- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has changed its target for the publication of the final version of its biodiversity strategy to 2045, along with the first delivery plan, since the draft strategy was published, and, if so, what the original target was.
Answer
Our original intention was to consult on the final draft biodiversity strategy and delivery plan in Spring 2023 with a view to publishing the final strategy and delivery plan in in Summer 2023. The time frame was put back by 3 months to allow key elements of the proposed Natural Environment Bill to be included in the consultation. The expanded consultation will be launched shortly with a view to final publication of the strategy and delivery plan later this year.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a full appraisal of the Scottish Funding Council's Upskilling Fund, from its inception in 2019, including details on (a) uptake, (b) type of learner, (c) level of qualification, (d) the (i) hours and (ii) credits of learning provided and (e) any employer engagement.
Answer
All data is provided by the Scottish Funding Council. Details are as follows:
(a) Uptake
A summary of enrolments for all courses in each of the academic years (AY) since 2019-20 is as follows:-
19-20 – 4,041 enrolments
20-21 – 7,056 enrolments
21-22 – 7,144 enrolments
(b) Type of learner
Data on type of learner is not complete due to reductions in reporting requirements during Covid for 2019-20 and due to limitations in Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) reporting which covers students studying for a qualification or credit at HE level only.
The data included below has been recorded in the HESA returns for 2020-21 and 2021-22, with the caveat that this is not a complete dataset.
The following table has been taken from HESA returns
Sex | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
Male | 2,270 | 37.4% | 3,080 | 39.5% |
Female | 3,770 | 62.1% | 4,685 | 60.0% |
Other | 30 | 0.5% | 40 | 0.5% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Age | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
20 and under | 145 | 2.4% | 270 | 3.4% |
21 to 29 yrs | 1,640 | 27.0% | 1,665 | 21.3% |
30 and above | 4,280 | 70.6% | 5,870 | 75.2% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Ethnicity | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
White | 5,020 | 82.7% | 6,405 | 82.1% |
BME | 675 | 11.1% | 860 | 11.0% |
Ethnicity Not Known | 375 | 6.2% | 540 | 6.9% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Disability status | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
Has a Disability | 645 | 10.6% | 890 | 11.4% |
No Known Disability | 5,425 | 89.4% | 6,915 | 88.6% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Deprivation status | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
MD20 | 580 | 10.0% | 720 | 9.7% |
Other | 5,170 | 89.2% | 6,620 | 89.3% |
Not Known | 50 | 0.9% | 70 | 1.0% |
Total | 5,800 | 100% | 7,410 | 100% |
Level of qualification or credit obtained on Upskilling course | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % |
SCQF L11 | 295 | 29.9% | 2,635 | 77.3% |
SCQF L10 | 500 | 50.6% | 325 | 9.6% |
SCQF L9 | 155 | 15.6% | 245 | 7.2% |
SCQF L8 | 5 | 0.7% | 95 | 2.8% |
SCQF L7 | 30 | 3.1% | 110 | 3.2% |
Total | 985 | 100% | 3,410 | 100% |
For the purposes of data protection the figures for enrolments and qualifications have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 5.The percentages are based on unrounded figures.
(c) Level of qualification or credit
The Upskilling Fund supports SCQF levels 7-11
(d) The (i) hours The University Upskilling Fund Guidance stipulates that provision should be shorter in duration – usually significantly shorter – than a full AY.
And (ii) credits of learning provided.
Guidance states that courses/provision should normally be credit-bearing and have some form of appropriate assessment built-in. However, this is not a necessary eligibility criterion and is at the university’s discretion, based on the nature of the particular course/ provision and the needs of students.
(e) Any employer engagement
Universities are strengthening their relationships with employers as they use their employer groups and networks and trade body partnerships in the design of programmes and in the recruitment of learners.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to use the evidence collected in the call for evidence on single-use food containers and other single-use items.
Answer
The evidence gathered through the call for evidence will help inform future policy on how to reduce the use of single-use food containers and other single-use items in order to align, where we are able to do so and in a manner that contributes towards maintaining and advancing standards, with the EU Directive on single-use plastics and to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16710 by Jamie Hepburn on 16 May 2023, what mechanism or measure it would potentially plan to use to determine whether “the people of Scotland wish that to be the case”.
