Chamber and committees

The national forum forms part of the activity associated with our proposed Research Strategy for school education. The Strategy is being drawn up following engagement with the academic community and stakeholders within the education system, and in light of the deliberations of the International Council for Education Improvement Advisers, which first met on 31 August 2016.

As part of the process, consideration is being given to the shape of engagement with practitioners and the academic community that will be required to implement the strategy’s objectives in the future, including the structure and role of a national forum.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of a successful and vibrant retail sector and regularly engages with the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and its members across a wide range of policy priorities.

We provide various mechanisms of support to the sector, including zero or reduced rates for around 100,000 properties under the Small Business Bonus Scheme; almost two-thirds of shops benefit from some form of rates relief. The annual cost of the Small Business Bonus Scheme is estimated at around £178 million.

We also provide skills support for the sector through Skills Development Scotland, with over 2,000 Modern Apprenticeships having started in the sector during the last financial year 2015-16: and wider business advice via Business Gateway. Furthermore, the Scottish Government supports work with the grocery sector through a partnership approach with the food and drink industry. We remain focused on maintaining Scotland’s position as the most competitive environment for business and will continue to work closely with the retail sector.

The Scottish Government works closely with the independent Regulatory Review Group (RRG) to actively promote an improved regulatory landscape and reduce unnecessary burdens on business. The RRG has members drawn from the main business organisations in Scotland and the retail sector is represented by the Scottish Retail Consortium.

The result of the EU referendum clearly has considerable potential consequences for Scots law. For example, the Faculty of Advocate’s recent evidence to the European and External Relations Committee of the Parliament identified a number of legal issues that will need to be addressed. Consideration of the impact on Scots law is therefore a key element of the Scottish Government’s work on the options for Scotland’s future relationship with the EU and the rest of the UK following the EU referendum.

The following table shows the number of jobs in the Scottish retail sector from
2009 - 2015.

The figures are the latest retail jobs figures as published by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday 28 September.

 Table 1: Retail Jobs, Scotland, 2009 to 2015

Source: Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) Office for National Statistics

The First Minister met with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on 29 June 2016 to raise awareness of the result of the EU Referendum vote in Scotland and to highlight Scotland’s desire to protect its relationship with the European Union. In addition, discussions between the European Commission and the Scottish Government take place regularly at both Ministerial and official level. Routine discussions have continued since the EU Referendum to ensure continuation of EU related business and to underline the Scottish Government’s commitment to working with the European Commission.

On 28 June 2016 the Scottish Government received a clear mandate from Parliament to pursue all options to protect Scotland’s relationship with the EU and to engage with EU Member States to explain Scotland’s position, the work it is taking forward to protect its EU relationship and understand their concerns. EU Member State engagement on this basis has been progressing well. Since the referendum, Scottish Government Ministers have met with the Governments of the following fifteen EU Member States:-

Austria

Belgium

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Poland

Slovakia

Sweden

The Scottish Government is committed to regularly reporting progress on its EU engagement to Parliament including through regular engagement with relevant Committees.

Responsibility for the management of these assets is for a number of delivery partners, including Transport Scotland, local authorities and NHS boards. This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government works with a number of delivery partners including Transport Scotland, local authorities, NHS boards, Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Water who are responsible for managing publicly owned infrastructure and ensuring that their respective infrastructure is fit for purpose and appropriately maintained, upgrading or replacing when required.

Information on investment since 2007 in infrastructure is included within the annually published draft budget.

The pilots will allow us to explore approaches to reducing the burden of upfront childcare costs for parents in low income households. There is a concern that these costs may present a real barrier to some parents starting or returning to work, or increasing their hours, after a period caring for young children.

We will work with delivery partners to identify potential approaches for delivering the pilots, and will announce more details as to how they will be taken forward in early 2017.