Chamber and committees

All of the Scottish Executive's statistical outputs are produced in accordance with the Eurostat principles set out by Council Regulation (EC) No. 322/97 of 17 February 1997. Scottish Executive statistics which are produced under the “National Statistics” label are produced using criteria and conditions even more stringent than those set out in this EC Regulation.

The Scottish Executive does not hold a central register of all forthcoming projects that will besubject to competitive tendering processes, and therefore could only provide a comprehensivelist at disproportionate cost.

However, some of the Scottish Executive projects which are outstanding (in the sense that the competitive processhas started but a contract has not yet been awarded) include:

System Integration - a contractfor the future development, systems integration and network support of the Scottish Executive’s local and wide area networked computer system.

Hardware Maintenance - a hardwaremaintenance contract for ICT assets of the Scottish Executive.

Anti–Virus Software – corporateanti-virus software protection for Scottish Executive desktop and laptop computers.

Flexi-Time Management solution– a contract to provide a flexi-time management solution to be deployed across the Scottish Executive, replacing the current manual system.

Feasibility study for a ScottishPrivate Landlord Register (FITSS2).

In addition, we are aware oftwo projects that are planned to go out to tender later in the year:

the re-let of the telephone switchhardware maintenance contract.

Information and CommunicationTechnology Consultancy (FITSS4) - covers advice on technology futures; general technicaladvice on IT systems, applications and networks including quality assurance; reviewsand audits of network design and performance; IT security consultancy and audit,and telecommunications consultancy.

Many of the Executives ICT requirementsare met through existing ICT framework contracts, which are advertised regularlyin the Official Journal of the European Union.

I refer you to the answer to question S2W-16973 on 8 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer you to the answer given to S2W-16976 on 8 June 2005 for information on the data available. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

The following table gives the totals from the table in S2W-16976 as a percentage of all graduates with Scottish domicile and also as a percentage of all graduates of all domiciles (including other United Kingdom and overseas).

Graduates Domiciled in Local Authority Areas within Highlands and Islands area as a Percentage of Scottish and all Graduates

Year and level	% of Scottish Domicile	% of All Domiciles
Postgraduate
1998-99	5%	3%
1999-00	5%	3%
2000-01	5%	3%
2001-02	5%	3%
2002-03	5%	3%
First degree
1998-99	9%	6%
1999-00	7%	6%
2000-01	8%	6%
2001-02	8%	6%
2002-03	8%	6%
Sub degree
1998-99	8%	7%
1999-00	7%	7%
2000-01	8%	7%
2001-02	5%	5%
2002-03	5%	5%

Sources: Higher Education Statistics Agency and Scottish Further Education Funding Council.

I refer you to the answer to question S2W-16973 for further information on the data held by the Scottish Executive on destinations of graduates. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Table 1 gives the percentages of Scottish domiciled respondents to the survey who were recorded as employed six months after graduating. Table 2 gives the percentages of those in table 1 who were employed in Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom.

Table 1: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % Employed

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Sub Degree
1998-99	67%	83%	64%	76%
1999-2000	66%	82%	66%	59%
2000-01	68%	86%	65%	74%
2001-02	69%	90%	67%	63%
2002-03	71%	86%	68%	68%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

Table 2: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % in United Kingdom of Those Employed

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Sub Degree
1998-99	96%	96%	96%	99%
1999-2000	95%	97%	95%	99%
2000-01	97%	97%	96%	99%
2001-02	97%	99%	97%	99%
2002-03	97%	98%	97%	99%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

I refer you to the answer to question S2W-16978 on 8 June 2005 for information on data sources currently available. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

For graduates from higher education institutions, the Higher Education Statistics Agency is developing, in consultation with the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, a follow-up survey to be conducted three and a half years after graduation which will target a sample of graduates. The survey is still in development and is being piloted this year. If, following the pilot, the survey goes ahead, data on graduates from Scottish institutions will be available to the Executive. The target is for the survey to start collecting data on graduates from the 2002-03 cohort in 2007.

The information held by the Scottish Executive is from a survey of graduates from higher education institutions conducted around six months after their graduation. At present, the Executive does not hold data which could be used to track graduates from Scottish institutions over a longer period. A follow-up survey to take place three and a half years after graduating is planned and I would refer you to the answer given to the answer to question S2W-16979 on 8 June 2005 for further information on this survey. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search

The following tables give information on Scottish domiciled graduates in employment or undertaking further study six months after graduating. The survey does not collect location information for those not working or studying.

Graduates in Employment

Table 1 gives the percentages of Scottish domiciled respondents to the survey who were recorded as employed. Table 2 gives the percentages of those in table 1 who were employed in Scotland.

