Chamber and committees

It is the responsibility of each local authority, who operates Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, to provide guidance to ensure their parking attendants are issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) lawfully and the level of discretion that can be applied in individual situations. It is not for the Scottish Government to specify when discretion should be applied. Stringent appeals processes are also in place to assist those who feel they may have been issued a PCN unfairly.

We have a world-leading higher education sector to be proud of, and I value greatly the contribution that universities make to our economy and society. Ministers have been clear that the Scottish Government’s position on tuition fees will not change. The policy ensures that access to higher education is based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay.

Scotland's current and future technology-enabled businesses depend on a strong and growing supply of people equipped with the appropriate skills for careers in AI.

AI skills needs are diverse and, beyond the more obvious Science and Engineering specialisms, include non tech skills from the humanities and also more foundational tech skills (which apply to careers outside AI).

Among the more foundational tech skills, highlighted as a key theme in the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review (STER), we are addressing provision of tech skills through the teacher-led body – Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science. STACS runs extra-curricular activities, promotes computing science as a valued career option and provides a resource centre allowing teachers to enhance their learning support for young people.

Widening access to careers in AI through upskilling is also key for building an inclusive and future-ready workforce. Skills programmes which support widening access are being delivered by the AI Alliance through our free national AI literacy programme and our AI Playbook which provides AI upskilling for SMEs and businesses.

Scottish ministers have been consistently clear about the devastating consequences that the UK Government’s approach to migration has had on Scotland’s education sector and our economy to date. International students, academics and research staff in our world-class universities make a vital contribution to Scotland's prosperity.

We need meaningful engagement with the UK Government on migration and we welcome further clarity on the UK Government’s approach, aligning migration policy with skills policy and look forward to more detail on the anticipated role of the Devolved Governments in this approach.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the statutory responsibility for the provision of education in Scotland rests with individual local authorities.

School catchment arrangements are a matter for individual local authorities, which have the responsibility to manage their own school estates in consultation with local communities.

Any proposal to redraw school catchment areas is subject to the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, which sets out clear procedures for public consultation to ensure that local communities have the opportunity to express their views.

There have been no discussions between Scottish Ministers and COSLA about the redrawing of school catchment areas – that is because a decision pertaining to changing catchment areas for Schools in Scotland is a matter for Local Authorities, not Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Government works closely with the AI industry to ensure its policies are pro-innovation and meet the needs of businesses. Industry was a key partner in developing Scotland's 2021 Strategy, and our recently launched governance group includes senior business leaders from the AI start-up and business community.

As AI regulation is reserved to UK Government we continue to engage with its officials to advocate that their approach to AI regulation considers the interests of the citizens and businesses of Scotland.

Techscaler, our national support programme for start-ups has been actively engaged with the AI industry since its inception in 2022. Over the past two years, Techscaler has provided essential resources to numerous AI-focused start-ups helping them thrive. Techscaler holds no formal engagement with the AI Industry on regulation but recognises the importance of AI for new and upcoming start-ups, and therefore is incorporating AI into their programme and education courses in 2025.

As part of the independent review into AI, which I commissioned and which was published last year, engagement took place with the AI industry on investment. Officials regularly engage with investors on AI, however this is not specific to discussing the impact of regulation. However, we have been continuously engaging with the UK Government to advocate that their approach to the regulation of AI considers the interests of the citizens and businesses of Scotland.

AI has a huge potential to help deliver better and more efficient public services and work is on-going across the Scottish Government to make best use of the opportunities AI presents.

At the heart of good AI is good data. As part of the Open Government Action Plan work is already underway to share the data required to deliver more joined up and efficient public services. Modelling on public transport, climate change and government expenditure is already delivering results. Our Data Maturity Programme and Communities of Practice are ensuring that public sector organisations have the capabilities to make best use of data, along with our technical solutions for data cataloguing and secure data sharing.

Along side work on good data management, we are also making use of the CivTech challenge process to deliver innovative and ground breaking technical solutions to real world public service challenges. The current challenge round, CivTech 10, focuses on AI, reflecting its importance across multiple sectors, including government.

Current challenges include work to improve situational awareness for emergency responders, and how we can better support and encourage public participation in decision-making. These challenges also help us meet our commitment to ensuring that a large part of our technical spend goes to small, innovative businesses, making the most of Scotland’s natural desire to innovate and improve.

Out Intelligent Automation team is also making use of AI in a number of cross Scotland projects, all designed to identify areas where a Once for Scotland approach to system design can reduce the admin burden across the public sector. Reducing costs and increasing efficiency are key drivers behind our increasing use of AI. Machine Learning has been integrated into invoice processing procedures, application processing for child and disability payments and in document redaction.

We continue to engage with the UK Government around the development and introduction of regulation around the use of AI. We are very keen to see regulation which protects our citizens and their data, but which at the same time creates an environment where innovation can flourish. We want Scotland to continue to be regarded as an attractive place for businesses to invest, and where our workforce can benefit from the increased opportunities new technology can offer.

A public consultation was undertaken in 2021, which looked at levels of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Following this, on 1 April 2023, the maximum PCN amount was raised to £100. Local authorities must ensure that they issue PCNs only when it is lawful to do so. It is important to note that PCNs are a penalty for illegal parking and are not to be used specifically to generate income, though any profit from PCNs is ring-fenced and must only be used by the local authority for transport related purposes. Local authorities also report the income and expenditure annually and these reports are published on the Transport Scotland website.

The Scottish Government would be willing to look at proposals from either the Scottish FA or SPFL. To date, we have not received any proposals.

Information is not held centrally. Courses ran by colleges are decided by colleges, as such individual colleges would have this information.

I am pleased to confirm that the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan has published today: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836914556

The plan focuses on the following four critical aspects to help protect the quality and safety of care, supported by the increased investment for health and social care in the 2025-26 Scottish Budget:

• improving access to treatment;
• shifting the balance of care;
• digital and technological innovation;
• prevention.

It details how the specific commitments outlined in the answer to question S6W-34287 will be delivered – building on health boards’ own delivery planning to prioritise how services will be improved across NHS Scotland. This plan will be followed by publication of a population health framework later in the spring and a health and social care service renewal framework in June.