Chamber and committees

Grant in Aid to Skills Development Scotland in each financial year from its beginning (2008-9)

In my capacity as Energy Minister I have met with Scottish Renewables on a number of occasions in the context of my role, but last met formally on 22 August 2016. This was an introductory meeting between myself and the organisation. In this meeting we discussed engagement with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the recent offshore wind judgements, transmission costs in Scotland, the Scottish Government Energy Strategy and shared ownership.

As part of the Labour Market Strategy published on 26 August 2016 we committed to consider what labour market data we might need to improve on that presently collected. These matters will be considered by the Strategic Labour Market Group that the Strategy also committed us to establishing.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02704 on 28 September 2016 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

We have published extensive analysis of the Labour Market alongside our strategy and this includes aspects of work quality indicators. We have also provided support to a range of work to increase our understanding of this area, such as the Fair Work Convention, the Fair Innovative and Transformative Work project and the Oxfam report into Decent Work.

To increase this understanding, through the Strategy, we have committed to further work with the Fair Work Convention to develop employment and work quality indicators. This is in addition to the three new labour market indicators we have included in the National Performance Framework around:

(i) reducing underemployment;

(ii) reducing the proportion of employees being paid less than the living wage, and

(iii) reducing the gender pay gap

This Group will be established as soon as possible. We are speaking to key stakeholders about the potential membership which will be drawn from a range of sectors as indicated in the Labour Market Strategy. The remit will be finalised once the Group is established, but our aim is to ensure that our approach remains dynamic and responsive to changing economic conditions and evidence. It will inform future policies and advise on how best to deliver our vision as new challenges emerge. It will also consider the commitment in the Strategy to look at improving the labour market data that is collected. The date of the first meeting will be announced in due course, once the membership has been agreed.

Opportunities for All is a commitment to an offer of an appropriate place in education or training to all 16 to 19 years olds who need one. In delivering the commitment the Scottish Government contributes to a range of opportunities including:

Staying on at school;

Activity Agreements;

College and university courses;

Employability training programmes;

Community Jobs Scotland; and

Modern Apprenticeships.

To deliver the Opportunities for All Commitment the Scottish Government also supports young people through their post-16 transitions into learning, training and employment by providing funding to Local Authorities. A breakdown of the Post-16 Transitions budget, since 2012, is outlined in the following table:

Opportunities for all is delivered through Scottish Government programmes and programmes delivered by a number of partners including Local Authorities and the Third Sector. Impact of the commitment is currently measured through the Annual Participation Measure, first published in August 2015, which better enables the Scottish Government to report on all 16-19 year olds participating in Opportunities for All offers of learning, training and employment – not just school leavers.

The Annual Participation Measure report published in August 2016 shows that, nationally, the number of 16-19 year olds participating in learning, training or work is 201,152 (90.4%).

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02375 on 8 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

A breakdown of the Scottish Government’s funding to the Inspiring Scotland 14:19 Fund and numbers of young people who have been supported is provided in the following table.

We have also provided a further £4million for 2016-17.