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The Government Actuary’s Department(GAD) produces population projections for the UK and its constituent countriesevery two years in consultation with the Registrars General. The migration figuresused in the projections are estimates based on analysis of past trends, rather thanforecasts. The migration assumptions (mid-year to mid-year becausethe starting population for the projection is the General Register Office for Scotland’spopulation estimate for 30 June 2003) used in the latest population projectionsfor Scotland are shown in the following table:

Scotland Migration Assumptions

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07 onwards
In-migration	84,050	81,600	79,150	76,700
Out-migration	72,050	74,100	76,150	78,200
Net migration	12,000	7,500	3,000	-1,500

Source: GovernmentActuary’s Department 2003-based “interim” projections published 30 September 2004. That projection was produced to takeaccount of revisions to England and Wales population estimates as a result of the Local Population Studies carriedout there. The underlying long-term assumptions (for 2006-07 onwards) were unchangedfrom those used in the previous full set of 2002-based projections published inDecember 2003. However, the short-term assumptions of net inward migration to Scotlandwere increased in the light of more recent migration data. The next full set ofprojections, based on a full review of all the underlying assumptions, will be publishedon 20 October 2005.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-17617 on 22 July 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Executive is currently not carrying out research to determine the reasons of pupils for leaving school before the age of 16.

The unit was set up on ashort-term basis to raise awareness of issues around poverty in Africa in therun-up to the G8 meeting and to deliver a range of specific projects connectedwith the Executive’s international development objectives in relation to Africa.The unit, which has now completed its remit and has been disbanded, consistedof three dedicated staff and also drew on staffing and other resources acrossthe Executive.

All Scottish Ministers wereinvolved in preparations for events around the G8 summit. Information about thenumber of hours spent by Ministers and officials in preparation for the summitis not available because it was not recorded and collected.

The Division, whichsupported the wider international development part of the Executive’s International Division in the run-up to the G8 meeting, was not allocated a dedicated budgetgiven its short-term remit but rather drew upon appropriate existing Executivebudgets as required.

Long-term population trendslike those in Robert Wright’s report are notoriously difficult to predict and,by necessity, are based on a number of assumptions. However, it is encouragingto note that the latest midyear population estimates published by the GeneralRegister Office for Scotland on 27 April 2005 reflect, amongst other things, anincrease for the last two years in the number of births in Scotland and that weare already attracting more migrants from the rest of the UK and overseas. And,of course, population statistics themselves are not a qualitative measure of the value that migrant labour brings to Scotland.

The Fresh Talent Initiative isa long-term project to address our long-term demographic trends, but we haveset no limits on our ambition for numbers of eligible migrant workers under theinitiative. I am confident that over time Fresh Talent will help to enrich ourcultural diversity and increase our economic competitiveness in the globalmarket place.

No guidance has been issued to local authorities on this issue. However, Careers Scotland provide data to the Scottish Executive and local authorities on the destinations of school leavers, which is then made available to local authorities by year group.

Destinations of school leavers of all ages are monitored by Careers Scotland. Summary data is provided by them to the Scottish Executive on an annual basis, although results are not available by pupil age. The latest published data is available via the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00380-00.asp.

Pupils along with parents, teachers, employers and many others were consulted on the state of school education during the National Debate in Education in 2002. The responses to this debate formed the basis for the review of the curriculum three to 18.

As part of A Curiculum for Excellence, we are developing a communications and engagement strategy to ensure that everyone with an interest in the review is able to contribute. The programme board is taking steps to engage young people in this work.