Chamber and committees

I am aware that all three of the SJC Trade Unions have balloted members on proposed industrial action. However, the negotiations on local government pay are rightly between COSLA as the representative of the employer, local government, and the Trade Unions representing the workforce. The Scottish Government has no role in those negotiations and, the recently signed Verity House Agreement, contains an explicit commitment to respect the existing negotiating arrangements for pay.

Let me emphasise that I recognise and value the crucial role councils and their employees play in communities across Scotland. I also recognise the challenging financial circumstances workers face in the current cost of living crisis. In recognition of this, and despite the most challenging financial settlement since devolution, we have already provided £155 million in additional funding to support the current local government pay offer for 2023-24 which COSLA Leaders agreed to on 31 March.

The Scottish Government recognises that any offer made by COSLA needs to provide a balance of fairness with affordability and sustainability and recognise the essential contribution of the local government workforce. I note the offer on the table from COSLA is worth 5.5% in year and the average uplift on salaries going into the next financial year is 7%. Importantly, the offer is progressive and means those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage would get 9.12% and those at some of the higher grades would see a rise of 6.05%. I understand that the offer made by COSLA already goes beyond the maximum uplift indicated within the Scottish Public Sector Pay strategy, reflecting the funding identified by COSLA, alongside the contribution from the Scottish Government, and the value placed on the local government workforce.

In the spirit of the Verity House Agreement, we will continue to work in partnership with COSLA to help in any way we can to support them. I encourage both parties to engage with each other to reach a negotiated settlement to avoid industrial action.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19474 on 18 July 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19474 on 18 July 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19474 on 18 July 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19474 on 18 July 2023. 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

Now that the Bank is fully established, and has a growing portfolio of investments, work is underway to create the advisory group. The advisory group will provide advice to Scottish Ministers on the Bank’s objects, conduct and performance.

The Scottish Government is considering options for remit and membership.

Since April 2019, a range of Scottish Government funding has been made available to Local Government partners as the scope of delivery under No One Left Behind expands over time. This includes funding for the initial phase of No One Left Behind (April 2019), the Parental Employability Support Fund (February 2020) and the Young Person's Guarantee (November 2020).

The Scottish Government publishes summary information on Scotland's devolved employability services covering both Fair Start Scotland and No One Left Behind on a quarterly basis. Data for No One Left Behind is presented in its totality and not broken down by funding type. The most recent statistics published on 22 February 2023 covering the reporting period April 2020 to September 2022 show that 5,944 parents have started receiving support through No One Left Behind, 1,006 (17%) of whom are under the age of 25.

More information can be found at: Scotland's Devolved Employment Services: statistical summary February 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

As the answer of 20 June set out, the Scottish Government is committed to promoting positive outcomes for workers and their rights. The Scottish Government engages regularly with the UK Government at a variety of levels in order to advocate for these outcomes, and to raise concerns where we see workers’ rights being threatened. For example, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade recently to raise concerns that elements of the UK Government’s proposed approach to retained EU legislation could undermine workers’ rights. Scottish Government ministers have also repeatedly raised objections to the Strikes (Minimum Services Level) Bill.

While labour market enforcement is a reserved matter, the Scottish Government will not hesitate to raise concerns with the UK Government where necessary.

There are currently no planned funding rounds for the Just Transition Fund in 2023-24.

In addition to the Fund’s £50 million multi-year capital programme announced for the region in 2022, we have allocated £25 million to the Scottish National Investment Bank for 2023-24, to be invested by the Bank, on a commercial basis and in line with its Investment Strategy and its missions including to support a just transition to net zero. For further details, businesses, projects and their representatives can contact the Bank via its website, where the Bank’s new enquiries team will handle the approach - Contact | Scottish National Investment Bank (thebank.scot)

As stated in my answer to S6W-18715 all correspondence with the Committee will be made publicly available. My letter of 16 June setting out the findings of the gateway review and the Scottish Government response is available on the Scottish Parliament website at:

https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-net-zero-energy-and-transport-committee/correspondence/2023/scotlands-deposit-return-scheme-16-june-2023 .

I also wrote to the Committee on 28 June to provide them with as full a version of the gateway review as I am able, given we have been obliged to make some redactions to protect the commercial interests of the parties involved. The letter and gateway review are available on the Scottish Parliament website at:

https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/net-zero-energy-and-transport-committee/correspondence/2023/drs-gateway-review-28-june-2023.pdf .