Chamber and committees

An evidence paper was produced in-house to inform the 2012 Women's Employment Summit. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the evidence on key issues related to women's employment. It highlights that accessible, affordable and flexible childcare is fundamental to women’s participation in work and training. The paper is available at:

http://www.employabilityinscotland.com/media/294295/8_-__women_s_employment_summit_evidence_paper.pdf

The Council of Economic Advisers considered the economic and social importance of improving childcare provision in Scotland at their meeting on 30 August 2013. The council’s discussion was informed by a presentation by Professor Ailsa McKay on the economic and social importance of access to childcare. The minutes of this discussion are available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/Council-Economic-Advisers/Meetings/30-08-2013

The analysis informing the council’s deliberations will be reflected in the annual Chair’s Report of the Council of Economic Advisers. It is anticipated that the chair’s report will be published in Spring 2014.

The Scottish Government is committed to fully funding local authorities to deliver high quality childcare provision, drawing on a range of high quality service models including public provision, child minders, innovative third sector organisations and social enterprises.

In September 2013, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth announced in the Draft Budget £190 million of investment over the next two years to implement the commitments set out in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill.

On 7 January 2014, the First Minister announced an additional investment of £59 million over 2014-15 and 2015-16 to extend provision of childcare to 15% of two year olds in 2014-15 and then to 27% of two year olds in 2015-16.

In addition, on 8 January 2014 the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth announced £3.5 million of additional support which will be provided in 2014-15 to meet extra demand for childcare places. This funding will be invested in training and development.

The Scottish Government believes that the pay day lending industry needs to be subject to greater regulation so that we can protect those whose financial situation is desperate enough that they take out these short-term agreements and help them avoid the escalating debt problems.

The Scottish Government support a multi-pronged approach which would see interest rates and total costs of credit capped as they have been in other countries, restrictions placed on the rolling over of loans and tighter regulation of the industry particularly around advertising.

In view of this position, the Scottish Government would not support any proposal for a payday loan company to become a Games sponsor. Games organisers have made clear that there is no sponsorship category for payday loan companies and no intention to seek sponsorship from any company in that sector.

Ministers operate their Twitter accounts in a personal capacity.

Details of who has access to the First Ministers Twitter account are published on Twitter and can be found through the following link: twitter.com/AlexSalmond

The Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 provides that the chair of a regional college can be remunerated. This will come into force in March 2014. Beyond this, incorporated colleges will remain, as now, unable to remunerate individuals for their role as a member of their boards of management.

The governance arrangements of colleges differ depending on their legal status.

Further information about the different status and arrangements is set out in the draft summary guide College Reforms and the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013, available on the Scottish Government’s website.

All colleges should list their chair and board members on their website. However, a key part of our college reforms are new and more rigorous arrangements for making appointments to the position of regional college and regional board chairs. These posts are regulated public appointments. This appointment process is underway and should conclude next month.

The following tables provide the maintenance package available to dependent and independent students in Scotland in 2013-14, who are living away from home.

Dependent students:

Independent students

We do not hold information on support available to students from elsewhere in the UK. From academic year 2013-14, support is assessed using household income bandings in the tables above. It is no longer assessed on income increments

A key aim of the Post 16 Education Reform Programme was to simplify the main student support system. Analysis of the impact of changes announced on 22 August 2012 was geared to ensuring maximum benefit for all undergraduate students.

Introduction of the new support package in 2013, means that undergraduate students benefit from access to increased financial support. An annual minimum income of £7,250 is now guaranteed for students with a family income of less than £17,000.

The student support and tuition fee payments line is made up of tuition fees and bursaries. This line assumes that the student population is maintained at the current levels. The budget line in 2013-14 allows for £220 million in tuition fees and £82.4 million in bursaries whilst the 2014-15 line allows for £223 million in tuition fees and £83 million in bursaries.

The Scottish Government recognises the impact of increases in the cost of living for students. A key aim of the Post 16 Education Reform Programme is to simplify the main student support system whilst ensuring maximum benefit for all students.

On top of important benefits such as free tuition, the new package includes an annual minimum income of £7,250, through a combination of bursaries and loans, for students with a family income of less than £17,000. All students, irrespective of circumstances, are eligible for a student loan of £4,500 a year.