Chamber and committees

Since its launch in 2013 we have supported more than 52,000 training places through the Employability Fund giving unemployed individuals the support they need to move towards and into work.

The UK government spending review of November 2015 was hugely challenging to the devolved Scottish budgets, including employability. Despite the severe restrictions imposed I am pleased that we are able to support a further 11,650 Employability Fund training opportunities in 2016-17. This of course sits alongside our wider package of employability support such as Community Jobs Scotland, Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive and Modern Apprenticeships.

In the event of any training provider closures, Skills Development Scotland will seek to support those affected and ensure that provision of training opportunities in the local area is not compromised.

Help with travel costs to jobcentres and work interviews is reserved to the UK Government and administered by Jobcentre Plus. Eligible claimants can have their travel expenses reimbursed if they are required to attend the Jobcentre Plus office, for example, to attend a pre-arranged (mandatory or non-mandatory) labour market interview at the jobcentre

It is not payable to claimants attending a Jobcentre Plus office on their normal signing day, including, for example, a work coach meeting which falls on the normal signing day, an initial work search interview and fortnightly work reviews.

Claimants in Scotland who have been unemployed for thirteen weeks can apply for the Jobcentre Plus travel discount card and pay reduced fares under the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the Secretary of State and the Association of Train Operating Companies.

We are committed to developing an overarching approach to implementation and monitoring of the Race Equality Framework in the first six months. We intend to do that collaboratively with key stakeholders during the summer and will publish the details on implementation thereafter.

Transport Scotland is supportive of the on-going collaborative working involving the private sector, rail industry and local authorities in exploring the feasibility of establishing a rail freight facility at Kinbrace to transport timber from Sutherland to its onward markets.

If a business case and funding is identified Network Rail will work with the scheme promoters to find the most cost effective and safe option to deliver this facility. Network Rail have advised that a dummy entry loop is not part of the design, nor is one likely to be required, for any potential rail freight facility to operate effectively at this location.

Work to progress the actions within the Race Equality Framework has already begun within the Scottish Government and across our partner organisations and will continue through 2016 and beyond. There are a number of projects funded through the promoting equality and cohesion fund covering the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 which will contribute to the commitments in the framework. Considerations as to longer term funding will be taken as part of normal spending review processes.

The Scottish Government is currently taking forward discussions to appoint a Race Equality Framework advisor who will act to take forward the actions in the race framework. The remit and responsibilities of the advisor will be made available following discussion and agreement with the advisor.

The Scottish Government would welcome a debate about the Race Equality Framework and will look to scheduling this.

The work of the Gypsy/Traveller strategy development group progressed during 2014-15. A key part of the strategy was the development of an action plan to help drive the change necessary to secure improvement in outcomes. A draft action plan was considered by the group in August 2015. The group raised a number of issues, which were important in terms of the developing action plan and required further consideration. Work on the strategy was therefore paused to allow a period of reflection.

We recognise that there is still much to do to address the needs of Gypsy/Travellers and the further development of the programme of work for Gypsy/Travellers is currently being considered. However, work to improve outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers is continuing.

The Scottish Government has provided £200,416 funding from the equality budget in 2015-16 and £229,159 in 2016-17 to organisations working with Gypsy/Travellers to improve outcomes across a range of areas of work. Through the Scottish traveller education review group, we are developing guidance which will be published for consultation in 2016, to improve the educational outcomes of Gypsy/Traveller children and young people. Additionally, the review process for local housing strategies looks at how the needs of Gypsy/Travellers have been considered and addressed (within the strategy), and highlights any concerns to the local authority for further consideration.

The Scottish Government does not distinguish between bus operators according to their ownership status. Payments to operators in the private, public and voluntary sectors over the last five years have been made through the Scottish green bus fund, bus service operators' grant (BSOG), grants to support smart ticketing development under section 70 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and reimbursement payments for carrying concessionary passengers under the national concessionary travel schemes for older and disabled people and for young people.

Approximate spend through the Scottish green bus fund, which supports the roll out of low carbon buses, is noted in the following table.

2011-12	£1.5 million
2012-13	£1.9 million
2013-14	£2.4 million
2014-15	£2.9 million
2015-16	No payment

Approximate spend under BSOG is noted in the following table.

2011-12	£59.2 million
2012-13	£52.5 million
2013-14	£49.7 million
2014-15	£51 million
2015-16	£53.4 million

The Scottish Government has provided Section 70 grants to bus operators to support smart ticketing development as noted in the following table.

2011-12	£0.4 million
2012-13	No payment
2013-14	£0.2 million
2014-15	£0.1 million
2015-16	No payment

The Scottish Government reimburses bus operators under the national concessionary travel schemes. Payments made to all participating bus operators for each of the last five years are detailed in the following table.

	Older and Disabled Persons Concessionary Travel Scheme (approx.)	Young Persons Concessionary Travel Scheme (approx.)
2011-12	£190.5 million	£1.2 million
2012-13	£197.2 million	£1.4 million
2013-14	£188.8 million	£1.5 million
2014-15	£189.1 million	£1.3 million
2015-16	£188.5 million	£1.2 million

For the concessionary travel reimbursement figures above, 2015-16 includes estimation in respect of claim finalisation outstanding.

Transport Scotland publishes monthly details of all items of expenditure at a value of £25,000 or over. This information is available at: www.transportscotland.gov.uk/about-us/expenditure/reports

The Scottish Government provided in 2015-16 £53.4 million subsidy for bus services through the bus service operators grant, which supports the bus network and benefits passengers by helping to make fares more affordable. Payments are based on the distance buses are operated, which is of particular assistance in rural areas where the routes are generally longer.

Funding is also provided to local authorities in their annual settlement to support services they consider socially necessary and for community transport services, which can play an important role in rural transport networks.