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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.

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Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

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Question reference: S4W-06843

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 2 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of undergraduates domiciled in Scotland and on their first (a) full- and (b) part-time higher education course at college has been from deprived areas in each of the last three years, broken down by institution.

The information requested is provided in the following tables.

Table 1(a): Percentage of Scottish domiciled first year full-time HE students from deprived areas, 2008-09 to 2010-11:

College

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Total

Deprived

Total

Deprived%

Total

Deprived%

Aberdeen College	1,550	8.74%	1,515	11.22%	1,625	8.33%
Adam Smith College	1,105	21.72%	1,215	23.33%	1,270	23.02%
Angus College	235	10.64%	305	18.33%	300	13.33%
Anniesland College	380	36.00%	410	34.15%	490	36.73%
Ayr College	535	25.23%	600	30.25%	550	31.82%
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	150	10.00%	210	7.89%	195	10.81%
Barony College	50	10.00%	70	7.14%	75	7.14%
Borders College	100	10.00%	90	10.53%	125	8.00%
Cardonald College	605	35.83%	700	32.35%	790	33.55%
Carnegie College	260	18.37%	355	17.39%	425	20.99%
Central College Glasgow	870	31.61%	990	29.80%	1,000	34.50%
Clydebank College	465	42.39%	590	40.68%	570	43.36%
Coatbridge College	300	43.33%	330	48.44%	370	43.24%
Cumbernauld College	300	16.67%	290	18.97%	315	14.52%
Dumfries and Galloway College	230	10.87%	205	16.67%	280	16.07%
Dundee College	980	29.23%	1,040	29.95%	1,115	31.08%
Edinburgh’s Telford College	835	11.95%	980	12.82%	1,045	13.88%
Elmwood College	220	6.82%	250	8.16%	270	10.20%
Forth Valley College	710	15.00%	760	16.45%	825	15.76%
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	625	26.61%	560	30.36%	715	25.35%
Glasgow Metropolitan	1,355	22.47%	1,395	24.36%	1,435	24.13%
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	1,270	35.04%	1,410	35.23%	1,440	35.31%
Jewel and Esk College	535	13.08%	625	11.20%	665	12.12%
John Wheatley College	70	66.67%	75	53.33%	95	68.42%
Kilmarnock College	480	32.63%	590	37.29%	575	33.04%
Langside College	665	25.56%	735	27.89%	790	30.57%
Motherwell College	680	31.97%	800	33.33%	840	32.10%
North Glasgow College	380	32.43%	410	37.80%	520	38.46%
Oatridge College	95	5.56%	130	11.54%	135	11.11%
Reid Kerr College	810	38.27%	895	32.40%	895	38.51%
South Lanarkshire College	290	13.79%	460	16.48%	560	13.39%
Stevenson College Edinburgh	715	14.89%	850	14.20%	970	13.02%
Stow College	750	34.23%	820	32.21%	980	33.68%
West Lothian College	345	21.74%	400	21.52%	500	22.00%
Total	18,945	24.53%	21,060	25.29%	22,750	25.44%

Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Note: The table includes enrolments for students in their first year of study on an HE course, as it is not possible to identify which students are on an HE course for the first time.

Table 1(b): Percentage of Scottish domiciled first year part-time HE students from deprived areas, 2008-09 to 2010-11:

