Chamber and committees

For social security, this stage of transfer focusses around the powers to create new benefits or top up existing ones and not around the transition of benefits currently being paid to people in Scotland. All the changes will be implemented on a phased basis over the coming years and we will work with the UK Government to ensure the transfer of powers takes place as quickly as possible, but with the clear premise that our top priority is the safe and secure transfer of these powers.All of the staff engaged in the implementation of the newly devolved social security powers will take part in appropriate training and development as required over this period of transition.

The transfer of powers in September marks the start of a journey to establish the Scottish social security system and changes will be implemented on a phased basis over the coming years. The transfer of social security powers to Scotland will require a large-scale programme of transition and implementation. This will be on a scale unlike anything experienced since devolution.We are currently assessing the options for delivery of our Scottish social security system, and part of this work will help establish the scale of staff required to resource the agency.

Under Part 4 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act), the duty to provide a Named Person service sits with health boards, local authorities, independent or grant-aided schools, secure accommodation services and the Scottish Prison Service, depending on the circumstances of the child.These organisations are responsible for identifying the individual who will carry out the named person functions who must be a person who meets requirements as to training, qualifications, experience or position. The Scottish Government held master classes in March and April 2016, focusing on the implementation of Part 4 of the Act, for local authorities, health boards and the other organisations required to provide the Named Person service under the Act. The focus was on training, disseminating practice materials and showcasing good practice. The Named Person service builds on the supportive role teachers and health visitors offer to children, young people and parents and is delivered within existing roles. That means that health visitors and promoted teachers have also already had the required training through their education and professional development to enable them to provide the advice, help and support required to fulfil the functions of the Named Person.

The resources required for implementation of Part 4 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act (the Act), relating to Named Person duties, are set out in the financial memorandum to the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill. This can be accessed at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Bills/Children%20and%20Young%20People%20(Scotland)%20Bill/b27s4-introd-en.pdf.

The information requested is not collated centrally. Supply teachers are employed by each individual local authority, depending on their local needs and circumstances throughout the year.

We are working with our partners in local government and teacher organisations through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to establish a national system through which councils can more easily source and book supply teachers when cover is required, thus maximising existing supply resources and minimising costs for local authorities.

Under the EU regulations that support common agricultural policy subsidy payments, it is the responsibility of the applicant to accurately declare the area of land claimed for support and the appropriate land cover.

In the context of Shetland a total of 24,401.65 hectares of PGRS was declared by 909 direct support applicants in 2014, by comparison a total of 25230.79 hectares of PGRS was declared in 2015, by 939 direct support applicants.

The recruitment of teachers is a matter for local authorities. Additional Support Needs teaching is a supplementary qualification which is studied by a teacher who has been teaching for a number of years.

The Scottish Government has yet to receive final details of the financial settlement that it will get from the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017. However, we want to take full account of employers’ views on how Levy funding coming to Scotland can be used to benefit employers, individuals and the economy as a whole.

On 13 July, we launched a consultation with employers and wider stakeholders to develop a distinctly Scottish approach which supports apprenticeships and wider skills development. It can be found at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/employability-and-training/apprenticeship-levy

We will use the findings from the consultation which closes on 26 August to inform our forthcoming spending review decisions.

The Scottish Government has yet to receive final details of the financial settlement that it will get from the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017. However, we want to take full account of employers’ views on how Levy funding coming to Scotland can be used to benefit employers, individuals and the economy as a whole.

On 13 July, we launched a consultation with employers and wider stakeholders to develop a distinctly Scottish approach which supports apprenticeships and wider skills development. It can be found at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/employability-and-training/apprenticeship-levy

We will use the findings from the consultation which closes on 26 August to inform our forthcoming spending review decisions.

The Scottish Government has yet to receive final details of the financial settlement that it will get from the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017. However, we want to take full account of employers’ views on how Levy funding coming to Scotland can be used to benefit employers, individuals and the economy as a whole.

On 13 July, we launched a consultation with employers and wider stakeholders to develop a distinctly Scottish approach which supports apprenticeships and wider skills development. It can be found at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/employability-and-training/apprenticeship-levy

We will use the findings from the consultation which closes on 26 August to inform our forthcoming spending review decisions.