Chamber and committees

The Annual Population Survey provides the preferred measure for detailed labour market information for subsets of the population in Scotland. The latest data covers the period from October 2012 to September 2013.

Female economic inactivity rate by qualification

Source: Annual Population Survey, October 2012 to September 2013, Office for National Statistics

Notes:

1. Rates based on female population aged 16-64

2. Rates are calculated on unrounded figures

3. Rates for all excludes those who didn’t know or didn’t answer

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publish bi-annual statistics on provisional awards for child tax credit, available at link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-and-working-tax-credits-statistics-provisional-awards-geographical-analyses-december-2013.

HMRC also publish information relating to the value of childcare vouchers through Employer Supported Childcare in the Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Relief supplementary document:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/expenditures/table1-5.pdf.

The Scottish Government believes that the pay day lending industry needs to be subject to greater regulation so that we can protect those whose financial situation is desperate enough that they take out these short-term agreements and help them avoid the escalating debt problems.

The Scottish Government support a multi-pronged approach which would see interest rates and total costs of credit capped as they have been in other countries, restrictions placed on the rolling over of loans and tighter regulation of the industry particularly around advertising.

In view of this position, the Scottish Government would not support any proposal for a payday loan company to become a Games sponsor. Games organisers have made clear that there is no sponsorship category for payday loan companies and no intention to seek sponsorship from any company in that sector.

Ministers operate their Twitter accounts in a personal capacity.

Details of who has access to the First Ministers Twitter account are published on Twitter and can be found through the following link: twitter.com/AlexSalmond

The governance arrangements of colleges differ depending on their legal status.

Further information about the different status and arrangements is set out in the draft summary guide College Reforms and the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013, available on the Scottish Government’s website.

All colleges should list their chair and board members on their website. However, a key part of our college reforms are new and more rigorous arrangements for making appointments to the position of regional college and regional board chairs. These posts are regulated public appointments. This appointment process is underway and should conclude next month.

The Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 provides that the chair of a regional college can be remunerated. This will come into force in March 2014. Beyond this, incorporated colleges will remain, as now, unable to remunerate individuals for their role as a member of their boards of management.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19042 on 17 January 2014. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government recognises the diversity in the circumstances of students. A key aim of the Post 16 Education Reform Programme is to simplify the main student support system whilst ensuring maximum benefit for all students.

On top of important benefits such as free tuition, the new package includes an annual minimum income of £7,250, through a combination of bursaries and loans, for students with a family income of less than £17,000. All students, irrespective of circumstances, are eligible for a student loan of £4,500 a year.

A key aim of the Post 16 Education Reform Programme was to simplify the main student support system. Analysis of the impact of changes announced on 22 August 2012 was geared to ensuring maximum benefit for all undergraduate students.

Introduction of the new support package in 2013, means that undergraduate students benefit from access to increased financial support. An annual minimum income of £7,250 is now guaranteed for students with a family income of less than £17,000.

The Scottish Government recognises the impact of increases in the cost of living for students. A key aim of the Post 16 Education Reform Programme is to simplify the main student support system whilst ensuring maximum benefit for all students.

On top of important benefits such as free tuition, the new package includes an annual minimum income of £7,250, through a combination of bursaries and loans, for students with a family income of less than £17,000. All students, irrespective of circumstances, are eligible for a student loan of £4,500 a year.