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The resourcing of its planning service is a matter for each local authority. Establishing a performance link to fees will ensure that planning authorities place greater emphasis on the quality of service they provide to ensure income is maintained.

The planning performance framework, developed by Heads of Planning Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, measures and reports on how planning is delivered as a public service. As such, it is focused primarily on actions taken by planning authorities in performing their development planning, development management and enforcement functions, rather than being explicit on the role of planning in delivering a range of objectives and obligations. Nevertheless, the framework includes provision for planning authorities to report on matters such as activity to influence high-quality development and customer engagement.

The planning performance framework was developed and published by Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS), with the support of the Scottish Government. In doing so, HOPS has engaged with a range of stakeholders from public, private and voluntary sectors.

The framework is to give a more rounded measurement of overall quality in the delivery of the planning service than the current statistical information published on speed of decision-making provides.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that we have the skills to capitalise on the opportunities that energy presents for jobs and growth in Scotland. We anticipate that the skills needed to meet the 2020 targets will come from the existing labour market supported by modern apprenticeships and college courses, as well as from both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Under the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme the Scottish Government provides tuition fee support to Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking eligible vocational courses, generally 1 year postgraduate diplomas and the 9 month taught element of some masters courses. The eligible course list can be found in the following link –

http://www.saas.gov.uk/student_support/special_circumstances/postgrad_list.htm.

Eligible courses will be reviewed for academic year 2013-14 to ensure that they meet the Governments economic priorities.

We have consistently emphasised that there must be an inextricable link between higher planning application fees and guarantees over improved performance. A current Scottish Government consultation discusses a possible new fee structure and fee levels. This consultation paper also indicates the intention that fees and performance are to be linked. We intend to consult on how we establish and maintain the link and are considering how the planning performance framework can influence future choices on fee levels.

Heads of Planning Scotland has recently developed and published the planning performance framework, which has been supported by the Scottish Government. The main output for planning authorities will be an annual performance report, which includes reporting on authorities’ activity on communications and stakeholder engagement in their delivery of their planning services.

We do not break down student numbers by discipline as the Student Awards Agency for Scotland does not hold information on which academic disciplines students are studying.

Under the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme the Scottish Government provides £3,400 towards the cost of tuition fees for all eligible Scottish domiciled and EU postgraduate students studying vocational one year postgraduate diplomas and the 9 month taught element of some masters courses.

A list of eligible courses can be found via the SAAS website:

http://www.saas.gov.uk/student_support/special_circumstances/postgrad_list.htm.

Postgraduate students studying for Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) can apply for the full undergraduate student support package.

The Scottish Government is committed to skills investment in the energy sector and believes that postgraduate study will play an important role in equipping the sector to help deliver our 2020 renewable energy targets.

The Skills Investment Plan for the Energy Sector, published in March 2011 by Skills Development Scotland, highlights the main skills requirements for the energy sector in Scotland. The skills the renewables industry will need to meet our 2020 targets will come from the existing labour force, from modern apprenticeships, from technician-focused college courses and private sector courses as well as from undergraduate and postgraduate higher education courses.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that we have the skills to capitalise on the opportunities that energy presents for jobs and growth in Scotland. We anticipate that the skills needed to meet the 2020 targets will come from the existing labour market supported by modern apprenticeships and college courses, as well as from both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Under the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme the Scottish Government provides tuition fee support to Scottish domiciled and EU students. We will review eligible courses for academic year 2013-14 to ensure that they meet our economic priorities.