Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has held the following meetings with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since May 2021. No agreed outcomes were recorded for these meetings:

• 1 June 2021: Introductory meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
• 22 and 28th February 2022: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.
• 24 March 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Committee of Scottish Chairs (including Nick Kuenssberg, Chair of Board, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
• 12 May 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
• 23 and 28 February 2023: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.

Scottish Government are aware of an ongoing complaint in relation to works being carried out by Morrison Construction at the site of the new Women's National Facility, near Stirling.

Residents living adjacent to the site have made claims alleging vibration damage to their properties resulting from the works. Scottish Prison Service are liaising with residents, local Councillors and the local MSP to investigate and resolve this issue. A structural report has been carried out and an offer to conduct a further independent report has not as yet been taken up by the residents.

At this point, there is no link shown that the works being carried out at this facility are the cause of any damage to neighbouring properties. Scottish Prison Service will remain in dialogue with the residents, local Councillor and local MSP to resolve this matter.

Morrison Construction is a reputable contractor who have approached previous works carried out for the public sector in a responsible manner and address complaints promptly. Other than the above, Scottish Government are not aware of any other complaints or issues of note in relation to Morrison Construction.

The Year One report for the National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) was published in February 2022 and can be found here: National Transition Training Fund (NTTF): year 1 report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This shows that 9.482 individuals were supported in academic year 2020-21 across a diverse range of projects.

In Year Two (academic year 2021-22), 22,266 training opportunities were provided. Across both years of the fund, data on those who were unemployed or in work was not collected across all projects, although some specific projects in each year were designed to support people who were either in work or not. For example, the Aviation Covid Recovery Fund managed through Scottish Union Learning and delivered by Unite the Union, was aimed specifically at those in work to help them retain their jobs in a sector significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Skillsboost Programme which ran in both years across Scotland’s colleges was aimed at those who were out of work or at risk of redundancy.

A report summarising the impact of NTTF’s second year will be published in the coming weeks.

Scottish Government has not undertaken any recent assessment of the impact of health inequalities in relation to liver disease patients. However Public Health Scotland (PHS) published a report in November 2022 that examined average mortality rates from liver disease in Scotland, including analysis by deprivation levels.

The risk of liver cancer and liver disease is increased by the impacts of harmful behaviours such as alcohol use. The Scottish Government is determined to do all that we can to reduce alcohol-related harm, which continues to be one of the most pressing public health challenges that we face in Scotland.

The PHS evaluation of Minimum Unit Price published on 27 June 2023 shows around 150 alcohol attributable deaths and 400 alcohol attributable hospital admissions each year have been averted since the policy was introduced. The policy also contributes to reducing health inequalities, with the study showing that the largest reductions in deaths and hospital admissions wholly attributable to alcohol consumption were seen in men and those living in the 40% most deprived areas.

Scottish Ministers have recently met with UK Government to discuss the creation of Investment Zones in Scotland. These are regional economic interventions that will benefit from a range of tax and spending incentives, that allow the Regional Economic Partnerships to develop a proposal regarding the detail of where exactly within the region the zone will be located.

The Scottish Government recognises the invaluable contribution of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to Scotland’s research and innovation. As Scotland’s National Academy, the RSE meets regularly with a wide range of Scottish Government ministers and officials. Given the number of these meetings that take place across Government it is not possible to detail the outcomes of every meeting.

In recent months, however, I have met with RSE’s Chief Executive and RSE researchers to discuss shared priorities for Scottish research and innovation and the contribution of our Further and Higher Education sector.

Many of the tax levers to support businesses remain reserved to the UK Parliament. The devolution of further taxes to Scotland would present new policy options for Scotland to support entrepreneurs and businesses.

We constantly review the support we offer to businesses, including employee owned businesses and businesses transitioning to employee ownership, and will set out our tax policies for 2024-25 to Parliament at the next Budget.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of priority species within our woodlands, such as red squirrels, very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations out with the Red Squirrel breeding season to avoid any disturbance.

Forestry and Land Scotland take into account the survey, forest design and operational planning practices set out in Guidance note 33: Forest operations and red squirrels in Scottish forests published by Scottish Forestry to ensure that red squirrel habitat remains connected, and populations maintain long-term viability.