College

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Total

Deprived

Total

Deprived

Total

Deprived

Aberdeen College	1,275	6.47%	1,290	9.30%	1,295	10.04%
Adam Smith College	2,200	14.81%	2,020	16.58%	1,335	16.10%
Angus College	420	10.84%	455	7.69%	460	9.78%
Anniesland College	340	28.36%	275	30.91%	315	31.75%
Ayr College	380	22.58%	290	18.97%	300	28.33%
Banff and Buchan College of Further Education	665	3.76%	470	4.30%	470	3.26%
Barony College	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	5	0.00%
Borders College	135	3.57%	140	10.71%	160	6.25%
Cardonald College	530	34.29%	665	27.59%	760	32.65%
Carnegie College	750	13.45%	720	13.73%	625	10.48%
Central College Glasgow	1,195	25.74%	1,070	28.04%	1,005	29.50%
Clydebank College	305	27.87%	295	29.31%	365	30.14%
Coatbridge College	50	20.00%	45	33.33%	55	45.45%
Cumbernauld College	220	15.91%	205	9.76%	180	11.11%
Dumfries and Galloway College	245	14.29%	325	13.85%	230	15.22%
Dundee College	950	16.58%	1,065	19.34%	840	16.27%
Edinburgh’s Telford College	645	13.39%	580	15.65%	680	14.07%
Elmwood College	105	9.52%	65	15.38%	85	13.33%
Forth Valley College	775	10.53%	565	9.73%	650	10.00%
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	735	23.45%	665	23.31%	645	19.17%
Glasgow Metropolitan	445	26.44%	425	22.62%	515	25.49%
James Watt College of Further and Higher Education	470	26.88%	545	24.77%	355	30.00%
Jewel and Esk College	300	7.84%	260	13.46%	325	12.31%
John Wheatley College	50	72.73%	55	72.73%	70	57.14%
Kilmarnock College	435	25.58%	465	24.73%	295	25.86%
Langside College	680	29.63%	430	24.71%	500	26.00%
Motherwell College	585	25.00%	590	29.66%	470	28.42%
North Glasgow College	60	45.45%	160	37.50%	110	36.36%
Oatridge College	40	0.00%	60	9.09%	50	20.00%
Reid Kerr College	520	29.81%	445	23.60%	525	25.96%
South Lanarkshire College	475	21.05%	435	24.14%	405	25.64%
Stevenson College Edinburgh	675	12.40%	505	16.00%	685	11.67%
Stow College	405	30.00%	315	36.67%	255	44.68%
West Lothian College	445	17.44%	335	21.67%	425	16.67%
Total	17,505	18.79%	16,230	19.63%	15,445	19.56%

Source: Scottish Funding Council

Note: The table includes enrolments for students in their first year of study on an HE course, as it is not possible to identify which students are on an HE course for the first time.

Question reference: S4W-06827

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 2 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) universities, (b) the National Union of Students and (c) other stakeholders on developing a consistent approach to advising people from the rest of the UK who are considering studying in Scotland about the fees structure and what support is available to them.

The Scottish Government engages with universities, student representatives and other higher education stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including widening access and the support available to students.

Students from the rest of the UK who come to study in Scotland are supported in the first instance by the administration in their home country rather than the Scottish Government. However, every university can offer local support in the form of bursaries and the Scottish Government has welcomed the package of bursaries and scholarships that Scottish universities have agreed to provide to RUK domiciled students to ensure they remain accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds.

In addition to this, RUK students can apply for discretionary funds from the institution at which they are studying. These funds are intended to provide non-repayable assistance for students in financial difficulties in order for them to access and/or continue in higher education and are paid in addition to any other forms of student support.

Question reference: S4O-00909

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when details of the new air ambulance contract will be announced and whether it expects the contract to include an Orkney-based aircraft.

Question reference: S4W-06063

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 19 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people who were being offered advice, guidance and assistance by a local authority under sections (a) 29(1) and (b) 29(2) of the Children’s (Scotland) Act 1995 and Supporting Young People Leaving Care in Scotland: Regulations and Guidance on Services for Young People Ceasing to be Looked After by Local Authorities have died in each year since 2005-06, broken down by local authority.

This information is not held centrally.

Individual local authorities should be able to provide information on young people who were receiving advice, guidance and assistance under sections 29(1) and 29(2) of the Children’s (Scotland) Act 1995 and Supporting Young People Leaving Care in Scotland: Regulations and Guidance on Services for Young People Ceasing to be Looked After who died in each year since 2005-06.

Question reference: S4W-05573

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities since 2007 regarding the extension of public service obligation flights to all airports that serve routes that are eligible for the Air Discount Scheme.

Question reference: S4W-05578

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it has used since 2007 to determine a region’s eligibility for public service obligation flights.

Question reference: S4W-05579

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on the administration of public service obligation flights in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S4W-05575

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with businesses in the Highlands and Islands since 2007 regarding the extension of public service obligation flights to these areas.

Question reference: S4W-05576

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) Flybe, (b) Loganair and (c) other airlines serving the Highlands and Islands since 2007 regarding the expansion of the public service obligation network.

Question reference: S4W-05577

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for public service obligation flights has been in each year since 2007.

2007-08	£1.8 million
2008-09	£1.9 million
2009-10	£2.0 million
2010-11	£2.0 million
2011-12 to date	£1.8 million