Chamber and committees

Details on the application process and eligibility criteria for the Open Market Share Equity Scheme (OMSE) can be found in our administrative procedures: https://www.gov.scot/publications/open-market-shared-equity-omse-administrative-procedures-2020/ .

The Additional Support for Learning Code of Practice is statutory guidance which explains the duties on education authorities and other agencies to support children’s and young people’s learning. It provides guidance on the provisions of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act as well as on the supporting framework of secondary legislation. Education authorities and agencies involved in advising or supporting children and young people with additional support needs and their families, should encourage and support their employees in gaining knowledge of the content of the code and understanding of its application in their day-to-day work. To ensure that it continues to fully support schools and local authorities to fulfil their duties under the ASL Act, we have committed to a refresh of the Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice during this parliamentary term. The update will take account of the incorporation of UNCRC.

In terms of funding to support local authorities, spending on additional support for learning by authorities reached a record high of £926m in 2022-23 an increase of £386m in the last 10 years. We have invested £75m since 2019-20 to help schools respond to the individual needs of children and young people, which has contributed to the highest recorded level of support staff in Scotland. We also provide over £11m of funding each year to directly support pupils with complex additional support needs and services to support children and families.

The early resolution of concerns and disagreements is actively encouraged. Where this is not possible, the Additional Support for Learning legislation sets out a range of dispute resolution mechanisms and the Scottish Government provide for a range of services to support parents, carers and young people through this process.

In response to the Additional Support for Learning Review in 2020, Scottish Ministers are committed to ensuring that Additional Support for Learning legislation is UNCRC compliant, and will deliver this through the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

I met the Chinese Consul General Zhang Biao on 12 June at the Consul General’s request. The Consul General raised the prospect of a friendship arrangement between the City of Edinburgh Council and Kaohsiung. I made clear that the Scottish Government could not instruct, nor influence local authority decision making, regardless of the topic or issue. He re-iterated that the Scottish Government policy regarding Taiwan had not changed.

The Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement will be published on 24 July ( https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/aviation-statement ) and will set out the actions we will take on national and international connectivity, and on decarbonisation.

The actions and outcomes described in the Aviation Statement have been shaped by our commitments and existing policies on aviation, and the feedback received in our public consultation. The Statement contains a mixture of short, medium and longer term commitments. It covers the period to 2045, in line with our commitment to attaining overall net zero emissions.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28494 on 19 July 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/written-questions-and-answers .

The business case work is of vital importance, and we are continuing to progress this with input from the project partners. There are outstanding matters, both financial and technical which require completion before the business case review can be concluded and presented to Ministers. All partners are focused on resolving these issues and finalising the business case.

We understand that the hospitality sector, alongside other sectors within the economy, including construction and manufacturing, are facing challenges in attracting, recruiting and retaining workers. This situation has been exacerbated by Brexit and the loss of people from the EU, as well as problems caused by the pandemic.

We regularly monitor and assess the performance of the tourism and hospitality sector through a range of official statistics, as well as via regular engagement with key stakeholders, including the main hospitality trade bodies. Our most recent statistics show that in May 2024 29% of businesses in the accommodation and food services sector reported difficulties in recruiting employees, slightly higher than the Scotland average (27%). (Source BICS ONS May 2024).

In April 2024 , one in five (18%) of businesses within the accommodation and food sector reported recruitment difficulties (lower than the Scottish average for all businesses at 24%). The most common reason given for businesses reporting recruitment difficulties, by over half, was a lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer (53%), while just under a third cited the reduced number of EU applicants (30%). (Source BICS ONS April 2024).

The Scottish Government is taking measures within our powers, to address labour and skills shortage issues. These include providing a range of employability support to help people enter the workforce alongside funding for the development of modern apprenticeships via Skills Development Scotland to meet the needs of the tourism and hospitality sector. We are also working to explore solutions to staff shortages in collaboration with the sector, through our Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and our Tourism and Hospitality Skills Group.

Fair Work is at the heart of our national Tourism Strategy; Outlook 2030 which commits to support and enable the adoption of Fair work practices in Scotland’s tourism sector. We continue to promote fair work measures in the sector which will help businesses attract and retain staff and will carefully consider recommendations from the Fair Work Convention’s Hospitality inquiry and take forward as appropriate.

While immigration is reserved, we hope to work collaboratively with the new UK Government to make a difference to the lives of people in Scotland, as the First Minister made clear in his meeting with the new Prime Minister on Sunday 7 July.

Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs require a tailored approach to migration. Scotland needs access to international talent and skills at all levels of the economy, for vital, challenging roles within sectors including tourism and hospitality.

Scottish Ministers are committed to working closely with the UK Government in delivering an immigration system that supports the prosperity of Scotland’s economy and communities.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 is a multi-topic Act with an extensive number of statutory instruments needed to implement the various parts. Given the scale of this piece of legislation we have taken a measured and considered approach in implementing the Act.

Large sections of the Act have been fully implemented including workplace parking, low emission zones, and parking prohibitions. Significant progress is being made in relation to the remaining areas including bus services (with franchising and partnership powers commenced in December 2023), and ticketing arrangements and schemes.

In relation to your specific questions:

1. We are exploring opportunities to enhance open data so more public transport information is available to users and third parties. Legislation is not the sole route, our Bus Open Data provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Act are high level to allow us to work through what can be done without legislation; recognising technology advancements and operators’ positive participation already through services such as Traveline Scotland. However we are actively considering secondary legislation requirements in light of Department for Transport advances and our current data provision services in Scotland and will seek further feedback from local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships.

2. We will be laying regulations before the end of 2024 on the appointment, removal and replacement of panel members; the remuneration of panel members; and the process to be followed by the panel in making decisions.

3. The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (NSTAB), established in 2023, will advise on national ticketing standards, as well as delivery of measures from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. Timescales and costs of delivering a national integrated ticketing system will be supported by the advice of NSTAB.

Colleges are responsible for their own operational decisions. College Principals’ pay and conditions packages are for individual colleges to determine. Whilst Public Sector Pay Policy does not apply directly to colleges, the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum states that colleges must have regard to it. The Scottish Government expects colleges and their Boards to be mindful of Public Sector Pay Policy Public sector pay policy 2024 to 2025 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and demonstrate restraint when determining senior staff salaries.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28357 on 23 July 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/written-questions-and-answers .