Chamber and committees

We estimate that up to 200,000 households will be offered the opportunity to benefit from UHIS in 2011-12. It is not possible to estimate for subsequent years as funding beyond 2011-12 will be a matter for the Spending Review, and subsequent reviews.

Invitations to local authorities to bid for funding for UHIS in 2011-12 were issued on 1 July 2011, with a submission deadline of 12 August 2011.

As outlined in my statement to the Parliament on 29 June 2011, I will set out a wider package of reforms on post-16 education later in 2011. Any legislation on higher education would be brought forward next year as a result of this wider package of reform.

Scottish ministers are proud of the actions we have already taken to provide free school meals in Scotland, which last year extended eligibility to an additional 17,000 children and young people. In time we will look at ways of expanding current provision.

The Scottish Government has clearly stated its commitment to the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, which includes working towards two hours per week of physical education (PE) in primary schools and at least two periods of PE in secondary schools for pupils in S1 to S4. Ministers will continue discussions with stakeholders on how we can ensure the delivery of those important commitments by 2014.

The national roll out of Life Begins at 40 commenced in February 2011. The service will cost approximately £285,000 in the 2011-12 financial year.

Plans for the Scottish Futures Fund are a matter for the Spending Review, which will report in autumn 2011.

The Scotland Exchange has been in beta testing mode since 2010. On 24 March 2011 members of the Global Friends of Scotland were invited to join the new Scotland Exchange network. The network is still being developed and new members are welcome.

Scotland Exchange sits on the Ning platform, at an annual cost of $500 (£321 at current exchange rates). Additional start up costs for branding and developing the site were £10,000.

Future funding will be set on an as needed basis.

The Scotland Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services Sector study estimated that there were 73,960 people employed in the low carbon economy in 2008-09.

These are broken down as follows:

Further sectoral and regional breakdowns are available in the consultant’s report at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/344829/0114756.pdf.

This is a matter for education authorities. However, we will look to work with local authorities to identify steps we can take in the future to improve support for low income families to help meet the costs associated with school, for example, school uniforms and school trips.

The Scottish Government has provided an additional £2.5 million for a new Export Support Package for 2011-12. The new Export Support Package funding is complementary to the support already provided through Scottish Development International.

Funding to the Export Support Package for 2012 will be subject to future spending allocation decisions.