Table 1: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % Employed

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Sub Degree
1998-99	67%	83%	64%	76%
1999-2000	66%	82%	66%	59%
2000-01	68%	86%	65%	74%
2001-02	69%	90%	67%	63%
2002-03	71%	86%	68%	68%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

Table 2: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % in Scotland of those Employed

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First degree	Sub Degree
1998-99	84%	86%	83%	94%
1999-2000	82%	86%	80%	93%
2000-01	87%	87%	86%	93%
2001-02	90%	96%	89%	95%
2002-03	91%	93%	90%	95%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

Graduates Undertaking Further Study

Table 3 gives the percentages of Scottish domiciled respondents to the survey who were recorded as undertaking further study. Table 4 gives the percentages of those in table 3 who were undertaking further study in Scotland.

Table 3: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % in Further Study

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First degree	Sub Degree
1998-99	21%	7%	22%	21%
1999-2000	21%	8%	20%	37%
2000-01	19%	5%	20%	22%
2001-02	19%	4%	19%	32%
2002-03	16%	5%	17%	25%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

Table 4: Scottish Domiciled Graduate Respondents¹ from Scottish Higher Education Institutions: % in Scotland of those in Further Study

Year	Total	Postgraduate	First degree	Sub degree
1998-99	86%	74%	85%	99%
1999-2000	85%	79%	82%	99%
2000-01	87%	77%	85%	97%
2001-02	87%	81%	84%	97%
2002-03	84%	78%	81%	93%

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Note: 1. Data relate to graduates from full-time courses.

The Scottish Executive holds data collected from surveys conducted around six months after students graduate from higher education courses at Scottish higher education institutions and further education colleges. The survey of graduates from higher education institutions, which is carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, gives data on the location of employment for those graduates who are employed at that point. If the graduate has gone on to further study, the name of the institution at which they are studying is collected. Although not all graduates respond, response rates are high, typically 70 to 80 percent, so this survey gives valuable information on the movement of graduates soon after they graduate.

I would refer you to the answer to question S2W-16979 on 8 June 2005 for information on the planned follow up to this survey. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search

For higher education graduates from colleges the Scottish Further Education Funding Council collects information on whether the any employment is in Scotland or elsewhere.

In addition, the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics, can be used to monitor the movement and location of graduates. The LFS questionnaire includes a variety of questions on labour market activity, residency and qualifications. However, the LFS does not ask where a graduate obtained his/her degree so graduates of Scottish institutions cannot be specifically identified.

The Scottish Executive does not hold data which would enable it to track individual school pupils through further and higher education. The following table gives estimates of the numbers of graduates from higher education courses at Scottish higher education institutions and further education colleges who were domiciled in local authorities within the Highlands and Islands area. The most recent year for which data are currently available is 2002-03.

Estimates of Graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges by Local Authority Domicile

Level and Year	Local Authority						Total
	Argyll and Bute	Highland	Moray	Orkney	Shetland	Eilean Siar
Postgraduate
1998-99	75	145	50	15	25	30	335
1999-2000	85	185	60	20	30	25	400
2000-01	80	170	60	10	20	15	355
2001-02	95	170	60	10	25	40	400
2002-03	105	165	60	20	35	25	405
First Degree
1998-99	345	685	235	80	80	130	1550
1999-2000	295	645	240	60	95	135	1465
2000-01	310	730	270	75	70	120	1575
2001-02	335	730	250	65	85	115	1575
2002-03	330	695	265	75	60	130	1555
Sub Degree1
1998-99	115	885	430	100	105	235	1870
1999-2000	100	980	520	130	105	175	2010
2000-01	390	740	480	90	85	160	1940
2001-02	305	400	180	80	95	115	1180
2002-03	295	345	275	60	60	50	1085

Sources: Higher Education Statistics Agency and Scottish Further Education Funding Council.

Notes: Data have been rounded to the nearest five.

1. Estimates prior to 2001/02 in the “Sub degree” category differ from those from 2001-02 onwards due to improvements in the data collection for graduates from further education colleges. However, the 2001-02 and 2002-03 figures should still be regarded as estimates rather than actual numbers.

The Commission’s proposals under the new Cooperation Objective have two key strands: transnational and cross-border cooperation. Under the transnational strand, Scotland currently participates in four programmes – the Atlantic Area, the North West Europe, the North Sea and the Northern Periphery Programmes – and the Executive is exploring with the Commission and the programme partners the scope for building on these programmes after 2006. At my meeting with Ms Hubner, I emphasised the importance of such programmes to Scotland.

Originally, Scotland’s eligibility was thought to be limited to transnational. Eligibility criteria for cross-border – particularly with respect to maritime borders – appeared to rule out any Scottish regions. However, in discussing the issue with the Commissioner, it now appears that a Scotland–Ireland programme may be possible.

However, The Commission’s allocation methodology is still not clear and any final settlement will depend on agreement on the EU budget deal as a whole.