Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has put in place record investment in walking and cycling, with over £175 million invested since the 2011 spending review. As noted in the Programme for Government, we will maintain investment at record levels for the life of this parliament. We are committed to maintain record levels of spending on active travel. Also committed to seek additional funding where possible in the plan.

The current document is intended to be a draft Plan only. Identifying a quantifiable indicator for this policy outcome is complex and Transport Scotland is currently refining this. An appropriate indicator will appear in the final version of the Plan.

The draft Climate Change Plan sets out a package of policies and proposals which encourage individuals and businesses to move towards public transport.

For policies, we will continue to electrify Scotland’s rail network, with up to 35% of the network electrified by 2032. Rail plays a key role in encouraging a shift away from the private motor car in mid to long range journeys. We will also continue to support the Scottish Green Bus Fund and the Bus Service Operators Grant, allowing operators to purchase new, low emission buses improving the service quality on these routes and reducing the emissions from the Scottish bus fleet.

For proposals, we have stated we will collaborate with local authorities to put in place a pilot low emission zone by 2018, improving air quality and sending a clear signal to individuals and businesses that behaviour change is needed. Work to identify and set up the first low emission zone by 2018 is currently underway. Secondly, we will explore with local authorities the role that parking policies (including workplace parking levies) play in encouraging individuals and businesses to choose public transport or low emission vehicles. If there is sufficient demand from local authorities, and workplace parking levies are shown to reduce CO2 emissions, then we will consider introducing legislation.

The Scottish Government is committed to the Supported Employment model. On 2 December 2016 we launched A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People – our Delivery Plan to 2021 for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

One of the actions is the Scottish Government’s continuing commitment to promote the Supported Employment framework. We will continue working closely with partners, including local authorities, representative bodies for disabled people and the Scottish Union for Supported Employment to encourage the adoption of a supported employment model in all local areas.

Supported Employment will be offered to those who require it as part of our devolved employment service from April 2018. This will be available in each contract package area and providers must demonstrate that they have the workforce in place to deliver this aspect of our service effectively.

Despite record low levels of youth unemployment Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI) will re-open on 1 April 2017 with an investment of up to £2.65m. This will support employers to recruit a further 550 young people who face the biggest barriers to employment. We will also continue to support companies participating in SERI to become Living Wage employers.

Skills Development Scotland has been developing information sessions for training providers on Disability Confident. These will be undertaken in collaboration with DWP and rolled from April onwards. The sessions will be held at various locations across Scotland to maximise awareness of Disability Confident with the first meeting due to be held in Kilmarnock on April 10. It is anticipated further sessions will be held in Inverness, Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Furthermore, in partnership with the Scottish Training Federation SDS is holding an equalities event in Glasgow on March 7 - “Get Connected: progressing equality and diversity in modern apprenticeships” - where further awareness of Disability Confident will be raised. This is one of a number of equalities events taking place during Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

Also, through Our Skillsforce SDS provides guidance and support to employers and training providers of disabled MAs. This includes the signposting of additional support provided by their partners.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

SPS is very much aware of the issues related to passive smoking, including the risk of legal challenge. SPS has successfully defended a challenge on behalf of Scottish Ministers from a person in our care, concerning passive smoking.

Over the last decade SPS has made a number of policy changes to restrict smoking in Scottish prisons. Under current Prison Rules, those in our care are only permitted to smoke in their own cells and during outdoor recreation. Staff, visitors and contractors are not permitted to smoke anywhere on SPS property.

The Third sector benefits significantly from the Scottish European Social Fund programmes. This amounted to £71 million of funding for the sector in 2007-13, and is estimated to rise to £100 million in 2014-20. This funding supports the sector to deliver jobs, training opportunities, support for vulnerable groups, development of social enterprises and community-based low carbon and transport initiatives.

There are no guarantees on EU funding streams after the UK leaves the EU, leaving a number of sectors of the Scottish economy facing an uncertain future.

The Scottish Government will negotiate with the UK Government to ensure that future financial support for the range of initiatives currently supported by European Funds is allocated on a fair and equitable basis across the UK post-Brexit. We will work closely with the third sector, local authorities, enterprise and skills agencies and digital partners to shape future measures taken to help grow the economy and support individuals and communities.

Table 1 outlines the revenue and capital subsidy provided to HIAL by the Scottish Government for the period 2006-07 to 2015-16.

Table 1: Revenue and Capital Subsidy to HIAL

Figures in Table 1 relate to core revenue and capital subsidy provided by Transport Scotland and its predecessors. Figures do not include subsidy from other Scottish Government departments or agencies.

The Ministerial Summit on Employability provided a forum for people with an interest in the employment support landscape in Scotland to share views, expertise and insight as the Scottish Government move towards the design and delivery on new devolved services from April 2017. Representatives were invited from a range of organisations comprising third sector, local government, social enterprise, existing service providers, health, justice, employers and others (including people with experience of using services) in order to provide a broad perspective on employment support related matters in Scotland.

On 9 February 2017 I held a further roundtable meeting with some of these organisations who had been unable to attend the Employability Summit on
23 November 2016.

Information and outputs, including notes on the outcome of the roundtable discussions related to the Summit will be posted on the Employability in Scotland website: http://www.employabilityinscotland.com/policy-and-partnership/scotlands-devolved-employment-services/ministerial-summit-on-employability-2016/

These outputs are being used to build upon what we heard during the 2015 consultation “Creating a Fairer Scotland: Employability Support and to inform ongoing engagement with stakeholders and people who use services. They are also helping us to develop our approach for better integration and alignment of employability services.