Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23120 on 7 December 2023. 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 .

Data on the outcomes and achievements of school pupils with additional support needs are published on the Scottish Government website.

Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels data provides information on attainment of school pupils in literacy and attainment ( School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ). Information on pupils with additional support needs can be found in Section 4.3 of the publication. The latest data available is for 2021-22 with 2022-23 data due to be published on 12 December 2023.

Data on the attainment and initial destinations of school leavers can be found in the Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations publication ( School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ). Information on pupils with additional support needs can be found in tables 3 and 6. The latest data available is for 2021-22 with 2022-23 data due to be published in February 2024.

Data on the follow-up destinations of school leavers can be found in the Summary Statistics for Follow-up Destinations publication ( School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ). Information on pupils with additional support needs can be found in table 3. The latest data available is for 2021-22 with 2022-23 data due to be published in June 2024.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) publish a range of information for colleges and universities for disabled students. Information can be accessed through their websites at ( Data and analysis | HESA ) and releases ( Report on Widening Access 2021-22 (sfc.ac.uk) ).

The Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) publish data each year on the number of supported Higher Education students at college and university claiming Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). Data is available through the Higher Education Student Support in Scotland publication ( https://www.saas.gov.uk/about-saas/statistics ).

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23120 on 7 December 2023. 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 .

Scottish Enterprise uses the Scottish Enterprise Regional and SME Investment Subsidy Scheme (the Scheme) to provide RSA grant funding. The Scheme includes a requirement that, to be eligible for support, large companies must be opening a new establishment or diversifying the activity at an existing site. There is no such requirement for SMEs. This requirement is consistent with the general approach to regional investment funding across the UK and Europe.

RSA is not the only mechanism Scottish Enterprise uses for funding eligible projects within the manufacturing sector. Scottish Enterprise has a wide range of subsidy schemes for which diversification is not a requirement for funding. The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise consistently review support mechanisms in place and welcome feedback on how to support companies within the rules set out by the Subsidy Control regime.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a New Scotland paper, ‘Our marine sector in an independent Scotland’, are set out in the following table:

I have asked Janet Egdell, interim Chief Executive of The National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

These statistics are planned for publication in February 2024. The publication date has been delayed in order to incorporate the new census data.

The Race Equality Action Plan concluded in 2021 with a final report outlining the progress made in implementing actions.

Education Scotland play a significant part in the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education Programme, particularly in the development and delivery of their award-winning Building Racial Literacy Programme.

Argyll and Bute Council requested activation of the Bellwin Scheme on 9 October and the Scottish Government responded on the same day to confirm that Ministers had activated the Bellwin Scheme in relation to the flooding on 7 and 8 October 2023.

The Bellwin Scheme allows Ministers to make additional revenue support available to local authorities to assist with immediate and unforeseen costs in dealing with the aftermath of emergency incidents. The key criterion of the Scheme is to safeguard life and property, and prevent suffering or severe inconvenience.

The Scheme addresses revenue and uninsurable expenditure incurred within a two month period from the date of the incident (or such later date as agreed between the Scottish Government and local authority).

Payments are only made once the local authority has exceeded its annual Bellwin Threshold which represents 0.2 per cent of their net revenue budget for the year in question. This is the amount local authorities are deemed to set aside to cover unforeseen emergencies across the financial year.

The 2023-24 Bellwin Threshold for Argyll and Bute is £528,662.

We know through the views and experiences shared during the Independent Care Review that care experienced people can often feel stigmatised. Through the Each & Every Child initiative, we are working to shift public attitudes towards families, children and adults who are in care, leaving care or are care experienced. We also work alongside partners such as The Promise Scotland and Who Cares? Scotland to build on the aims set out in The Promise and broaden our understanding of, and to challenge, the stigma faced by Care Experienced people in the community.

On 23 November, the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise announced that we will launch a consultation in Spring 2024 to inform development of a universal and inclusive definition of care experience. We will explore how this definition can best be reflected in relevant legislation to ensure a consistent and respectful use of this language.

Outside interference is a risk which the Scottish Government is aware of through our regular threat analysis and risk assessment processes. The Scottish Government employs a range of measures to mitigate this type of risk as much as possible. As I’m sure Mr Cole-Hamilton will understand, it would not be appropriate to publish the details of these measures.