Chamber and committees

Colleges are autonomous bodies responsible for managing their own affairs, and for decisions on who receives support and at what level, subject to limits set by the Scottish Funding Council. Information on how different colleges apply their discretion to these matters is not routinely held by ministers.

In the context of our agreement with local authorities that decisions on funding for local services are best made at a local level, no direct Scottish Government assistance is provided to local authorities specifically for befriending, or most other local, services.

We provide core funding to the new third sector interfaces and those councils of voluntary service and volunteer centres that remain. The basic functions of these bodies include support to voluntary organisations, the promotion of volunteering and social enterprise and a strong connection to the community planning partnership in their area. The total of this funding is almost £7.9 million in 2010-11. We also provide funding to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (£0.350 million) and Volunteering Development Scotland (£0.9 million) for their general support to the third sector.

While none of this funding is aimed at extending the remit of individual organisations it does support the third sector generally since we believe the sector is a major force in the creation of a strong, successful Scotland.

Since its introduction, OPITO (The Oil and Gas Academy) in partnership with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board has trained over 770 modern apprentices under the Upstream Technician Training Programme for work in oil and gas. OPITO have also formed a partnership with Forth Valley College to help deliver their Transformation Training Programme. This has been funded through the PACE initiative. Through the modern apprenticeship programme we will provide over 1,500 opportunities for young people to commence a Level 3 Engineering MA this year. This figure includes opportunities for those who wish to work offshore.

Through the Oil & Gas Industry Advisory Group, we are working with the industry to address key areas of strategic priority including skills and industry promotion to enhance the industries'' competitive position and sustain oil and gas production in the future. The Forum for Renewable Energy Development for Scotland''s Offshore Wind Group is considering specific skill needs and is feeding into the Renewable Energy Skills Group with a view to skills interventions being developed. Skills Development Scotland is also supporting Energy & Utility Skills in their development of a Workforce Planning Model to cover offshore renewables.

The Scottish Government provides assistance to cultural and heritage events in the West of Scotland in partnership with key agencies and organisations with responsibility for promoting Scotland internationally. Examples include:

EventScotland - has supported the Gourock Highland Games, the European Pipe Band Champions in Inverclyde and the East Renfrewshire Food Festival. Through Homecoming, events celebrating Burns were supported in North Ayrshire and St Andrew''s Day celebrations were supported in each local authority area.

The Scottish Arts Council - awarded a total of 61 awards to the West of Scotland during 2008-09 and 73 awards during 2009-10. These awards represent a range of activity, which will include performances, exhibitions, publications, as well as outreach or other activity that would meet a broad definition of a cultural event. A significant amount of those awards were made to local authorities in respect of Youth Music and capital / infrastructure awards.

As the evaluation report being prepared for the Scottish Government on the various pilot projects is still being finalised, no decision has yet been taken on possible future funding arrangements.

The Station Car Parking Report was published on 18 February 2010 and sets out in detail the areas where further analysis is required. Transport Scotland has commissioned additional research, which is expected to be completed later this year and will assist in planning opportunities for future Network Rail and franchise specifications.

The Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and local authorities have recently embarked on a major programme to reshape care for older people and all aspects of delivering care are within the scope of that review. We are therefore committed to an extensive programme of public engagement as part of the work of the reshaping programme. Details of a series of national and local events will be announced shortly.

We have also very recently launched Care Information Scotland which offers information and guidance for care and support services for older people. Further information is available at the following website http://www.careinfoscotland.co.uk/home.aspx.

The Scottish Government has made available £2.6 million of pump priming funding through NHS boards and their stakeholders to help further develop eye care services in the community. An evaluation of the pilot projects has been undertaken and a report is currently being finalised.

We have also made £2.2 million available over this, and the next, financial year to pilot seven one stop shop models for sensory impairment services across Scotland. We are working alongside organisations representing people with visual and hearing impairments such as RNIB Scotland and Grampian Society for the Blind in piloting the one stop shop model. Areas that have a high proportion of older people, such as the Borders, Western Isles and Argyll and But, have been specifically chosen as pilots.

The Scottish Government''s efforts to address the economic downturn and steer Scotland''s economy towards recovery have evolved as the impacts of recession have unfolded.

The Scottish Economic Recovery Plan: Accelerating Recovery, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50311), sets out a comprehensive range of measures to accelerate economic recovery in Scotland. This includes development of a low carbon economy, supporting internationalisation, further improvements to the planning system, managing labour market pressures, a renewed focus on commercialisation, and improved access to finance.

Shaped by discussions with key stakeholders, this latest update demonstrates the importance of alignment across the public sector to deliver a comprehensive range of measures to accelerate recovery. The plan continues to focus on the three key areas for recovery and sustainable economic growth: investing in innovation and industries of the future; strengthening education and skills, and supporting jobs and communities.

Transport Scotland''s policy on dropped kerbs is outlined in Transport Scotland''s Disability Discrimination Act - Good Practice Guide for Roads. This document can be accessed on Transport Scotland''s website at the following address:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/reports/j11185.pdf.

The guide states that dropped kerbs should be applied to: all pedestrian crossings (controlled and uncontrolled); parking lay-bys, and bus stop lay-bys. The guide also provides detailed drawings and dimensions for each scenario.