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The following table shows the number of unemployed people (aged 20 to 64) with a degree-level qualification in Scotland. This information is drawn from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), for which the latest data covers the April to June quarter of 2010. Information is not available on a comparable basis for 2007 as degree-level unemployment was too low for a robust estimate to be drawn from the survey.

Table 1: Number of Unemployed People (Aged 20 to 64) and Unemployment Rate for those with a Degree-Level Qualification in Scotland (2008-10)

Year	Number of Unemployed People with a Degree Level Qualification	Degree Level Qualification Unemployment Rate
2008 (April to June)	11,000	1.9%
2009 (April to June)	23,000	3.8%
2010 (April to June)	26,000	4.4%

Source: LFS.

Notes:

1. Estimates from the LFS are rounded to the nearest 1,000.

2. Those aged under 20 have been excluded from the data as a negligible number will have a degree-level qualification at such an early age.

3. The information includes all those whose highest qualification includes a higher degree, NVQ level 5, first degree/foundation degree or other degree.

Advice on compensation is set out in Forth Replacement Crossing: Guidance on the Parliamentary Process, Compulsory Purchase Process and Compensation which was published on the Forth Replacement Crossing website on 16 July 2009.

The Explanatory Notes accompanying the Bill advises at paragraph 272 that £10 million has been assessed by the district valuer as being necessary for land and compensation. This figure has been incorporated into the project''s forecast costs.

I have asked David Middleton, Chief Executive of Transport Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Transport Scotland follows the resourcing policies of the Scottish Government and posts in the agency are created and removed to reflect changing business needs. From 1 April 2010 stricter controls on replacing leavers were introduced centrally and these changes have been implemented in Transport Scotland. As a cost saving measure, all unfilled posts have been removed from our staffing profile.

The funding source for each project is assessed individually based on the size and type of project, the suitability for the various forms of funding and the availability of funds.

The responsibilities of the Directors of Transport Scotland are set out in the agency''s website (http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/about-us/organisational-structure). The Director of Rail Delivery held a number of posts with British Rail prior to privatisation.

The Scottish Government has responded to the UK Government''s consultation on how the mechanism for its proposed cap on immigration should operate. Our opposition to an annual limit on immigration is based on the potentially serious economic consequences for Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33906 on 11 June 2010. I mentioned the UK Government''s commitment to review the control and use of accumulated and future revenues from the Fossil Fuel Levy in Scotland. Our view remains that these funds will be vital to the development of renewables infrastructure, technologies and capacity around Scotland. The UK Government is well aware of that view. We await the outcome of the UK Government''s promised review, and look forward to a positive announcement.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There are various sizes of Variable Message Signs on the trunk road network and they cost in a range of approximately £135,000 to £190,000 and that includes all investigations, design, provision of power supply, construction of foundation and provision and erection of the VMS. Annual operating costs are approximately £1,800 and that includes power supply consumption, communications and maintenance costs.

Traffic Scotland is a service provided by Transport Scotland who is responsible for the strategy for messages displayed. This strategy focuses on providing accurate, up to date information to road users and, when no such information is required, providing safety and public transport related messages. Further information is available at www.trafficscotland.org.

The Council of Economic Advisers recommended that the Scottish Government undertake more research to better understand migration and to explore the factors affecting the decisions of both immigrants and emigrants. The Scottish Government accepted this recommendation, and we have undertaken an in-house review of research and statistical evidence to update our understanding of migration and emigration.

NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually, as at 30 September. The number of staff employed by NHSScotland at 30 September 2009 was 168,994 headcount (whole-time equivalent figures are not available). Further information is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Overall%20staff%202009_vt.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

The annual staffing costs for NHSScotland taken from the Annual Accounts for the period ending 31 March 2010 was £5.8 billion.