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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.

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Question reference: S3W-35715

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 September 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have been procured by the Scottish Futures Trust using the Non-Profit Distributing model.

Question reference: S3W-35645

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 1 September 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is formal monitoring of local authorities’ progress toward delivering the Scottish Government’s commitment on free school meals.

Uptake of free school lunches by virtue of tax credit system is formally monitored through the annual School Meals in Scotland Survey. Results from the last one were published in June 2010 and can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/07/06095048/0.

We do not have a single process planned for monitoring the P1 to P3 free school meal commitment. Councils have been invited to decide how best they will meet the additional targeted 20% progress towards this commitment. That progress may be achieved in a number of different ways as suits local circumstances. COSLA and the Scottish Government are currently working with local authorities to establish a suitable means of assessing authorities'' progress in this area in the context of their delivery across the package of commitments agreed with COSLA earlier this year, including progress on class sizes.

Question reference: S3W-35700

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has had in the administration or operation of the Future Jobs Fund in Scotland.

The Scottish Government was a member of the Scottish Moderating Group, which considered new bids to the Future Jobs Fund, and also the Scottish Decision Making Group, which made recommendation on Scottish bids to the GB level board. It has had no involvement in the post decision making administration or operation of the fund which, as a wholly reserved matter, is managed in Scotland by Jobcentre Plus.

Question reference: S3W-35713

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the reporter’s report on the A8 received by ministers in October 2008 and, if not, for what reason.

Question reference: S3W-35714

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the reporter’s report on the M8/M73/M74 Network Improvements Scheme received by ministers in July 2009 and, if not, for what reason.

Question reference: S3W-35466

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish like-for-like updated benefit cost ratios for each major rail project underway or planned, including the Glasgow Airport Rail Link and Paisley corridor improvements

The benefit-to-cost ratios (BCRs) for current and proposed rail projects, including that for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) at the time of cancellation, are as set out in the following table.

Project	BCR
Glasgow Airport Rail Link	1.1
Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvements Programme	1.2*
Airdrie to Bathgate	1.5**
Borders	1.2

Notes:

* This ratio includes costs and benefits for the Shotts part of the programme which is already operational.

** This is currently being revised in light of changes to operating costs. These will be confirmed once the franchise variation for the Airdrie to Bathgate line has been agreed.

Following the cancellation of the GARL project Transport Scotland, in partnership with Network Rail and First Scotrail, is developing a new timetable for the Ayrshire and Inverclyde rail passenger services, to be introduced in May 2012. This timetable information is currently in development and is required to inform the strategic business case for the Paisley Corridor Improvements project in the context of the wider West of Scotland railway investment. It is expected that the revised business case and associated BCR will be available in the autumn of 2010.

Question reference: S3W-35401

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 17 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether direct comparisons in attainment at P3, P5, P7 and S2 can be made between the Scottish Survey of Achievement and the results from the 5 - 14 National Tests.

The National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels was implemented in publicly funded primary and secondary schools in Scotland between 1999 and 2004. This survey was specifically designed to measure the progress of individual pupils and the results were derived from a range of class-based assessments, carried out by teachers throughout the school year.

The Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA) was a sample survey of pupils'' attainment in Scottish primary and secondary schools carried out annually from 2005 until 2009. This survey was designed to provide a picture of attainment across different areas of the curriculum at a national level. The results were derived from a one-off annual assessment of pupils using common assessment materials administered under typical test conditions.

Due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between the SSA and the results from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.

Question reference: S3W-35403

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 17 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the trend has been in attainment levels in writing, reading and numeracy at P3, P5, P7 and S2 since 1999.

The information requested is given in tables 1-10 of Attainment levels in reading, writing and numeracy in Scotland since 1999, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51460).

It should be noted that, due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between the SSA and the results from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.

Question reference: S3W-35404

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 17 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses progress in educational attainment in reading, writing and numeracy over time.

The Scottish Government uses a range of assessment tools to monitor progress in educational attainment over time. In recent years this has included:

- Analysis of common tasks over time using the Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA).

- Teachers'' judgements collected alongside the SSA.

- Making international comparisons using the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

- Performance in English and Maths using SQA examination results.

- Inspections and reviews carried out by HMIE to monitor quality improvement.

Question reference: S3W-35402

Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 17 August 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been continual comparable data collection on attainment in reading, writing and numeracy at P3, P5, P7 and S2 since 1999.

Data from the National Survey of 5-14 Attainment Levels was collected between 1999 and 2004 for reading, writing and numeracy and these results are comparable over this time period.

From 2005 until 2009, the Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA) collected data in selected years for reading and numeracy attainment at P3, P5, P7 and S2. Reading data is available for 2005, 2006 and 2009, and for numeracy in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Both sets of SSA data are comparable only over the time periods stated.

Finally, 2001 data from the Assessment of Achievement Programme (AAP) can be used to compare reading attainment to the 2005 SSA results (P7 and S2 only). Similarly, the 2000 AAP numeracy attainment data can be compared with the 2005 SSA results (P7 and S2 only).

However, it should be noted that, due to their differing nature, direct comparisons in attainment should not be made between these three surveys. The 5-14 Survey was a performance-related data collection and schools were held accountable for their results. The SSA was designed to provide a low-stakes national attainment monitoring tool, based on a random sample of schools and pupils.