Chamber and committees

The Digital Scotland contracts agreed between the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and BT contain clauses that generate revenue for the public sector if broadband take-up on the new infrastructure exceeds a certain level. BT brought forward almost £18 million of this so-called Gainshare funding in 2015 which can be reinvested in the contracts. BT has modelled this funding, alongside other residual funding within both contracts, in recent months in line with criteria laid out by public sector partners. This process is not yet complete across both contracts. We will announce further details of the coverage impacts arising from the modelling in the coming weeks.

BT’s calculation of the estimated take-up rate across both Digital Scotland contracts was based on analysis of historical take-up data, BT’s own deployment experience and BDUK’s assessment of similar projects in other parts of the UK.

The Scottish Government has written to the UK Government, urging them to establish a Working Group to oversee the design of the proposed Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband in Scotland. I recently met with Sharon White, Chief Executive of Ofcom, at which the broadband USO was discussed.

The Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise has regular discussions with BT around the management of the Digital Scotland contracts. This includes ensuring that funding within the contract is fully utilised to extend coverage, making use of resources freed up as a result of BT’s actual costs being lower than expected.

The Draft Budget document for this financial year sets out the Scottish Government's spending plans for 2016-17, including investment in digital projects.

The Scottish Government is taking a series of actions to increase the number of people that choose teaching as a career. These include building on the success of our 'Inspiring Teachers' campaign with a more substantial recruitment campaign to be launched by the end of the year.

In addition we are working with the university sector and the General Teaching Council for Scotland to introduce new and innovative routes into teaching, including distance learning routes, that are designed to be attractive to a wide range of potential student teachers. Throughout we will ensure that Scotland’s high level of teacher professional standards is maintained while enabling suitably qualified individuals to make a positive contribution in our schools.

After taking up my position of Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy I wrote to the Defra Minister of State, George Eustice in June 2016 asking if he agreed in principle to the repatriation of the levy. I also confirmed that I was in favour of moving ahead with the Levy Body Forum proposal, and urged that we should now move forward rapidly with a legislative measure that gives full effect to the Forum's solution to this long standing issue, in particular to identify a primary legislative vehicle which can achieve the repatriation. Mr Eustice recently replied to this letter and we are to meet to discuss this along with other important areas of work.

I raised the issue of releasing CAP convergence funds to Scottish farmers in a letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, on 24 June 2016.

Despite this, and assurances earlier this year from Defra Minister, George Eustice, that Defra would carry out a review of how the UK CAP budget is distributed, there has been no reply to my letter so far.

The Scottish Government is working with the other UK Fisheries administrations with the aim of giving Scotland a greater say on how levy raised in Scotland is used. In addition to these on-going discussions, meetings have also been held with Seafish.

The Scottish Government anticipates that, once brought into force, Part nine of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 will give communities more access to land for food growing purposes. Part nine introduces new duties on local authorities which will increase transparency around the actions they take to provide allotments and growing spaces in their area and limits waiting times for an allotment.