Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43057 on 28 January 2026. 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.

The Scottish Government’s current position has not changed – it remains in support of full dualling of the A96 and is progressing the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn Bypass.

Whilst universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own decisions regarding pay and working conditions, the Scottish Government expects staff and trade unions to be consulted meaningfully and constructively to seek resolution to any disputes – in line with Fair Work principles. Implementation of Fair Work First must be the guiding criteria to promote fairer work practices for staff within the university sector.

Universities in receipt of government funding through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) are currently expected to meet two mandatory Fair Work First criteria (payment of at least the real Living Wage; and provision of appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition), while being encouraged to meet all other non-mandatory Fair Work First criteria. From April 2027, colleges and universities will be expected to adopt all Fair Work First criteria and the SFC will look to include these as a condition of grant. Further details are set out in my answer to S6W-42976 on 13 January 2026: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-42976.

I also expect universities to take appropriate steps to support and promote staff wellbeing, and comply with relevant legal requirements, including the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety requirements at UK workplaces, including universities.

Our Equally Safe strategy recognises that, just as violence against women and girls takes place in all communities and places, the same applies to all online spaces. Action is therefore required across Government, the wider public, third sector, industry, and wider society to respond to the added risks this may pose to women, children and young people.

Whilst regulation of AI is a reserved matter, we continue to engage with the UK Government on this issue. We understand that the UK Government is introducing new legislation related to AI, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure that Scotland’s interests are represented.

The Scottish Government welcomes Ofcom’s formal investigation into X under the UK’s Online Safety Act.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government will shortly publish a consultation to seek views on a number of issues relating to how the criminal law protects women and girls. This will include seeking views on online harms, including proposals to criminalise the non-consensual creation of intimate images, including through the use of AI image generation tools.

The university sector continues to face financial challenges due to a number of factors, including the impact of migration policies introduced by the UK Government, and an increase to employer national insurance contributions.

While universities are autonomous institutions, the Scottish Government expects staff and trade unions to be consulted meaningfully and constructively on the potential impact of any cost-saving measures – in line with Fair Work principles.

Ministers cannot compel universities to commit to no compulsory redundancies, however my clear expectation is that they are only considered as a last resort, after all other cost-saving measures have been fully explored.

In the unfortunate event that redundancies occur, PACE is the Scottish Government’s response and can provide free and impartial advice, and is available to all individuals affected by redundancy, no matter the size of the business nor how many employees are involved.

We are committed to improving the mental health support provided to people across Scotland, not only through the NHS and statutory services, but through our investments in community and grassroots organisations. We are seeing progress, with record numbers of staff providing more varied mental health support and services to a larger number of people than ever before. We have also seen the national performance against the 18-week CAMHS standard met for the last year, with 91.5% of children and young people starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

However, I recognise there is more to do to further bring down waiting times. That is why the budget for 2026-27, if agreed by Parliament, will see spending on Mental Health exceed £1.5 billion. This includes investment to improve neurodevelopmental assessments and care for children and young people.

The recent budget invests over £2.4 billion in post-school education and skills and includes a significant real terms increase in our investment in Scotland’s college and university sectors, which both deliver Higher Education. This provides opportunity to people of all ages to fulfil their potential, while also ensuring that priority workforce needs are met.

The Framework for Sustainability and Success of Scotland’s Universities will explore options for securing a successful and sustainable future for Scotland’s world-leading university sector.

This collaborative project between Scottish Government and Universities Scotland will build upon the strength of the sector and ensure our universities are well positioned to respond to current and future challenges, including demographic shifts, international competition, technological advancements, and the changing needs of students and the economy.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) publish all Modern Apprenticeship starts on their website back to 2007-08 at Scotland and local authority level. These can be accessed at the following link: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/modern-apprenticeships

Please note that data for 2007-08 was collated by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. SDS was formed in April 2008.

It is anticipated that the Sea Eagle Management Scheme will receive a similar budget allocation in 2026 that was awarded in 2025. The budget for the Sea Eagle Management Scheme in 2025 was £970,000.

NatureScot will begin work on offering management agreements as soon as approval of the budget has been received. The scheme covers the calendar year period January to December and payments to farmers and crofters who sign up to the scheme are made in December.

The Framework for Sustainability and Success of Scotland’s Universities was launched on 18 December 2025 and will complete in the Autumn of 2026.

A Steering Group will oversee this work, supported by Project Delivery Groups, with outcomes to be published and reported to Scottish Ministers and Universities Scotland.