Seòmar agus comataidhean

Where Ministers have agreed that an appointee should be remunerated, the Daily Fee Framework for Chairs, Board Members and Public Appointments must be used to determine the appropriate Daily Fee. The framework does not mandate that a fee be paid.

It is open to the Sponsor Team to decide whether a payment need be made. Remuneration may be proposed where it is particularly important to have representation from as wide and diverse a range of candidates as possible, or where there is specific need for appointees to be drawn from otherwise under-represented groups.

Any remuneration payable is not intended to meet the market rate that could be commanded by the individuals concerned.

The relevant Scottish Government approval must be obtained prior to implementing any daily fee and prior to advertising, negotiating a remuneration package or confirmation of appointment.

We welcome the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s analysis and recognise the impact that changes in Scotland’s population health and demographics could have on fiscal sustainability, and we are taking steps to mitigate this.

Whilst the issue raised is a commercial matter for Wood Group and any prospective partner, the Scottish Government and Enterprise Agencies aim to work with businesses in Scotland, domestic and overseas owned, to ensure Scottish operations are not only secured here but opportunities for growth are pursued.

Growing the economy has been identified as one of the Scottish Government’s four strategic priorities. Our approach to growing Scotland’s economy requires balance. It is important that we focus on both strengthening Scotland’s domestic industries and ensuring our economy is open and internationally focused.

It must also be noted that the powers required to legislate in respect of company acquisition between private sector organisations are reserved to the UK Parliament.

Information on the number of violent incidents involving pupils is not held centrally.

Some information is available on physical assaults have either resulted in, or contributed to, the exclusion of a pupil. The latest data available is for school year 2022-23.

Table 1 shows those exclusions from school in 2022-23 which included the reasons of physical assault. It should be noted that each exclusion can include more than one reason.

Table 1: Reasons for exclusion from school, 2022-23

Aviation and airspace are reserved matters.

The Scottish Government is currently engaging with the Ministry for Justice on no fly-zone regulations across prisons. Considerations about extending regulations in place in England and Wales to Scotland are ongoing.

SPS, Police Scotland, HMPPS, and police forces from England and Wales are part of a cross-border tasking group. Recently, SPS met with HMPPS, NIPS, and the Irish Prison Service to discuss drone threats, share best practices, and develop mitigation strategies.

Any attempt to bring illicit substances into prisons threatens the health of those in custody and staff safety, which is why SPS collaborates with Police Scotland and deploys technology to prevent it, where possible.

Employers are key to the delivery of our ambitions for a skilled workforce to meet the demands of an ever-changing economy and society. The Scottish Government is committed to working with them and listening to them as we take forward our programme of post-school education reform.

I host an employer roundtable several times a year to engage on the Scottish Government’s programme of post-school education reform. The most recent roundtable took place in February 2025. The roundtable includes a range of employers from across Scotland, including small to large businesses.

In addition, a national employer network to engage employers on post-school education reform is being set up. This will include members of the DYW Employer Network, with which Ministers will also continue to engage. This new network will serve as a platform for sharing updates, seeking input on policy reforms, acting as a sounding board and facilitating workshops and discussions. The first meeting of the Reform Employer Network will focus on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 6 February 2025 and will take place in May 2025.

The Growth and Skills levy remains a reserved tax for the UK Government. The changes, as we understand them, will impact on what funding can be spent in England. We do not expect this to have an impact on Scotland. Officials will continue to engage with the UK Government to understand any impacts that changes to the Levy may have for businesses in Scotland.

The research paper is currently with peer reviewers and is expected to be concluded by early June. We are committed to publishing the report and will do so once the peer review process and any further action needed has concluded. I expect to be able to do that no later than the end of 2025.

Our programme of reform of post-school education will see us develop a streamlined funding system more focussed on the needs of employers and the economy through improved national skills planning and reformed apprenticeships.

As we take this work forward, we will learn from the experience of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to develop a skills system that is simple, straightforward, agile, and responsive to the needs of Scotland’s learners and employers.

Employers have a key role to play in workforce development. We will continue to encourage employers to build strong partnerships and work with their local colleges and universities to ensure training offers align to labour market needs.

The Scottish Government recognises the significant impact that bereavement can have on young people and is committed to ensuring that schools are equipped to provide appropriate support.

We published a professional learning resource and a Whole School Approach Framework to assist school staff in supporting children and young people’s mental health. This framework encourages all schools to help young people develop resilience and personal coping skills while ensuring that measures are in place to support those who experience bereavement.

Education Scotland provides a range of materials, including resources specifically focused on bereavement, to aid teachers in delivering sensitive and effective learning on this topic. These resources are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practice.

Schools may also refer to the Seasons for Growth programme which contains support around bereavement and trauma. This is in addition to local policies in place for bereavement.

Social Security Scotland is committed to tackling funeral poverty and increasing take-up of all Scottish benefits. Since its introduction in 2019, Funeral Support Payment has been promoted across a wide range of channels including advertising on radio, in print and online, as well as through articles in media outlets and content on our own social media channels.