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The Scottish Government strongly welcomes efforts to boost the production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is one of the most promising ways of reducing aviation emissions and is therefore important in supporting the Scottish Government’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2045.

The Scottish Government is unable to disclose this information as it is considered commercially sensitive.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The member may wish to request this information from the operator, Serco NorthLink Ferries.

The Transport to Health Delivery Plan published by Scottish Government in October 2024 aims to ensure access to healthcare facilities is fully considered within regional and local planning.

As one of the commitments in the plan set out, the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 section 120 and 121 commenced on 22 September 2023 placing a requirement on Health Boards to work with community transport providers and consider the economic and social impacts of non-emergency patient transport.

We monitor the NHS Territorial Boards annual delivery returns and continue to use annual reviews and regular meetings with Boards to engage on a range of topics relevant to service delivery as required, including any transport concerns.

We recognise that collaborative working between NHS Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners is necessary in service planning and decision-making, helping to address longer distances for healthcare.

The Scottish Government has not held any discussions with the operator on the subject of crew accommodation standards on MV Helliar and MV Hildasay.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that Additional Support Needs (ASN) staff play in ensuring that all learners can access and succeed in college education.

In light of financial pressures across the sector, we are working with colleges and the SFC to ensure that strategic workforce planning includes consideration of ASN provision, so that reductions in staffing do not disproportionately affect the most vulnerable learners.

Colleges are required to demonstrate how they support students with additional needs. They are required to submit a Self-Evaluation Action Plan (SEAP) annually to the SFC to demonstrate how inclusive practices and support for ASN learners are embedded and improved. Institutions are encouraged to co-produce the SEAP with student associations to ensure it reflects student priorities.

We continue to provide targeted funding to support inclusive education, including the Disabled Students Premium and other resources aimed at improving accessibility and support for learners with ASN. Colleges receiving Disabled Students Premium funding must demonstrate how it is used to:

• Improve accessibility.
• Enhance support services.
• Maintain inclusive learning environments.

This is part of the Main Teaching Grant and is monitored through funding allocation reviews.

We are supporting colleges to embed inclusive practices through staff training, digital accessibility initiatives, and cross-sector collaboration. This includes promoting professional development for ASN staff and ensuring that colleges have the capacity to meet diverse learner needs.

The Scottish Government values and supports all those who work in Further and Higher Education. Despite the challenging financial climate our last budget allowed the SFC to provide a 2.6 per cent increase in teaching funding for 2025-26 and an increase of almost 5 per cent in capital maintenance to help colleges to invest in the learning experience of students.

The job evaluation project is an outcome of national bargaining; therefore, the Scottish Government has no role in determining its progress. College Employers Scotland and trade unions (UNISON, GMB and Unite) have joint ownership of the project and are responsible for its completion.

The Scottish Government has committed to meeting the costs associated with the outcomes of the job evaluation project. Once detailed and evidenced-based costings have been provided, funding requirements will form part of budget considerations at the relevant time, in line with established public spending processes.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all college students—regardless of their background or circumstances—have the opportunity to succeed in their studies. We recognise the concerns raised in Audit Scotland’s Scotland’s Colleges 2025 report, particularly regarding the higher non-completion rates among students from more deprived communities, care-experienced students, and disabled students.

We are taking a number of steps to address the issue which include additional funding to colleges to support students facing barriers to learning, including those from deprived backgrounds and those with disabilities. This includes the Disabled Students Premium and funding for student support services.

We have expanded the Care-Experienced Bursary and are working with colleges to ensure that care-experienced students receive tailored support throughout their learner journey.

We are working with stakeholders to embed inclusive practices across the college sector, including mental health and wellbeing support, accessibility improvements, and staff training.

We are enhancing the use of data to better understand the factors contributing to non-completion to inform targeted interventions at both institutional and national levels. The SFC has introduced refined performance indicators, including a new measure of non-completion that distinguishes between early withdrawals and students who remain enrolled but do not complete their course. This will allow for more nuanced analysis of student outcomes and help identify where interventions are most needed.

We are committed to working collaboratively with colleges, students, and sector partners to reduce inequalities and improve retention and outcomes for all learners.

The Scottish Government is investing more than three quarters of a billion pounds in our 24 colleges to support apprenticeships and a wide range of skills and qualifications. The most recent Scottish Funding Council (SFC) allocations provide increases of 2.6% to teaching funding and almost 5% in capital maintenance. This will help colleges’ future investment in students' learning experiences and in meeting Scotland’s skills.

Coupled with this, the SFC College Transformation Framework offers bespoke funding option arrangements between colleges and the SFC, enabling colleges to plan their future long-term curriculum more effectively.

Through its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model (OF&AM), SFC engages with colleges to ensure they are engaging with employers to respond to industry and sector needs. Modern Apprenticeships are one form of provision that colleges provide to meet those needs.

The Scottish Government is providing £185 million this year to support 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeships, 5,000 new Foundation Apprenticeships and over 1,200 new Graduate Apprenticeships. This is in addition to the funding for 37,000 apprentices already in training.

It is our ambition to grow our apprenticeship offer and to increase opportunities for people to ‘earn as they learn’, in response to demand. The Tertiary Education (Scotland) Bill supports this ambition by simplifying the funding landscape and better aligning support for apprenticeships and work-based learning.

While apprenticeships remain a vital part of Scotland’s skills landscape, they are one of many high-quality pathways available. Our investment in colleges and universities supports a broad spectrum of learning routes, including work-based learning, so people can access the skills and qualification that best suit their ambitions and Scotland’s economic needs.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland’s colleges continue to be at the heart of local and regional level work to support economic development.

We recognise the value of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to both employers and learners. Through its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) engages with colleges to maximise their engagement with employers and to respond to industry and sector needs. Modern Apprenticeships are one form of provision that colleges provide to meet those needs.

The introduction of the SFC’s College Transformation Framework in Academic Year 2025-26 aims to increase flexibility in the system. The Framework offers options around bespoke funding arrangements between colleges and the SFC to enable colleges to plan their curriculum more effectively to reflect the needs of industry.