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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: S5W-01624

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 July 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mark McDonald on 26 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its report on the recent consultation on whether there should be new offences for employers under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.

The report on the analysis of responses to the consultation on the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007: section 35(2) and (3) and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (removal of barred individuals from regulated work) Regulations 2010 will be published on the Scottish Government’s website at:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/Recent.

A copy of the consultation report will be placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information centre (bib number – 58092).

Question reference: S5W-01120

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 30 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with employers on the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in Scotland.

The apprenticeship levy was announced in the UK autumn budget and will come into effect in April 2017. It was announced without consultation with Scottish Ministers despite the delivery of apprenticeships being an area of devolved responsibility.

While we have yet to receive final details of the financial settlement that the Scottish Government will receive from the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, we are aware of the importance of engaging with employers in Scotland that will be affected in shaping our response.

Over recent months the Scottish Government has been engaging with a range of employers and representative bodies across a variety of sectors to better understand the impact that the levy will have, and their thoughts on how levy funding could be used in to deliver inclusive economic growth.

It is clear from engagement to date that businesses are looking for a much broader offer to than that being developed in England. On 13 July 2016 we will launch a consultation with employers to develop a distinctly Scottish approach which supports apprenticeships, wider skills development and deliver closer engagement with industry in our efforts to enhance productivity and economic growth.

Question reference: S5F-00133

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 June 2016

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that school leavers gain a place at college or university or gain employment, training or an apprenticeship place.

Question reference: S5W-00608

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff NHS Fife employs, and how this compares with September 2006.

Question reference: S5W-00737

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the additional data published by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) on 10 June 2016 clarifying that the scope of its undergraduate scheme for providers in Scotland increased in 2015 to include courses previously recruited through the postgraduate UCAS Teacher Training scheme and there has been variability in the recording of very late acceptances from cycle to cycle.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of this additional data by UCAS clarifying the scope of the previously published figures, including those referenced by the First Minister at First Minister’s Questions on 9 June 2016. We also welcome that the figures continue to show that, even accounting for the issues UCAS subsequently clarified, the number of people of all ages accepted through UCAS to Scottish universities from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland increased from 4,020 in 2014 to 4,075 in 2015, an increase of 1.4%. The increase since 2010 is 17.6%.

Question reference: S5O-00041

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of headteachers in Fife secondary schools is female, and how this compares with the overall figure for the rest of Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-00013

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve children's health and fitness.

The Scottish Government is taking many steps to improve children’s health and fitness as part of our determination to raise attainment and make Scotland the best place to grow up.

This includes engaging with families as early as possible in their pregnancy to ensure the best start in life, and continuing this support through our investment in family nurse partnership and health visiting.

The Scottish Government’s vision is of a Scotland where more people are more active, more often. Creating a culture in which healthy behaviours are the norm starts in the early years, so that children and young people develop a lifelong habit of activity.

Question reference: S5W-00288

Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how the most recent figures for modern apprenticeship starts compare to those in 2006-07, broken down by local authority.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) publishes statistical information about the modern apprenticeship programme, including a breakdown by local authority area, on a quarterly basis here: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/modern-apprenticeships/.

The most recent statistics are for the third quarter of 2015-16 (i.e. to end December 2016). Full year statistics for 2015-16 were published on 7 June 2016. SDS has also published a list of modern apprenticeship starts between 2005-06 and 2013-14 here:

https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/38812/ma_starts_by_local_authority_05-06_to_12-13.pdf.