Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-03144

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to lift the cap on what an individual firm can apply for through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

Year Five of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, which commenced in August, will be delivered in the same model as Year 4. Levy payers will continue to have access to up to £15,000 worth of training and Small and Medium Enterprises up to £5,000 worth of training.

We have committed to evaluating the Flexible Workforce Development Fund in 2021-22. The purpose of the evaluation will be to assess the impact the Fund has made on meeting employers training needs, addressing skill gaps and supporting workforce development. The evaluation will also provide recommendations to inform both the future of the Fund and the future development of national policy on up-skilling / retraining and in-work learning.

Reviewing the ‘fixed cap’ model for both Levy-paying employers and SMEs accessing the Fund will be part of this evaluation. Any recommendations from it in respect of its future delivery will be considered by Ministers next year.

Question reference: S6W-02689

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with other UK administrations to ensure there is UK-wide compatibility in relation to a person's vaccination status.

We are working across the Common Travel Area to ensure that the vaccination certification scheme recognises people who were vaccinated in other countries in the Common Travel Area with a Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved vaccine. We will put in place, before the scheme goes live, an interim process to enable Scottish residents who have had a dose outside Scotland to have their vaccine record updated. People will be able to get a record of their vaccination from whichever country they were vaccinated in – this will be accepted in Scotland for entry purposes.

Question reference: S6W-02330

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to allowing people living in Scotland who are travelling abroad to use lateral flow tests (LFT), rather than the more expensive PCR tests.

Advice from clinicians is to continue to use PCR testing for international travel, which is more accurate than other forms of testing. In addition, positive results should be genomically sequenced, which is harder to do using other types of test. We will, however, consider the use of lateral flow testing as technology improves and more data is available. Regardless of any testing regime, individuals should be following the protocols set out to minimise transmission.

Question reference: S6W-02329

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the digital COVID-19 vaccination pass will be made available for people living in Scotland and travelling abroad.

The NHS Scotland COVID Status app is being developed for release to the public by the end of September with vaccination information initially. We are developing our app to meet the EU requirements so we expect this to be compatible with the IATA Travel Pass. We are engaging with international stakeholders and UK Government to ensure the app is compatible with the other countries requirements of entry.

PDF downloads of vaccination status and 2D barcodes (known as QR codes) were made available for international travel from 3 September to facilitate international travel.

Question reference: S6O-00194

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with local authorities regarding spectators returning to watch school sports events.

Question reference: S6W-02408

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was to the SQA of implementing the 2019 diet of examinations.

I asked the Scottish Qualifications Authority to reply.

Initial modelling indicates that 60% of SQA’s running costs (permanent SQA staff, overheads and other indirect costs) were attributable to the implementation of the 2019 exam diet. Including direct delivery costs, the cost of the 2019 exam diet was therefore £52m.

The SQA levy to local authorities and entry fees charged to independent schools and colleges for National Qualifications have remained unchanged since 2012-13 despite changes in costs.

Question reference: S6W-02409

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was to the SQA of implementing the Alternative Certification Model for (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.

I asked the Scottish Qualifications Authority to reply.

Initial modelling indicates that 53% of SQA’s running costs (permanent SQA staff, overheads and other indirect costs) were attributable to the implementation of the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) in 2020 and 56% are attributable to the implementation of the ACM in 2021. Including direct delivery costs, the cost of the ACM was therefore:

(a) 2020: £33.4m

(b) 2021: £41.7m (forecast)

The SQA levy to local authorities and entry fees charged to independent schools and colleges for National Qualifications have remained unchanged since 2012-13 despite changes in costs. In addition, 2020 and 2021 late entry fees have been waived and there have been no charges for appeals.

Savings generated by the delivery of the ACM in place of an ordinary exam diet reduced SQA’s grant-in-aid requirement from Scottish Government, and enabled support for other critical pressures, supporting people and communities during the pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00153

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is putting in place to support outdoor education.

Question reference: S6O-00098

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on addressing concerns regarding the wellbeing of young people following the impact of COVID-19.

We have invested significantly in additional mental health and wellbeing support for since the beginning of the pandemic, including £11.25 million of dedicated funding for local authorities to address the wellbeing impacts of the pandemic on children and young people.

We have also allocated £15 million this year to fund local authorities to deliver locally based mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people in their communities.

I am sure the member will join me in welcoming this substantial investment, which equates to an additional £3.7 Million for Mid Scotland and Fife, and has resulted in over 200 new and enhanced supports and services for children and young people across Scotland so far.

£15m was also provided to local authorities and up to £5m to national organisations across Scotland to deliver the Summer Offer for children and young people, “ Get into Summer ” providing opportunities for children and young people to socialise, play and reconnect.

More generally, the wellbeing of young people is central to our work with schools, colleges, universities and employers; both in terms of access to support and facilitating positive pathways through the Young Person’s Guarantee.

Question reference: S6O-00111

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Rural Housing Fund.

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