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The UK Government’s announcement of planned investment in digital infrastructure could potentially help to deliver the Scottish Government’s world class ambitions and our commitment to deliver 100% superfast broadband access by 2021.

Although the Scottish Government was not consulted on the proposals prior to their announcement, we will work closely with the UK Government to ensure that Scotland benefits from this new funding, given the unique challenges that we face in deploying telecoms networks.

We have increased student teacher intake targets for the fifth year in a row and are setting targets to train teachers in the subjects where they are needed most.

We delivered a successful #inspiringteachers campaign focusing on STEM subjects which has resulted in 41 students studying Computing initial teacher education courses in 2016, compared to 20 students in 2015 which is an improvement of 105%. We will be running a further teacher recruitment campaign, which includes a focus on the STEM subjects, in the coming months.

On 30 November we announced that eleven new routes into teaching will be developed by Scottish universities to help address recruitment difficulties in the hard to fill subjects. Included in these new routes, the Universities of Dundee and Strathclyde will be offering an accelerated route for STEM graduates. It is expected that the new routes will be ready for student intake in August 2017.

STEM education and training is vital for meeting the demands and challenges of our economy and for building the society we want to see now and in the future. The Scottish Government have a comprehensive and ambitious plan for improving Scotland’s STEM talent and capability. For the first time we have published a plan that coordinates all of the work underway to promote STEM skills and capability across all age ranges and settings in one strategy, and we are outlining the Scottish Government’s future plans for improving the STEM talent pipeline. The consultation was launched on 8 November 2016 and will run until 31 January 2017. We will publish a final version of the Strategy next Spring. We will set ambitious targets for Government and its agencies to drive delivery.

Universities are committed to improving take up of STEM degree courses. The number of entrants to first degree courses in STEM subjects at Scottish universities has increased by 15 per cent, up 3,155, from 21,125 in 2006-07 to 24,280 in 2014-15. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) funded a total of 1,200 additional university places for STEM subjects over the four-year period 2012-13 to 2015-16, and, between 2013-14 and 2016-17 the SFC is funding nearly 1,200 additional places for undergraduates in key skills, including STEM.

Recent figures show that women make up only 18% of those in technology roles across Scotland’s economy. The Scottish Government is working with key partners from the public sector, academia and industry to address this imbalance.

Through the ICT and Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan (SIP), we have established a Gender Action Group to tackle the gender gap in both ICT careers and the relevant academic subjects. Based on research commissioned from Napier University, this group is developing a Gender Action Plan focusing on young women in education and those already in, or looking to return to the labour market.

There are other initiatives which can have a positive effect on the number of women in digital and other STEM roles. For example, the Digital World marketing campaign, aimed at young people and women in particular, and which raises awareness about the careers and opportunities that digital skills and qualifications can create.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has recently announced new funding of almost £50,000 for the Women Returners Project, building upon a successful pilot by Equate Scotland which took place earlier this year. This will help support more women with STEM qualifications to return to work the STEM sector after periods of absence from paid employment.

TV White Space technology could potentially be used to deliver broadband services to rural areas in future. The Scottish Government has provided approximately £410,000 of funding to the University of Strathclyde's Centre for White Space Communications to trial the use of TV white space technology through two pilot projects in Glasgow and Orkney that are being delivered in conjunction with industry partners. The learning from these projects will help determine the viability of using the technology as an alternative means of delivering connectivity in remote areas.

I announced on 3 November that Transport Scotland has commissioned a STAG style study to consider potential mainland berthing options for the Arran ferry service.

The study will look at the options objectively, taking into account the local social and economic benefits and the impact on public spending, but principally the needs of ferry users. I will be meeting all key stakeholders to hear their views before any decisions are taken.

Governance of the Police Service of Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority, as established in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. Changes to the police estate require the approval of the SPA. The SPA have made clear that proposed changes will take account of responses to local engagement and consultation activity.

Throughout education, the Government and its partner bodies are working to equip all young people with the digital skills they need to thrive in modern society and the workplace, from basic digital literacy through to more specialist computing science disciplines, including the computational thinking and technical skills required in software development and coding.

Launched in September, our new Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy seeks to embed the use of technology in learning and teaching right across the curriculum, providing a foundation for digital skills development.

To support digital skills development in line with industry needs, the Government has made £8.5 million available through the Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership. Achievements have included: the establishment of CodeClan which is Scotland’s first industry led skills academy; the Digital World marketing campaign which aims to raise awareness of the opportunities and benefits a career in IT can bring; and Digital Extra which provides young people with an opportunity to develop their digital skills through extra-curricular opportunities such as coding clubs and competitions.

A range of new education and training initiatives are being taken forward to enhance digital skills, with a particular focus on increasing support for teachers and new opportunities for learners. The Barefoot Computing programme, for example, will give primary school teachers access to a range of on-line teaching resource materials and workshops. This will enable them to deliver computing science and assist understanding of how computational thinking can benefit learners across a range of subjects; particularly maths and science. Older pupils can benefit from access to the wider range of relevant vocational qualifications offered by SQA and pathways such as the new Foundation Apprenticeship in Software Development introduced by Skills Development Scotland.

A good example of the college sector addressing digital skills shortages is the Dundee and Angus College Code Academy. The Academy aims to provide a link between college, school, university and employers by offering short “code camps”, workshops for schools, coding clubs as well as coding clubs specifically for girls.