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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-11214

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated uptake of graduate level apprenticeships is for each of the next four years.

Skills Development Scotland is currently in the process of concluding the procurement process for Graduate Level Apprenticeship starts for 2018-19. The total number of Graduate Level Apprenticeship starts in 2017 were 394.

As part of our plans to grow and expand the Modern Apprenticeship programme, the Scottish Government is working with Skills Development Scotland on determining growth projections for 2019-20 to 2020-21.

Question reference: S5W-11215

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria will be used to assess applications to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

The Flexible Workforce Development Fund is designed to be responsive to the needs of levy-paying employers in Scotland. An employer is required to demonstrate their eligibility to pay the UK Government Apprenticeship Levy in order to access the Fund. A successful application will be required to identify the skills gaps the employer aims to address and how the funded activity will contribute to increased productivity.

Question reference: S5W-11219

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Flexible Workforce Development Fund pilot fund delivery model is independently evaluated.

Question reference: S5W-11218

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will offer to employers applying to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, which operate in more than one college region.

Question reference: S5W-11217

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to contact eligible employers to encourage applications to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

Question reference: S5W-11216

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support will be offered to employers during the application process for the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

Question reference: S5W-10788

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on opportunities for the progression of the bio-economy in Orkney and when this will be published.

Information on opportunities for the progression of the bioeconomy in Orkney is not held centrally.

The bioeconomy is one of four priority sectors set out in 'Making Things Last - A Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland' (available at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00494471.pdf). The Scottish Government recognises that food waste and production is a significant source of carbon emissions, and a more circular approach to the beer, whisky and fish sectors could lead to potential savings of £0.5 billion per year.

Circular economy-related SME support is being extended by up to £30m of EU funds up to the end of 2018.

The Zero Waste Scotland Circular Economy Service and £18 million Circular Economy Investment Fund will support SMEs to exploit circular economy opportunities by changing their products and business models and by collaborating with supply chains and academia.

The Zero Waste Scotland ‘Bioeconomy Accelerator’ under the Circular Economy Investment Fund is supporting innovative projects in partnership with IBioIC to enable transformative projects and maximise collaboration between business and research.

As set out in our draft Scottish energy strategy (available at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00513466.pdf), we want to enhance our understanding of the role bioenergy can play in decarbonising Scotland’s energy system. That is why we have committed to developing a whole system Bioenergy Action Plan.

No publication date has been set for the Bioenergy Action Pan but we will be engaging with a wide range of stakeholders across Scotland over the coming months to shape the development of the plan.