Chamber and committees

The statutory levy will be applied across Great Britain and will be used to support potential spending on projects and services across all three nations to reduce gambling related harms.

We continue to work with the UK Government and the Welsh Government over the levy proposals to ensure that Scotland receives a fair allocation of this funding. It is Scottish Government’s view that this should be, at least, reflective of a population share of the funding.

The Scottish Government has welcomed regular engagement with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport officials in UK Government to discuss a range of gambling policy matters, including its proposals to introduce stake limits for online slot games. The Scottish Government has also met and will continue to meet with a wide range of gambling stakeholders, including the Gambling Commission and public health organisations to inform our policy thinking.

The Scottish Government expects fair work principles to be adhered to in the college sector. To support fair work in the college sector, the Scottish Government recently introduced legislation to add trade union nominees to college boards, which will improve trade union recognition and confidence in college governance.

While operational decisions on pay and staffing matters are the responsibility of individual colleges, the Scottish Government has been clear that compulsory redundancies should only be considered as a last resort, after all other options have been fully explored in collaboration with trade unions.

The Scottish Government remains concerned by the impact of potential action on students and expects that institutions take action to mitigate those impacts.

As with previous years, the Scottish Funding Council expects to publish this year’s indicative college funding allocations in early spring with final funding allocations expected in late Spring for the academic year 2024-25.

The Scottish Government have been actively engaging with the UK Government and the Welsh Government on the Levy, including on how funds could be allocated and will continue to do so now that the formal consultation process has concluded, and we await publication of the consultation response.

The Scottish Government has asked that the level of the levy is kept under regular review and that Devolved Governments and Administrations are a statutory part of this review process.

Yes, soil is a provisioning service for farming as it provides the substrate on which crops (including forage) grow.

Scottish Government recognises that careers in science may offer excellent opportunities for Scottish graduates.

Through the national careers service led by Skills Development Scotland, we seek to ensure that everyone in Scotland can access high quality careers advice that draws on the latest labour market data.

The Scottish Funding Council also works with universities and colleges to promote partnership working with industry, including with scientific companies. It does this through the University Innovation Fund (UIF), the Innovation Centre programme, the provision of core funding for organisations such as Interface and Converge and other strategic investments.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of industry engagement and outreach activities in attracting and inspiring the workforce of the future.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets bold actions to deliver fairer, greener prosperity for all Scotland’s people and places, and to make our economy more sustainable and resilient in the longer term.

Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), and third sector partners including Career Ready, offer excellent opportunities for employers to engage with young people in schools to encourage them to learn about and experience opportunities in their sectors.

Apprentices are employees and can undertake training in a college, and will also undertake a significant amount of work-based learning in their working environment as they progress through their apprenticeship.

Funding contributions for Modern Apprentices are weighted towards young people, particularly the 16-19 age group, with enhanced funding contributions for those who are care experienced and/or are disabled up to age 29.

For apprentices resident in Argyll & Bute, Highland, Moray, Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles, Isle of Arran, Isle of Great Cumbrae, and the Isle of Little Cumbrae, travel and subsistence funding is available to support apprentices who must attend structured and formal off-the-job training (out with normal daily travel requirements) as part of their Modern Apprenticeship. This may require them to travel and, where appropriate, use overnight accommodation.

All young people in Scotland can also apply to access the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26060 on 20 March 2024. 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/questions-and-answers