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The Scottish Government jointly chairs the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group. This group assesses the required level of initial teacher education places using information from a range of sources. One such source is the teacher workforce planning model which projects future demand for student teachers based on factors including the age profile of the teaching workforce, rates of wastage and returners, and projected pupil numbers. These projections operate at the school sector level rather than individual subject level. Information on the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group and the workforce planning model is available on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/teacher-workforce-planning-advisory-group/

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

‘ Tender evaluation for the pre-construction services award (PCSA) element of the HMP Highland project is underway and SPS anticipates the initial contract award will be made during September 2021.’

We recognise that Scottish agriculture will continue to need skilled and innovative young new entrant farmers. Pathways to entry will remain available through our Farming Opportunities for New Entrants programme and our Land Matching Service. Whilst the National Reserve (Young Farmer and New Entrant) categories will continue providing farmers and crofters with the opportunity to receive an allocation of payment entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme as well as the young farmers Basic Payment top-up.

In line with our manifesto commitment, we also plan further support through a separate new entrants fund.

Information on the number of children of women who were given diethylstilbestrol (DES) in Scotland and who have gone on to develop cancer is not known. In the period when this hormone was prescribed to women no central information system for drugs prescribed to individuals existed.

Information on NHS staff dismissals is not held centrally. The recruitment and employment of NHS staff is the responsibility of NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government expects Boards to apply workforce policies in adherence to NHS Scotland’s values of: care and compassion; dignity and respect; openness, honesty and responsibility; quality and teamwork.

The Scottish Government did not dismiss any employees during Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 in (a) Scotland and (b) the Grampian region.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic hardship for many householders throughout Scotland and is why the Scottish Government reacted quickly to provide vital support to help people, communities and businesses during this unprecedented period. The Scottish economy faces major challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions towards becoming a net zero economy. To support the economy during this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The strategy will, through the Advisory Council for Economic Transformation and the views received through the programme of stakeholder engagement and the public consultation, fully take into account the impact of the pandemic as it sets out the key actions to transform the economy over the next 10 years.

The Scottish Government publishes information on the initial (3 months after leaving school) and follow-up (9 months after leaving school) destinations of school leavers from publicly funded schools.

Initial destination: School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Follow-up destination: School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Note that this does not directly identify the proportion who have gone to university but does identify those who have went in to Higher Education. Within these statistics Higher Education is defined based on the qualification being studied rather than the place of study. It covers those following a course of study at a level higher than the standard of the National Qualifications, i.e. above SCQF level 7. This includes degree courses, courses for the education and training of teachers, higher level courses for professional qualification and Higher National Certificate / Diploma or equivalent. This will include those studying such courses at University but also in other settings such as a Higher Education Institutions or Colleges.

The latest follow-up destinations data on the proportion of publicly funded school leavers who were in Higher Education is provided below. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the percentage of independent school leavers who have gone to university or Higher Education.

Proportion of school leavers from publicly funded schools with Higher Education follow-up destination

The Scottish economy faces unprecedented challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions to becoming a net zero economy. To guide the economy through this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

The Advisory Council for Economic Transformation was established to help shape and drive the strategy. The Advisory Council’s work will be complemented by an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement, including environmental stakeholders, and the views put forward by the public through the consultation. This is a national endeavour and so the Scottish Government wants to hear directly from business, workers and stakeholders right across the country on how to transform the economy and help us reach net zero.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with COSLA, including on Covid recovery, and the well-established mechanisms in place provide an opportunity for future discussions on this matter should COSLA seek to raise this with the Scottish Government.