- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August
2024, whether it is aware of what issues were identified by Ofqual regarding
the SQA's failure to ensure that the content of resit assessments for the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification were fit for purpose, and if so what those issues
were and how they affected the course of Ofqual's investigation.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
SQA have regularly updated the Scottish Government on the Ofqual review from its inception.
The investigation of the non-compliance is a matter for Ofqual. Ofqual has published its findings: Undertaking given by Scottish Qualifications Authority to Ofqual in accordance with B8 of the Conditions of Recognition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August 2024, whether it is aware of the concerns identified by Ofqual in January 2022 regarding the SQA's approach to investigating and dealing with with malpractice and maladministration concerns and. if so. what whose concerns were.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
SQA have regularly updated the Scottish Government on the Ofqual review from its inception.
Ofqual has published its findings: Undertaking given by Scottish Qualifications Authority to Ofqual in accordance with B8 of the Conditions of Recognition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what is its response to research published by NASUWT, which suggests that 21% of teachers are using money from Pupil Equity Fund to buy school meals for children coming to school hungry.
Answer
There is a package of national and local support available to assist schools in planning how to use their Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). Local authorities issue specific complementary guidance and headteachers can use their professional judgement to identify children in their school who may benefit from targeted interventions. Headteachers must develop a clear rationale for their use of PEF and plans must be grounded in evidence of what is known to be effective at raising attainment.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29275 by Kate Forbes on 13 September 2024, when the outcome of the governance review will be completed.
Answer
The governance review will be completed by the end of 2024. As part of the review, the First Minister has formally agreed to the creation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee for Investment and Economy.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what recommendations from the Creative Industries Leadership Group it has adopted.
Answer
The Creative Industries Leadership Group (CILG) recommendations have helped to inform many of the actions included in the Culture Strategy Action Plan, published in 2023. The Action Plan sets out current and planned activity and is available at A Culture Strategy for Scotland: Action Plan (www.gov.scot).
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Creative Industries Leadership Group has met since its meeting on 8 June 2022.
Answer
The Creative Industries Leadership Group (CILG) has not been convened by The Scottish Government since its meeting on 8 June 2022. However, the Scottish Government carries out regular engagement with key stakeholders across the Creative Industries sector, including those involved with CILG, as part of the normal business of Government.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount spent by the public sector has been on IT systems and consultancy services, specifically in the areas of procurement and finance, in each year since 2020, also broken down by public sector body, and how this expenditure compares with the availability of the centrally-funded eCommerce shared service that can reportedly be used by these bodies at no or minimal cost.
Answer
A report on public bodies data, including spend on different corporate functions in 2022-23, will be published on 15 November 2024 on the Scottish Government website, but this does not include the total amount spent by public bodies on IT systems and consultancy services specifically relating to procurement and finance systems. This is a matter for individual public bodies and is not held centrally. Whilst we do not hold this data we do monitor use of the eCommerce systems across the Scottish public sector and identify opportunities to promote and implement the tools available as part of the eCommerce Shared Service.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August
2024, when concerns were raised with or within the SQA regarding compliance
with Ofqual's conditions of recognition and the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification; what
steps the SQA took in response, and when.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
SQA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. As a NDPB, SQA is responsible for making its own operational decisions. The undertaking by the SQA to Ofqual is a matter for Ofqual. The Scottish Government will be monitoring progress closely.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its Fisheries Climate Change Action Plan, as set out in its National Islands Plan: Implementation Route Map 2024.
Answer
We do not yet have a timescale for publishing the Fisheries Climate Change Action Plan. Further work is required, in partnership with stakeholders, to develop a clear plan of actions which will support fisheries in the drive to net zero.
Many of the actions that are required will need to be developed and initiated by the fishing industry and others in the private sector (for example vessel designers). Regulators and policy makers will also need to identify and remove barriers where this is possible.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 12 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to each NHS board in each year since 2018 to support the implementation of the sexual health and blood borne virus action plan.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides core funding annually to Health Boards for sexual health and blood borne virus (BBV) services. From 2018-19 to 2023-24, Health Boards received funding through the annual Outcomes Framework allocation to cover a range of outcomes, including sexual health and BBVs. It was up to Health Boards to decide how much to allocate to each outcome within this envelope. In order to give Boards more control over local priorities this funding was baselined in 2023-24.
The total value for Outcomes Framework allocations since 2018-19 is set out in the following table.
Year | Total Outcomes Framework (£m) |
2018-19 | 66.2 |
2019-20 | 75.7 |
2020-21 | 71.9 |
2021-22 | 74.1 |
2022-23 | 74.1 |
2023-24 | 74.1 |
The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan was published in November 2023 and is supported by funding for a range of projects which align with the priorities in the plan. These projects are being taken forward by a variety of organisations including Health Boards, academia and the third sector. Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/sexual-health-blood-borne-virus-action-plan-2023-2026/documents/.