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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

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Question reference: S6W-16694

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many digital devices were distributed to school pupils through digital inclusion funding in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

The Scottish Government provided £25 million of funding in 2020-21 to local authorities across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion, resulting in over 72,000 pupils receiving a device to support their learning.

Individual local authorities across Scotland have also undertaken their own digital inclusion schemes and have invested in devices from their own budgets. Information from them indicates that up to 280,000 devices have been distributed to learners across Scotland (including the 72,000 funded by the Scottish Government).

Question reference: S6W-16410

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to support pupils and school staff whose mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We recognise that children’s and young people’s mental health may have been affected during the pandemic and want to ensure that anyone who needs support can get access to appropriate services.

We continue to prioritise support for mental health and wellbeing in schools and the provision of Educational Psychologists, school counselling services and school staff are a key part of the support being offered. The Scottish Government supports our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that every secondary school has access to counselling services support delivery of the commitment.

In addition, the Mental Health in Schools Working Group developed a mental health professional learning resource for all school staff to assist in responding to and supporting children and young people’s mental health in schools. Education Scotland has also provided tools and guidance for school staff to further strengthen support to children and young people.

Since 2020, the Scottish Government has made available a package of support for the education workforce which is designed to help staff look after their own wellbeing, those of colleagues and those they lead. An evaluation in 2022 found that 93% of participants report an increase in their confidence to manage their own mental health and wellbeing since engaging with this support.

Question reference: S6W-16452

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent work it has undertaken to increase the number of English and Mathematics teachers.

We are committed to supporting the recruitment of more teachers and my predecessor recently set out measures to Parliament making it clear that we will provide £145.5 million in next year's budget to protect increased teacher numbers and support staff.

In addition, in 2022-23 we offered 150 bursaries of £20,000 for career changers wishing to undertake a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in STEM subjects - Physics, Maths, Technical Education, Computing Science, Home Economics and Chemistry. These are the secondary school subjects with the greatest demand for teachers. Our STEM bursary scheme will continue in this financial year.

With these interventions, STEM teacher numbers are at their highest level since 2011. We are also continuing to work with universities and local authorities to look at innovative and creative ways to encourage more teachers into STEM subjects.

Question reference: S6W-16454

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fully implement the recommendations of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessments in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-16411

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments it has undertaken regarding any risk to health of asbestos in schools.

Question reference: S6W-16409

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the mental health impact has been on teachers and school staff as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Scottish Government recognises the negative impact the pandemic has had on some people’s mental health and wellbeing, including teachers and school staff. This has been evidenced through several UK and Scottish studies.

Since 2020, the Scottish Government has therefore made a package of support available for the education workforce which is designed to help staff look after their own wellbeing, those of colleagues and those they lead. This includes coaching and group sessions focussed on looking after individual mental health and wellbeing and that of any staff managed and also values based-leadership aimed at supporting teachers in the early phase of their career. An evaluation in 2022 found that 93% of participants report an increase in their confidence to manage their own mental health and wellbeing since engaging with this support.

Local Councils employ our teachers and school staff; as such they have a responsibility to ensure workplaces support and promote good mental health benefits for the individuals they employ.

Question reference: S6W-16453

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether new qualifications and assessments will be in place for the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

The Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment, led by Professor Louise Hayward, will report to the Scottish Government by the end of May 2023. The Review’s interim report was published on 3 March and includes a model for a new approach to qualifications and assessment which is currently being tested further with stakeholders.

The Scottish Government will need to consider the recommendations in the final report before providing a formal response.

Question reference: S6W-16408

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the mental health impact has been on pupils as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.

We know that children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing will have been affected during lockdown, and schools have a key role to play in supporting children’s and young people’s mental health. The Health and Wellbeing Census reported that across most of the measures, positive perceptions of life satisfaction, confidence and loneliness decrease up to S4, but the analysis shows small improvements (or no further decreases) for those in S5 and S6.

We continue to prioritise support for mental health and wellbeing in schools. We support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that every secondary school has access to counselling services support delivery of the commitment. We also published a Whole School Approach Framework and a professional learning resource to assist school staff in supporting children and young people’s mental health in schools.

Question reference: S6O-02104

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps that it is taking to tackle livestock worrying.

Question reference: S6W-16164

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a progress report from NHS Forth Valley regarding its improvement plan, including any additional (a) culture, (b) leadership and (c) integration actions, following its escalation to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland performance escalation framework on 23 November 2022.

NHS Forth Valley provide a full progress update against their published Improvement Plan to the Assurance Board on a monthly basis. Material relating to the escalation is proactively published by both the Scottish Government and NHS Forth Valley.

NHS Forth Valley recently published the latest iteration of their Improvement Plan, which included a progress update and incorporated additional actions in governance, leadership, culture and integration. A Measurement Framework has also been developed and published by NHS Forth Valley to allow them to demonstrate and evidence tangible progress. These documents can be found on NHS Forth Valley’s website: NHS Forth Valley – Escalation and HIS

The onus remains on NHS Forth Valley to deliver and evidence the required improvements in governance, leadership and culture; and, in turn, on performance. The Assurance Board will continue to monitor and scrutinise NHS Forth Valley’s progress.

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