Chamber and committees

Information on the outcomes of students enrolled at Scottish colleges is published by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in their annual college performance indicators release.

College Performance Indicators 2021-22 (sfc.ac.uk)

The SFC are continuing to develop and improve this data collection and are working to collect more robust data on the reasons why people are not completing their courses.

Data is not readily available for universities on those completing courses within a set time length as some university courses have more flexibility with mode and course length. The number of enrolments and qualifiers on courses at Scottish universities is published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Enrolments: Figure 3 - HE student enrolments by level of study 2017/18 to 2021/22 | HESA

Qualifiers: Figure 15 - HE qualifications obtained by level of qualification 2017/18 to 2021/22 | HESA

As students withdraw from university for a number of interlinked reasons, HESA no longer collect information on why students withdraw. Their statistical release concentrates on the proportion of students not continuing with university study. This Non-continuation release was last published in March 2022:

Table D - Percentage of UK domiciled full-time entrants who did not leave within 50 days of commencement not continuing in HE after their first year by location of HE provider and academic year 2014/15 to 2019/20 | HESA .

Although most staff returned to Ferguson Marine by 30 June 2023, eight members of staff continue to be seconded to BAE Systems.

As regards the £25,000 working capital loan, the loan agreement is still extant. To date, the loan has not been repaid.

As set out in the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are taking a ‘zero emissions first’ approach in our heat and energy efficiency delivery programmes, where it is technically feasible and will not increase fuel poverty. The main solutions for meeting our climate change targets in buildings are to install energy efficiency measures and zero direct emissions heating, such as heat pumps and low and zero emissions heat networks. Electricity networks must not become a barrier to achieving net zero, so it is essential they are ready to support our energy transition and heat ambitions.

As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Scottish Government publishes ministerial engagements, travel and gifts three months in arrears, and publishes the whole month at one time, taken from the end of the relevant month. The Scottish Government plans to publish the information relating to April's ministerial engagements, travel and gifts by the end of July 2023. No breach of the Scottish Ministerial Code has occurred.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. 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-answer.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. 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-answer.

The responsibility for the balancing of grid costs lies with the National Grid ESO, not the Scottish Government. Information on their work on this can be found here: Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges | ESO (nationalgrideso.com) .

The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 , which will give effect to the New Build Heat Standard, if passed, were laid in parliament on 8 June 2023.

An accompanying policy note was published alongside these.

Commissioned research into ‘Zero Emissions Heating in New Buildings across Scottish Islands’ and a suite of impact assessments were published alongside the independent analysis of the New Build Heat Standard Consultation: Part II, also on 9 June 2023.

Work is now ongoing to update the building standards technical handbooks which will provide the relevant guidance for industry, and this is due to be published in Autumn 2023.

The study to map the net zero skills on Scottish Islands is progressing and we hope to be able to report on progress by the end of the summer.