Chamber and committees

Launched in 2017, No Wrong Path is an initiative led by Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), designed to provide inspiration and reassurance to young people receiving their exam results. DYW facilitates the engagement between employers and schools to support young people transition into the world of work. 

In the decade since the DYW programme started we have seen a significant increase in the numbers of young people achieving vocational and technical qualifications, recognising the breadth of young people’s talents and skills.

We must ensure that people have the skills they need at every stage of life to have rewarding careers and meet the demands of an ever-changing economy. DYW and its no wrong path initiative is continuing to support this ambition, playing an important role in preparing young people for the world of work and working with industry to match the needs of employers with the needs of young people.

All new homes, regardless of tenure, are required to comply with Scottish building regulations, which set minimum standards for a wide range of building function and performance topics. Responsibility for compliance rests with the party commissioning the works (the owner or developer).

Our guidance for Registered Social Landlords and local authorities on the grant-funded element of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (MHDGN 2023/01) outlines the specific quality standards that new build affordable homes receiving funding are required to meet. For example, new build homes which are delivered directly by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities should meet, as a minimum, the design criteria indicated as a ‘basic’ requirement within the Housing for Varying Needs design guide.

Individual Registered Social Landlords and local authorities may also have their own additional design and quality standards which they require affordable homes that they procure to meet.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28955 on 28 August 2024.

Building regulations set out technical requirements applicable to building work to protect the public interest. The Scottish Government publish technical handbooks which explain how to achieve the requirements set out in the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. Work to improve compliance with building regulations is at the core of the current work of the Building Standards Futures Board. Information on this work can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/building-standards-futures-board/.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Despite deeply challenging financial circumstances, we are investing record funding of £1.55 billion in policing in the current financial year, which is an increase of £92.7 million. It is for the Scottish Police Authority, working with the Chief Constable, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities.

Enforcement of all traffic offences is a matter for Police Scotland, which operates independently of Scottish Ministers. However, the Scottish Government fully supports Police Scotland and its partners in dealing with the misuse of such vehicles. Local policing teams are ideally placed to identify where the misuse of such vehicles is causing distress to the public and ensure that those areas can be prioritised to prevent future incidents.

The Scottish Government was previously in contact with Police Scotland in June 2022 about the issue of quad bikes and other off-road vehicles. Police Scotland then outlined work ongoing within local policing divisions in raising awareness of the dangers of misusing such vehicles. The Scottish Government has encouraged local authority partners to continue to work closely with Police Scotland on these issues.

Our Young Carer Grant is the only benefit if its kind in the UK, supporting young carers in Scotland to access the same opportunities as their peers. An Interim Evaluation, published in August 2021, confirmed the grant has made a positive impact on young carers’ ability to take part in opportunities, increased their sense of choice and control, and made a positive impact on their mental wellbeing.

The Young Carer Grant is one part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to recognising the contributions of young carers across Scotland. Young Carers aged 11 to 18 can also access non-cash benefits and support through the Young Scot Young Carers Package, which provides tailored discounts and opportunities including high value e-vouchers, wellbeing boxes and vouchers for family days out.

We want to ensure there is appropriate support for young carers so that they can be children first and foremost.

Alongside Young Carer Grant the Scottish Government funds non-cash support through the Young Scot Young Carers Package. It is available to young carers aged 11-18 and provides tailored discounts and opportunities including high value e-vouchers, wellbeing boxes and vouchers for family days out.

Also, under the Carers Act 2016 all young carers have a right to a young carer statement. This involves an outcome based conversation about the young carer’s personal circumstances and must include information about the impact of caring on their wellbeing and whether the care they provide is appropriate.

As a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), SQA operates at arm’s length to Ministers and is therefore responsible for its own operational decisions and processes, including on appeals.The Scottish Government works closely with the SQA to ensure that its budget allocation is sufficient to undertake its functions.

For students who did not receive the results they thought they should, SQA’s free and direct appeals service gives all young people the right to request a review of their marked exam papers or coursework for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results this year.

The approach to appeals in 2024 is the same as last year and is the same approach that, discounting the pandemic years, has been in place for over a decade in Scotland (since April 2014).

A priority service is available for young people where they have a conditional offer of a place in university, college, training or employment that depends on their grade.

Further information on the appeals service is available from the SQA website at: Appeals service - SQA

A range of support was available for students receiving their exam results, including:

• The SQA Candidate Advice Helpline, which was open from 6 to 9 August, answered queries relating to Scottish Qualifications Certificates.
• The SDS Results Helpline which provides young people, parents and carers, with career information, expert advice and guidance on the wide range of post-school options and pathways available was also open from 6 to 9 August.
• A free and direct appeals service is available giving all young people the right to request a review of their marked exam papers or coursework for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results this year, including a priority service for young people with a conditional offer of a place in university, college, training or employment that depends on their grade.
• Information for young people on how to look after their emotional wellbeing, including support and tips on how to promote a positive mindset are also available on the Young Scot website.

We would encourage all young people to discuss any concerns about their next steps and progression with their teachers or lecturers who know them best.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to maximise apprenticeship opportunities and ensure that employers wishing to take on an apprentice are supported and able to do so.

Scottish Government investment will support up to 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeship starts in 2024-25 and continue to provide support for more than 38,500 apprentices already in training.

For Graduate Apprenticeships (GA), SFC have published their indicative funding allocation for universities, which includes provision for up to 1,378 GA in academic year 2024-25. In addition, we have committed to fund up to 5,000 Foundation Apprenticeships in 2024-25.

We do not think it is right that ownership and control of much of Scotland’s land is still in the hands of relatively few people.

A 2019 report by the Scottish Land Commission: The Model CHP for the Scottish Government and Associated Public Authorities Sector in Scotland - Word Template (landcommission.gov.scot) concluded that highly concentrated landownership can have detrimental effects on rural development outcomes, and that these effects arise because landowners have the power to decide who can access land, when, for what purpose and at what price.

Analysis by the James Hutton Institute to support the Bill identified 1066 landholdings above 1000 hectares, representing 4.32 million hectares, or 55% of Scotland’s land.