Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-26043

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any local authority ceasing its funding for secondary school music tuition and relying on the funding provided by the Scottish Government following the 2021 announcement of the removal of fees to fund this service.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any local authority ceasing its funding for secondary school music tuition and relying solely on the additional funding provided by the Scottish Government. The most recent Instrumental Music Services: Results from the IMS Survey 2023 (improvementservice.org.uk) confirmed that 61,715 pupils participated in instrumental music lessons in academic year 2022-23, the highest number since the annual survey began 11 years ago.

The policy of free instrumental tuition has now firmly been established across all Local Authority Music Services. The Scottish Government continues to support local authorities to deliver free instrumental music tuition in schools, with £12 million allocated this financial year alone. The purpose of this funding is to enhance the instrumental music tuition offer that is provided through Local Authority budgets.

Question reference: S6O-03093

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what financial and advisory support is available to farmers to better manage land and rivers, including to prevent flooding.

Question reference: S6O-03038

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will deliver its commitment to reduce teacher class contact time by 90 minutes per week.

Question reference: S6T-01721

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide funding for grants for those households and businesses flooded during Storm Gerrit, in light of it providing such funding for those affected by Storm Babet.

Question reference: S6W-23591

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure the sustainability of modern languages teaching in (a) schools, (b) universities and (c) colleges.

In relation to (a)

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of learning additional languages, as it equips our young people with the skills they need in an increasingly globalised world. This is why since 2013, we have invested over £50 m to support schools and local authorities to deliver language learning, including through provision of professional learning, one of the aims of which is to get children engaged with and interested in languages early.

Language teachers are clearly needed if schools are to be able to offer languages in secondary schools. Modern languages are classified as a priority subject for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) intakes by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Both the Scottish Government and SFC have offered to work with universities to develop alternative routes into subjects which are classified as a priority subjects. The Strategic Board for Teacher Education, which is made up of a range of key education stakeholders, is also considering issues around the recruitment and retention of teachers in Scotland in detail.

In relation to (b) and (c)

Despite the Scottish Government facing the most challenging financial environment since devolution, we have continued to support our colleges and universities through almost £2 billion in annual investment.

Operational decisions on course provision are for individual colleges, however it is our expectation that this should be done with the needs of students, the local region and the wider economy, in mind. Universities, as autonomous institutions, are also responsible for their own course provision, and it is for them to decide how to distribute the allocation of funded places between faculties and courses. In line with our Purpose and Principles for the post-school education and skills system, Scottish Government will continue to work with the university sector to ensure that it delivers the best outcomes and impact for learners, the economy and society.

Question reference: S6W-23589

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported reduction in the number of secondary school pupils studying modern languages.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of modern languages. Since 2013, we have taken a range of steps to promote and support language learning providing more than £50 million in funding to local authorities and partners to support the teaching of additional languages in schools.

We acknowledge that since 2016, the date at which modern language national qualifications are directly comparable with today, entries have been decreasing. This is a broadly a trend we see across the rest of the UK. However, comparing August 2023 data with 2022, entries to National 4 and National 5 languages have increased, and Higher entries are only marginally down (by 15 entries), demonstrating an ongoing recovery post pandemic.

Secondary schools offer a wider range of modern language qualifications than just National 5, Higher and Advanced Highers. Across SCQF Levels 3-7, entries to Languages qualifications increased by 3.4% between 2022 and August 2023 and attainment of the Modern Languages for Life and Work Award at SCQF levels 3 and 4 combined have more than quadrupled since 2013.

Question reference: S6W-23590

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the University of Aberdeen is considering withdrawing its honours degrees in languages, cultures and societies.

The Scottish Government is clear that access to learning modern languages is vital at all stages of education, to equip children and young people with the skills they need in an increasingly globalised world.

Universities, as autonomous institutions, are responsible for their own course provision, and it is for them to decide how to distribute the allocation of funded places between faculties and courses. In any reform of provision, Scottish Government expects the University of Aberdeen to adhere to Fair Work principles. This includes meaningful consultation and constructive dialogue with any staff affected by the proposals to reduce modern languages provision.

In line with our Purpose and Principles for the post-school education and skills system, the Scottish Government will continue to work with the university sector to deliver the best outcomes and impact for learners, the economy and society.

Question reference: S6W-23491

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to publish its national action plan to tackle violence in schools.

Question reference: S6W-23532

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve and increase testing and monitoring for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment.

The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) essential work to deliver a comprehensive monitoring programme in order to understand Scotland’s environment and the risks from emerging contaminants of concern, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). SEPA collaborates closely with partners across the UK and engages in various research projects to work towards a common approach on the assessment and management of a wide range of chemicals.

SEPA has developed a new analytical technique to screen environmental water samples for a large number of chemicals, including PFAS. It is currently expanding the extent of this monitoring and the range of substances and analytical media included. SEPA is also developing another method specifically to monitor PFAS substances, which will be ready in 2024.

The Scottish Government is also funding several relevant research projects through its five-year Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture strategic research programme and through the Centre of Expertise on Waters (CREW). This work includes developing techniques to measure perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in salmon, food products (fish), and soils, and developing approaches for future monitoring programmes.

Question reference: S6W-23531

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding the utilisation of technologies for the removal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water.

In line with the Public Water Supply (Scotland) Regulations 2014, Scottish Water is required to carry out risk assessments to assess the likelihood of the presence of the most widespread PFAS compounds in its drinking water supplies. Where risk is identified, controls must be determined. It is a matter for Scottish Water to decide what treatment technology is necessary, however, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator has provided guidance on the types of treatments that can be effective in removing PFAS from drinking water.

The DWQR is participating in a UK wide research project on the effectiveness of different treatment processes for the removal of PFAS that is led by Cranfield University; this research is due for completion by June 2024.

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