Chamber and committees

The eligibility criteria for a Blue Badge do not focus on whether an individual has a particular kind of medical condition. Instead, the criteria are designed to assess the impact on a person’s mobility. For this reason, the information you request is not gathered as part of handling a blue badge application and is therefore not known.

Blue Badges are issued to individual disabled people or (at the discretion of the local authority) organisations that transport people entitled to a Badge in their own right. They are not issued to family members or carers of disabled people.

The Scottish Government as a matter of routine exchanges information and best practice on the blue badge scheme with UK Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive colleagues. Each Administration has its own guidance because the scheme is fully devolved to each administration and there are differences in the guidance because of differences in applicable legislation.

Guidance on the operation of the Blue Badge scheme in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. Changes to legislation or guidance can be made without the need for discussions with other Administrations; however, in practice we do take pains to have such discussions to test out ideas and exchange views.

The information requested is not held centrally.

SDS is committed to improving the success of individuals with dyslexia as set out in out in their five year MA Equality Action Plan, published in December of 2015.

SDS are doing this through a number of channels designed to minimise structural barriers, both real or perceived, to enable people with learning difficulties to be successful in being recruited onto an MA and also optimising their chances of success in achieving their qualification. This includes partners representing learning disabilities and is formalised in the Equality Advisory Group.

SDS has launched a targeted marketing campaign which encourages young people and their key influencers (including parents) of the potential MA opportunities for people with learning difficulties. There are also tailored employability routes, designed with regional partners which prepare young people with learning difficulties for MA opportunities.

Following my announcement in December 2016 of enhanced MA contribution rates for those with disabilities or experience of care up to the age of 29, SDS have now rolled out these enhanced funding contributions for all MA frameworks the enhanced funding rate recognises the longer journey into the workplace that people with learning difficulties may have.

Skills Development Scotland recognise the additional supports, including in the workplace that are required to optimise success for people with learning difficulties. Contracted training providers are supported in accessing various funding routes relating to access programmes such as the ASN Discretionary Fund that allows tailored support measures to be put in place for those with learning difficulties as well as support in accessing Access to Work Funds.

Skills Development Scotland has built into its contracting and quality assurance reviewing processes a requirement for MA providers to demonstrate how they are taking positive action and developing their own understanding of how to support disabled MAs, including those with learning difficulties.

To further support employers who recruit Modern Apprentices to recruit and tailor their workplace to optimise their chances of success there is Structural Funding to recruit MAs with learning difficulties. For example, SDS work through their employer engagement routes including the regional Developing Young Workforce groups to encourage apprenticeship recruitment through the Scottish Employer Recruitment incentive and ensure they are supported in helping MA employees to apply for Access to work funding where required.

The Scottish Government is improving infrastructure in Inverclyde as demonstrated by our investment in school buildings over the last three years which has seen the completion of new schools in Port Glasgow and Greenock as well as a major refurbishment in Kilmacolm.

We are also currently investing in a contemporary healthcare facility in Greenock to provide mental health accommodation and enable a fundamental change in the way older peoples care is delivered in Inverclyde.

Looking forward we have planned investment for a new health and care centre in Greenock. Inverclyde will also benefit from our investment in the Glasgow & Clyde Valley City Deal which includes projects in Inverkip, Port Glasgow and Greenock.

A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People, our Disability Delivery Plan to 2021, published in December 2016, sets out our ambitions and commitments to supporting disabled people - including those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties and disabilities - into sustained employment. We will support individuals and employers providing advice and access to practical support such as DWP’s Access to Work funding when appropriate. Dyslexia Scotland and SDS, among others, are key partners in this and offer advice and support to, and capacity building for employers and individuals in the workplace.

Further, our Fair Work Convention aims to ensure that all people have access to fair employment including fair pay, and which also offer an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect.

SDS is also committed to improving the success of individuals with dyslexia as set out in in their five year Modern Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan, published in December of 2015.

Devolved employment services, in place from April 2017 will provide those entering work and their employers with individualised in-work support to ensure employment is sustained.

The Scottish Government is engaged in on-going dialogue with our partners on these issues. Specifically, there is on-going discussion with Dyslexia Scotland regarding the information and support they offer, including a helpline, assessments and support to clients.

Skills Development Scotland is providing tailored measures, including funding and capacity building for employers, as well as support for individuals. SDS link to the Open Doors consortium which provides in work support for vulnerable young people and their employers, and are rolling out enhanced funding for all MA frameworks which will help in this area. SDS’ Our Skillsforce tool is a gateway for employers to access other tailored resources.

Scottish Government has worked closely with Inverclyde Council and Riverside Inverclyde Urban Regeneration Company to develop their local regeneration plans and we will continue to engage with them to see how we can best support their regeneration aims for the area.

Since 2009, Inverclyde has benefitted from over £38 million from SG regeneration funds and earlier this month I announced a further award of £900k from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for 2017-18.

It is essential that Scotland maintains its population growth to ensure that we have an appropriate demographic profile to sustain all of our population living full, supported and productive lives. Stimulating population growth is a key driver of sustainable economic growth, and in Scotland, most of our population growth is supported by inward migration. We know that 90% of the population increase in Scotland over the next ten years is projected to come from migration (57% from net international migration and 32% from net migration from the rest of the UK). This is markedly different to the projections for the UK as a whole, where 51% of the projected population increase over the next 10 years is due to natural change and 49% is due to international migration. If current trends continue, net inward migration is projected to be the main contributor to Scotland’s population growth over the next 25 years.

As the Chamber of Commerce have identified, it is crucial that Scotland has an immigration system which enables businesses to attract and access the skills and talent required to boost Scotland’s long-term competiveness and to support Scotland’s Economic Strategy.

The Scottish Government is always open to suggestions for the improvement of legislation but has no immediate plans to propose amendment of the National Assistance Act 1948.