Chamber and committees

The outcome of discussions withthe Department of Work and Pensions is the proposal in the Bankruptcy and DiligenceBill to stop creditors from arresting all the money in a bank account. A minimumbalance will be protected, currently fixed at £370. This reform will help all debtors,including those who rely on benefit income.

We are currently developing monitoringarrangements on the use of New Future Fund successor funding as part of the guidanceto Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs). The Enterprise, Transport and LifelongLearning Department with assistance from Communities Scotland, will be monitoringthe reports from CPPs.

Information on funding allocated for spend on further education for young people with learning disabilities is not held centrally.

The core funding which further education colleges receive from the Scottish Funding Council goes towards meeting the needs of all students, however some students have additional support needs which may require additional funding. The Scottish Funding Council make two additional allocations which are bursary allocations and inclusiveness funding.

Bursary allocations are paid to colleges to enable them to implement the National Policy for further education bursaries. In 2005-06 this allocation was £52.2 million. Part of the policy enables colleges to pay an additional learning needs allowance, which may be offered to a disabled student towards study or travel-related expenses. This allowance is not means-tested as it is intended to help meet the additional costs that students have due to their disability.

Inclusiveness formula funding is paid to colleges to enable them to take forward the inclusiveness agenda as defined by the Beattie report in 1999. In 2005-06, this allocation was £1.6 million.

The same as you? national implementation group is preparing a children’s report, which illustrates how the principles of The same as you? apply to people of all ages including children and young people. Whilst education and the transition to adult life are major features of the report, it also has a strong focus on the importance of health, play and leisure. The report, due for publication in spring 2006, emphasises the responsibilities of all organisations and individuals in ensuring young people with learning disabilities are included and given the same opportunities as everybody else.

The Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act (2000) strengthened the rights of parents of children with special educational needs to have their children educated in mainstream schools, providing children with the opportunity to play, learn and socialise together. Furthermore the further education sector has made great efforts in recent years to make college provision accessible and inclusive to all those who wish to study and participation by students with disabilities or additional support needs has increased year on year.

For details of further work to promote the inclusion of young people with learning disabilities in their own communities, I refer the member to the answers to questions  S2W-22677, S2W-22678, S2W-22679, S2W-22680, S2W-22681, S2W-22682 and S2W-22683 on 13, 9, 21, 10, 7, 2 and 9 February respectively. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Executive is committed toensuring that everyone has the chance tolearn irrespective of their background or personal circumstances. Our widening accesspolicy is helping to break down barriers to participation faced by all groups includingstudents with learning disabilities.

The further education sectorhas made great efforts in recent years to make college provision accessible andinclusive to all those who wish to study and participation by students with disabilitiesor additional support needs has increased year on year.

Scotland’s colleges receive additional funding in respect of studentswho either attend a special programme or who require additional support to undertakea mainstream course.

In addition to mainstream courses,Scottish colleges provide a range of programmes and courses which allow young peoplewith learning disabilities to access further education and develop and improve theircore skills.

We recognise that for some studentswith the most complex needs, there is limited or no suitable provision in Scotland. Lastyear, we undertook a consultation to find out more about current provision; fundingpolicies and experiences of young people with additional support needs. The consultationclosed on 31 October 2005. We are currently considering options on how to bestmeet the needs of students with complex needs and will announce the next steps shortly.

Data on numbers of young people with learning disabilities in further education is not held centrally.

Careers Scotland provides a range of employability services, including key worker support, which help young people to access and sustain employment. The enterprise networks deliver Get Ready for Work, a programme for 16/17 year olds who, with additional support, would be able to move into further education training or employment. The UK Government also provides support through a range of programmes, including New Deal for Disabled People where job brokers can offer in-work support for up to the first six months.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20528 on 21 November 2005 which gives a breakdown of funding allocated for additional support needs. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

In addition, funding allocated through GAE for provision for special educational needs in 2004-05 was £256 million. Funding allocated specifically for the education of young people with learning disabilities is not held centrally. It is for local authorities to allocate funding based on the needs of the young people in their area.

Careers Scotland, in partnership with further education (FE) college guidance and support services, provides a range of employability services including key worker support for those young people who need additional help. This helps prepare young people, including those with learning disabilities, to move from further education into employment.

FE colleges offer programmes and courses designed to develop the skills required to help disabled students progress into vocational training or employment.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 introduces a new framework to ensure that all children and young people with additional support needs, including those with learning disabilities, benefit from education. The act also places new duties on education authorities and appropriate agencies to ensure early planning and preparation and effective exchange of information. This supports children and young people with additional support needs to make a smooth and successful transition to post-school life.

Our widening access policy is helping to break down barriers to participation in further education faced by all groups including students with learning disabilities. Further education colleges receive additional funding in respect of students who either require to attend a special programme or who require additional support to undertake a mainstream course.

The forthcoming Children’s Report, from The same as you? implementation group, aims to raise awareness that it is the responsibility of every organisation and individual involved in service provision to give children and young people the opportunity to access mainstream services.