Answer
The Scottish Government will always be guided by the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Scotland on constitutional matters.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has made available for early-stage circular textiles projects, in light of reports that the Circular Textiles Fund excludes such projects in its application criteria.
Answer
Circular Economy Business Support, provided by Zero Waste Scotland, continues to provide support for textile businesses wishing to develop circular models. Scottish Enterprise also recently published its Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Guide , https://unlockingambition.scot/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scottish-Entrepreneurial-Ecosystem-Guide-April-2023.pdf
which provides an overview of the range of support available to new and growing companies in Scotland including incubators, accelerators, specialist industry programmes, co-working spaces and networking organisations. This support is available to any early-stage innovative business.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government for what purpose the £26 million previously allocated to the college sector in the Scottish Budget 2023-24 was redeployed.
Answer
As set out in the letter dated 2 nd May to the Education Children and Young People Committee, the additional £46 million (£26 million for colleges and £20 million for universities) was identified as a necessary saving in Financial Year 2023-24. This is part of our wider duty to balance the budget and ensure fiscal sustainability. As you will know, the previous Cabinet Secretary also wrote to the Committee on 22 February confirming we have had to make difficult choices in meeting new pressures on the Education and Skills portfolio since the 2023-24 Budget announcement, including the recent agreement regarding teachers’ pay.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17663 by Lorna Slater on 23 May 2023, whether it will provide an answer to the question that was asked about which (a) businesses and (b) trade associations have confirmed to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity that their “number one concern” is uncertainty created specifically by the UK Government not issuing an exclusion to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answer
As set out in the response to S6W-17663, the Scottish Government and delivery partners such as Circularity Scotland, SEPA and Zero Waste Scotland continue to regularly engage directly with businesses to ensure all involved are ready for successful launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Any decision by an individual business or a specific trade association to make public their priorities is a matter for them. It is not appropriate for Scottish Government to do so.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, following the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG EFRA) on 17 April 2023, whether it has provided the additional information requested by the UK Government regarding the impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on businesses, and, if so, (a) on what date it did so and (b) what additional information it provided.
Answer
Throughout the development of DRS the Scottish Government and partners have developed and published a range of evidence on the benefits and impacts of the scheme.
The Scottish Government also provided all information which was required to make a decision on the IMA exclusion as part of the Common Framework Procedure.
The Scottish Government has responded promptly to any requests for further information from the UK Government to help with their decision on an IMA exclusion. In particular, on 18 and 28 April and 12 May, we provided further information on costs for businesses and consumers; on 18 May, we provided further information on the environmental and economic case for the inclusion of glass; and on 19 May, we provided further information on stakeholder views.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of civil servants working on the National Care Service has been to date.
Answer
Monthly Cost |
Aug-21 | £102,000 |
Sep-21 | £106,000 |
Oct-21 | £116,000 |
Nov-21 | £140,000 |
Dec-21 | £153,000 |
Jan-22 | £184,000 |
Feb-22 | £207,000 |
Mar-22 | £222,000 |
Apr-22 | £319,000 |
May-22 | £354,000 |
Jun-22 | £383,000 |
Jul-22 | £399,000 |
Aug-22 | £468,000 |
Sep-22 | £523,000 |
Oct-22 | £618,000 |
Nov-22 | £989,000 |
Dec-22 | £846,000 |
Jan-23 | £864,000 |
Feb-23 | £921,000 |
Mar-23 | £858,000 |
Apr-23 | £882,000 |
Annual Cost |
2021-22 | £1,230,000 |
2022-23 | £7,542,000 |
2023-24 | £882,000 |
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments from a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh claiming that some undergraduate students had to "couch-surf" through the entirety of their first year due to lack of available accommodation.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no direct role in provision of student residential accommodation. However, we are determined to improve accessibility, affordability and standards across the rented sector and are carrying out, with a cross-sectoral expert group, a review of purpose built student accommodation, the recommendations from which are due to be submitted to Ministers soon .
Scottish Government is also developing proposals for improving privately-rented accommodation more generally, as set out in our draft New Deal for Tenants .
