and hence student numbers and cost per student are not comparable.

Scottish Colleges provide a higher proportion of Higher Education in Scotland than rUK equivalents.

Degrees are typically longer in Scotland (4 years versus 3 in rUK) and Scottish students start university at a younger age.

The English landscape changed following the Higher Education & Research Act 2017 which meant that the way in which Higher Education Institutions and Alternative Providers were funded, badged and treated changed. The governance and funding of HEIs and Alternative Providers in Scotland have remained unchanged over the same time period.

Question reference: S6W-36829

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged as a result of the recently reported administrative failure at the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Question reference: S6W-36831

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish in full the reported internal review undertaken by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in relation to secure assessment materials being compromised, and what lessons will be learnt from this incident.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 on 6 May 2025.

Responsibility for any decisions on whether to publish the results of their investigation conducted in relation to the sharing of annotated materials is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-36852

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that cost information for publicly funded care home places is being withheld on the grounds of commercial confidentiality, and what its position is on whether this is acceptable.

The Scottish Government understands concerns regarding the withholding of cost information for publicly funded care home places under claims of commercial confidentiality. While commercial interests are protected under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), such exemptions are subject to a public interest test. While respecting legitimate commercial interests, the Scottish Government encourages public authorities and care providers to adopt best practices in information sharing

Question reference: S6W-36826

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any repeated failures by the Scottish Qualifications Authority erode trust in the national qualifications system, and what reforms it plans to implement in this regard.

Question reference: S6W-36827

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate steps it is taking to address the reported alleged breach of exam marking security procedures at the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Question reference: S6W-36977

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing a legal entitlement to return to school for pupils who leave early and later change their minds.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all young people have access to education and the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Schools and Local Authorities are responsible for admissions to school and therefore can allow pupils to rejoin school if there are sufficient places available on a case-by-case basis.

We continue to work closely with education authorities to ensure that young people have the opportunity to undertake the learner pathway that best matches their abilities and aspirations. We keep all aspects of education policy under review to better support young people’s engagement with education.