We have rigorous planning systems, checks and procedures with accompanying guidance in place to ensure all regulations to protect species are followed. Our work plan process and site survey methodology ensure that these procedures are followed and appropriate mitigation action taken where necessary.

We adhere to the industry guidance set by the Scottish Government forestry regulator, Scottish Forestry, and where necessary apply for and follow the species licencing process regulated by NatureScot. In the latter case we are recognised as a trusted and competent land manager and have an agreed licencing process in place that reflects that recognition.

Where possible trees with dreys are marked and retained on site during thinning operations, but locating all active dreys has been shown to be impracticable. Recent studies have shown that red squirrel use several dreys in any territory, readily move when operations begin in a woodland, and can build a new drey within a short period of time.

Machine operators are instructed to be alert for drey structures and to delay felling trees with suspected dreys. Machine operators are to contact the FLS Environment Forester or Ranger if a suspected drey structure is identified.

Where practicable FLS maintain the connectivity with adjacent mature crops as long as possible during the operation and plan the direction of operations such that squirrels can disperse into adjacent crops. At a landscape level FLS retain the richest red squirrel habitat, encourage the establishment of a range of seed bearing tree species and ages, but avoid planting of large-seeded broadleaves within strongholds to prevent conferring a competitive benefit on grey squirrels.

In stands where large-scale felling for the management of tree diseases is required longer-term retention of tree species unaffected by disease is designed where possible into the stand. All stands are managed under the principles of sustainable forest management and regulated by Scottish Forestry through the UK Forestry Standard.

A recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management show that red squirrel breeding activity continued with no detectable impact of forest operations. Red squirrel population density was also higher after thinning operations. Both are indications that UKFS compliant woodland management is overall beneficial in medium to long term for red squirrel populations.

The Scottish Government is working to improve opportunities and choices to work for autistic people and people with learning disabilities through Towards Transformation , our autism and learning disability plan, published in March 2021. As stated in this plan, the Scottish Government will continue to work towards our ambition to at least halve the disability employment gap by 2038 (from the 2016 baseline of 37.4 percentage points), in conjunction with work being delivered through our Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025 , published in December 2022. The plan takes forward the current work to support more disabled people, including those with a learning disability autistic people and neurodivergent people, into fair work.

Our employability support, delivered through Fair Start Scotland and No One Left Behind, prioritises those who face complex barriers to accessing the labour market.

We are delivering support that is person centred, tailored and responsive to the needs of the individual. This includes bespoke key worker support, as well as peer support groups and referrals to specialist partners which can offer enhanced support to people who are autistic, learning disabled or neurodivergent.

Our approach to employability support is also consistent with the Supported Employment Framework for Scotland, currently delivered through Fair Start Scotland. The Framework lays out the five-step approach to supported employment, recognising it as "an employment first approach", which focuses on positive outcomes for individuals.

In 2023-24 we are investing up to £108m for employability support to ensure those who require additional support has access to employability services that will help them towards and into sustainable employment.

The latest statistics published on 22 February 2023, covering the period April 2018 to December 2022, shows there were 54,030 starts on Fair Start Scotland and 18,819 job starts. Of these starts, 24,067 (45%) reported having a disability, 3,825 (7%) reported a learning difficulty, 1,679 (3%) a developmental disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome and 524 (1%) a learning disability such as Down’s Syndrome.

While we do not refer to the specific category of neurodiverse, the percentage of participants with developmental disorders moving into work is largely in line with the percentage of overall participants moving into work. Overall, 37% (15,512 of participants) have started in employment, compared to 34% (448 participants) of those with a developmental disorder starting employment.

From October 2022, a new data template co-designed with Local Authorities and aligned to the Shared Measurement Framework has been in place. Over time the statistics available for No One Left Behind will reflect this new information, including more detailed breakdowns on types of conditions such as learning disability, learning difficulty, autism spectrum and other developmental disorder, as well as further progression information.

The Scottish National Investment Bank is a mission focussed impact investor. It was established to invest in Scottish business, projects, and communities in order to deliver positive environmental and social impacts and positive financial returns for the people of Scotland.

The Bank offers long-term, patient capital on commercial terms and will make both debt and equity investments. It seeks to invest where the risks are beyond the appetite of private capital. The Bank’s approach to investment helps crowd in and stimulate private investment helping to create and shape new markets.

The Bank is open to approaches from employee-owned businesses that are in line with its missions and Investment Strategy.