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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-09143

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected experiences and outcomes at each key points of pupils' educational progress are and what is required to achieve these.

Question reference: S4W-09139

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of pupils move to secondary school with a P7 profile, broken down by local authority.

The Scottish Government does not gather this information. All primary 7 pupils will develop a profile with support from their teacher which will build an accurate and comprehensive account of their progress and achievement. The profile is developed as an on-going process of dialogue and reflection between the teacher and the learner. The first P7 profiles were developed during the schools year 2011-12 and the first S3 profiles will be developed by third year pupils with support from their teachers during the school year 2012-13.

Question reference: S4W-09136

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities regarding how much time should be allocated to primary and secondary teachers visiting each other’s schools in order to facilitate pupils moving to secondary.

Question reference: S4W-09140

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much time is allocated per year for interaction between the primary and secondary school sector to discuss (a) curriculum planning, (b) approaches to teaching and (c) assessment.

It is for education authorities to provide advice to their schools on the nature and time spent on transitional arrangements between their primary and secondary schools.

Funding of £6.7 million in 2010-12 and a further three years funding of £3.762 million from 2012-15 has been made available to local authorities to support additional local activity associated with introducing and operating a quality assurance and moderation system. This will allow time for teachers to build their expertise and amongst other practitioners in sharing, understanding and applying standards.

Question reference: S4W-09133

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recommendations it has made to local authorities regarding the building of teachers’ assessment literacy through (a) intra- and (b)inter-school discussion.

The Scottish Government issued a suite of guidance on assessment approaches, known as Building the Curriculum 5, including quality assurance and moderation, to all schools and authorities in January 2010. In addition to seminars, Education Scotland in partnership with SQA and the Scottish Government has developed the National Assessment Resource (NAR) to support teachers to develop their professional skills and a shared understanding of assessment practices for CfE. The exemplars on the NAR have been developed by teachers supported by Education Scotland. The NAR also includes case studies from several authorities on quality assurance and moderation in and across authorities. It is for headteachers and Education Authorities to advise their staff and schools respectively on their deployment of time with inter-school discussion. The Scottish Government does not set expectations on such matters.

Question reference: S4W-09137

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what best practices it has identified for joint primary and secondary school curriculum planning, and how these are shared with teaching staff.

Education Scotland support and share best practice with schools and authorities in seminars, their website and with exemplars in the National Assessment Resource on transition from early years to primary and from primary to secondary.

Local authorities also have a responsibility to encourage schools to engage in joint planning activities within their Associated School Groups and to develop curriculum structures and learning pathways which are appropriate for their local context, and the needs of individual learners.

Question reference: S4W-09118

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it is coordinating the processes for (a) identifying and (b) designating marine (i) protected and (ii) special protected areas.

Marine Scotland is working in partnership with SNH and JNCC at a national level to identify Nature Conservation MPA proposals for potential inclusion in a network of sites in Scotland’s seas. JNCC and SNH will provide formal advice to Scottish ministers on the identification of Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to deliver duties in the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. On the basis of this advice, ministers will determine which of the Nature Conservation MPA proposals they consider should be publically consulted upon in 2013 with a view to subsequent formal designation (subject to ministerial decision) under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

The Marine (Scotland) Act makes provision for SPAs to be included in the MPA network, and Marine Scotland is working with ornithologists from SNH and JNCC to identify the most suitable territories for Scotland’s seabirds to ensure that we achieve compliance with the requirements of the EU Wild Birds Directive. Once most suitable territories are identified, and supporting scientific cases are received, Scottish ministers will consider the case for consultation and designation as SPAs.

Question reference: S4W-09116

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will (a) publish details and (b) consult on the areas proposed for designation as marine (i) protected and (ii) special protected areas, and what form the consultation will take.

A progress report on the development of the Marine Protected Area network is planned for December, including locations under consideration as MPAs. Marine Scotland will finalise details on locations proposed for MPA designation prior to consultation, which we aim to start in 2013 and will run for 12 weeks. Details of locations of importance to seabirds are publicly available and this will be updated on further advice expected during 2013. This will include proposals for Special Protection Areas which will undergo public consultation, subject to approval by Scottish ministers.

Question reference: S4W-09115

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what types of marine (i) protected and (ii) special protected areas are being considered by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Question reference: S4O-01227

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to progress its plans for a management fee for non-UK EU students.