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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: S4W-18949

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 13 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the figures published in the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No 4: 2013 that suggest that the number of pupils with additional support needs is equivalent to 19% of the school population, and whether it considers that the decline in the number of teachers since 2010 leaves sufficient capacity for schools to deal with this.

The Scottish Government is clear that the statistics indicate that there continues to be improved recording of children and young people with additional support needs in Scotland. The statistics also indicate that the pupil teacher ratio in local authority schools remains at the 2011 level of 13.5. This is the second year this has been maintained.

The report to Parliament on the implementation of additional support for learning will be published in February 2014 and will provide information on how well children and young people’s learning needs are met.

Question reference: S4W-19001

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Air Discount Scheme has cost in each year since 2007-08.

Question reference: S4O-02778

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to assist the staff of Ortak Jewellery Ltd following the company's closure.

Question reference: S4O-02762

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has that team teaching brings the same benefits to children as smaller class sizes.

Question reference: S4W-18686

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Air Discount Scheme has cost to administer in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-18688

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many times people have been prevented from accessing the Air Discount Scheme because their journey was for non-personal reasons since the regulations were changed to prevent the scheme being used for business travel.

Question reference: S4W-18589

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether Pentland Ferries will be entitled to a proportion of the subsidy paid to Serco under the terms of the Northern Isles ferry contract during January 2014 when it fulfils requirements for lifeline passenger ferry services across the Pentland Firth.

No. Pentland Ferries will gain commercial benefit from the additional traffic carried during this period.

The MV Helliar is able to carry all expected freight vehicles and up to 12 passengers. Serco NorthLink Ferries held constructive dialogue with Pentland Ferries to ensure that ferry connectivity was maintained during this period of scheduled unavailability. Pentland Ferries has confirmed to Serco NorthLink Ferries that they are able to accommodate the overall travel demand across the Pentland Firth during this period. Serco NorthLink Ferries are providing courtesy buses between Scrabster and Gills Bay and Stromness and St Margaret’s Hope to minimise any inconvenience to passengers. It is anticipated that the effective liaison between both operators will continue to ensure effective connections to and from Orkney.

Question reference: S4W-18670

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the costs involved in allowing schools to decide which Higher examinations pupils can take in 2015.

There are no anticipated additional costs.

The decision to “dual run” the new Highers with current Highers in 2014-15 was taken several years ago, primarily to enable S6 learners to take the higher qualification which would best fit their earlier learning and teaching experience. Costs for dual provision have therefore always been factored into SQA’s programme budget.

We have made clear that the new Highers provide smooth progression from the National 5 qualification and we consider it the natural option for young people in Scotland next session. However, school education is the responsibility of local authorities and we recognise that there needs to be some scope for local flexibility based on professional judgment. Where other options are being considered, teachers should work closely with their senior management, local authority and parent body to come to a decision. The decision should be in the interest of learners, and involve all parties, rather than be taken by a single person. As there should be no additional costs involved, cost should not be a factor in decision-making.

Question reference: S4W-18687

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many claims for discounted flights under the Air Discount Scheme have been made in each of the last five years, and how many were approved.

Question reference: S4W-18588

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether, as a result of the decision to operate the MV Helliar on the Stromness to Scrabster route in January 2014, Serco will be liable for fines under the terms of the contract for ferry services to the Northern Isles and, if so, how much those fines are expected to be.

The contract provides an overall regime of performance measures, with deductions to be applied, for failure to meet the performance measures. Performance measures cover reliability, punctuality, compliance and reporting.

During a period of scheduled unavailability, the contract permits departure from the contracted timetable, provided arrangements for delivery of the service are made which meet anticipated demand. A revised timetable has been agreed and should Serco NorthLink Ferries fail to deliver this the normal performance deductions as set out in the contract will apply.

2007-08	£5.622 million
2008-09	£6.054 million
2009-10	£6.251 million
2010-11	£6.018 million
2011-12	£4.905 million
2012-13	£5.073 million

2009	Claims made – 144,725
2010	Claims made – 185,633
2011	Claims made – 161,402 Flights not approved – 124
2012	Claims made – 136,607 Flights not approved – 268
2013	Claims made – 124,959 Flights not approved – 174