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The Scottish Government will consider how the average local authority revenue support per capita should be calculated in connection with the 85% funding floor as part of the consideration of future local government finance settlements.

In 2011-12 before the introduction of 85% funding floor Aberdeen City Council received 84.0% of the Scottish average revenue funding per head. Following the introduction of the new floor Aberdeen would have received 83.5%/84.1%/84.6% over the three year settlement 2012-15. As a result of the new floor Aberdeen City Council received over 85% of the Scottish average.

These figures were calculated before the transfer of responsibility for police and fire from local to central government on 1 April 2013 and as is standard practice the local government finance settlements were not reopened.

In 2015-16 as a result of the transfer of police and fire Aberdeen City Council's revenue funding per head would have been 79.2% but following the adjustment for police and fire the council once again received 85% of the adjusted Scottish average.

The Scottish Government committed to provide additional funding for rail improvements during its consideration of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

This new funding announced on 28 January 2016 demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to investing in our railways and will help cement Aberdeen as one of the world’s leading cities for investment and business.

The Heads of Terms agreement outlines the principles of the Aberdeen City Region Deal. Although the Heads of Terms does not form a legally binding contract it signifies both the Scottish and UK Governments' commitment to the region. Further detail on the implementation of specific interventions of the deal will follow over the coming weeks and months and the Scottish Government will work with the civic and business leaders of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to ensure the successful implementation of the agreed deal.

The decision to allocate an additional £10 million over and above the city deal agreement for digital infrastructure development was taken following several months of work with local partners and was announced on 28 January 2016.

Officials have had early discussions with Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Council. A considerable amount of work will now have to be done by local authorities with the housing industry to develop concrete proposals that when funded will unlock development at scale within the region. In light of the work that will need to be done it is not possible to put a time frame on the funding at the moment, however we would like to see proposals developed as quickly as possible.

These local authorities have told us that this type of support is what they need to help unlock housing sites that are of strategic importance – which is why we are committing this funding for the area.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4O-05546 on 10 February 2016. Please see the link to the Official Report:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10364.

The Scottish Government is aware of 58 Modern Apprentices in the oil and gas sector who have been made redundant since December 2014 and that 38 of these Modern Apprentices are back in work. Work is underway through our skills agency, Skills Development Scotland, to support those who have not yet been supported back into work.

Of the 38 Modern Apprentices who are back in work, 21 were supported through the enhanced Adopt an Apprentice offer.

The draft budget published on 9 October 2014 set out the Scottish Government’s spending plans for 2015-16 and confirmed that we would progress development work on the A90 Haudagain improvement. The current projected spend for Haudagain in 2015-16 is £0.78 million.