Chamber and committees

As a result of the 16+ Learning Choices: First Step Activity and Financial Support consultation, I am announcing several changes today which will target our support systems more effectively at those young people who are most in need. The details of these changes are set out in a letter I have sent today to the Convener of the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, a copy of which is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 48116).

Yes. The review of grants concluded at the end of March, and the new legal grant agreements have been entered into. These have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47927).

The review did not seek to reduce the overall level of resources committed to Glasgow Housing Association tenants. Rather it aimed to achieve transparency and accountability for the use of public money, and to provide support for Glasgow''s transformational regeneration areas.

The new arrangements which have been put in place achieve these aims. In particular they:

support the delivery of promises made to tenants at the time of stock transfer;

set clear performance milestones to be achieved, and

will, over time, release resources to support progress in the transformational regeneration areas.

We intend to lay a Scottish Statutory Instrument in May to increase the cost of all types of Disclosure Scotland applications to £23 with effect from 1 August 2009. The increase in the fee, which is the first since 1 April 2006, is needed to meet the rise in costs of providing the service and to ensure that Disclosure Scotland can continue to operate efficiently and effectively.

The Scottish Government announced in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland, that it would undertake an extensive review of the private rented sector.

This review, which includes research and analysis commissioned externally, as well as a range of analytical work carried out within the Scottish Government, has been completed.

I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government intends to publish the review of the private rented sector on 24 March 2009.

Copies will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on 24 March 2009 (Bib. number 47826).

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm

I am pleased to announce the new rates of support for students in further and higher education for academic year 2009‘10. I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education.

A general uprating factor of 2.6%, in line with inflation, will be applied to the existing schemes of support in 2009‘10, thus maintaining their value in real terms.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has also agreed to maintain the alignment between the further and higher education sectors by, where appropriate, uprating the support available to further education students by 2.6%.

A copy of these rates is also being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47190).

I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government and COSLA are launching the Early Years Framework today. The document is available at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/earlyyearsframework.

And a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47084)

The Early Years Framework represents a radical approach to improving a range of health, education and wider social outcomes and tackling the inequalities of opportunity which have plagued Scotland for too long. It has been developed as a partnership between national and local government and we are jointly committed to continuing this partnership as we proceed with implementation.

I have today written to representatives of employers and unions in the college sector to ask that they look jointly at how the relationship between the success of the sector and the reward process might be improved. I have also asked that they do so in a way which carries a genuine commitment to pursuing consensus.

While I have made clear that there is no question of government imposing new arrangements on the sector, I have asked that employers and unions also consider the implications of a national dimension in the remuneration of staff.

I will today launch 16+ Learning Choices, our new model for planning for the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence. Through this vehicle, we will work with local partners to ensure all young people get an offer of appropriate continued learning, well ahead of their statutory school leaving date. Additionally, I will also announce a consultation proposing options for a coherent system of financial support for young people across a range of learning options, including school, college, work-based learning and non-formal learning.

The consultation document can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/246154.

I will launch the Scottish Government''s framework to tackle poverty and income inequality in Scotland - Achieving Our Potential - later today. A central element of the Framework is high level agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA on priorities for action and investment to support those currently experiencing poverty, tackle income inequalities and address the long-term drivers of the poverty which has blighted Scotland for generations.