Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-29158

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government who it engaged with in developing the national improvement framework and whether it will publish the feedback received.

Since the publication of the draft national improvement framework, we have undertaken extensive consultation, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including over 5,000 teachers, parents, children and young people, local authority representatives, academics, representative groups and other interested stakeholders. Focused events were held for parents and for children and a programme of over 50 meetings and events took place over three months. Responses from an online survey and written submissions were also received. This feedback has shaped the National Improvement Framework, published on 6 January 2016.

A consultation and engagement report was published alongside the National Improvement Framework to enable stakeholders to see how their input has shaped the development of the framework. Additional information for parents and children, based on their feedback has also been produced and is available via the Scottish Government website:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/NationalImprovementFramework.

Question reference: S4F-03152

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2016

To ask the First Minister how many children receive free school meals.

Question reference: S4O-05190

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle poverty.

Question reference: S4O-04814

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes a healthy work-life balance.

We recognise the great importance that achieving a healthy work-life balance has for a great many people in Scotland.

Although the legal powers governing flexible working are currently reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government recognises it has an important role to play in helping people manage the twin responsibilities of work and family.

We fund and are an active partner in the Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership. Through this partnership, established in 2014, we work with Working Families (a leading UK work-life balance organisation), Parenting Across Scotland and Fathers Network Scotland to support and promote the development of family-friendly working across Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-04736

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the rollout of superfast broadband.

Question reference: S4O-04703

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how town centres could benefit from business rates being set by local authorities.

Question reference: S4O-04688

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans are progressing to build a national film studio.

Question reference: S4O-04664

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the planned changes to subsidies for onshore windfarms will affect developments in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-27279

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish-domiciled students have been accepted by Scottish universities for 2015-16 and how many have been accepted by their (a) first and (b) second choice university and how many have been placed through clearing.

The latest data on acceptances to higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UK are Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data as at 15 days after A-level results day 2015.

At that stage, the number of Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs in Scotland was 27,940.

Further breakdowns by choice/clearing are not published for Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs in Scotland but are published for Scottish domiciled applicants accepted to HEIs anywhere in the UK.

Table 1: Scottish domiciled students accepted to HEIs anywhere in the UK at 15 days after A-level results day: 2011 to 2015

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Total placed at this stage	27,500	27,660	28,090	28,890	29,610
First choice	24,050	24,180	25,020	25,860	26,270
Second choice	1,530	1,510	1,350	1,410	1,480
No preference indicated	800	630	500	510	510
‘Adjustment’*	10	20	10	10	10
Clearing (Main scheme)	980	1180	1070	960	1150
Clearing (Direct to)	130	150	150	130	190

Source: UCAS

Data rounded to nearest 10.

*A small number of applicants meet the entry conditions for their first choice but opt to accept an alternative offer.

Question reference: S4O-04590

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the growth of Japanese knotweed is controlled.

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