Chamber and committees

With the support of the Scottish Funding Council, a number of colleges and universities in Scotland have achieved, or are working with Buttle UK to achieve, the Buttle Quality Mark. This accreditation programme recognises the provision of systems of support relevant to care leavers.

We do not hold information on individual students and their particular support needs. Colleges and universities consider applications on a case-by-case basis and are required under Equalities legislation to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate students with additional support needs.

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland administers the Disabled Student’s Allowance which provides support to students studying a course of higher education. The Scottish Funding Council also provides additional funding to higher education institutions in the form of the Disabled Students Premium.

In further education, there are two additional funding streams available to institutions. Dominant Programme Group 18 (DPG 18) includes programmes which are specifically designed to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties arising from one or more specific categories of disability. Extended Learning Support (ELS) students study on courses outwith DPG 18 and this funding recognises that ELS students also have needs which arise from specific disability categories and which require additional expenditure on the part of the college. On an individual level, students can apply to their college for the Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance.

The Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) produces statistics for higher education students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) produces statistics for higher education students in colleges. The latest detailed data on students in higher education is for the academic year 2010-11.

Data on care leavers is not currently available from HESA or the SFC. The Scottish Government is working with HESA, the SFC and institutions to ensure this information is captured in future years.

The following table shows the number of higher education enrolments split by disability type. Comparable population estimates are not available for these specific categories.

Enrolments in Higher Education (HE) in Scottish HEIs and colleges by disability type: 2010-11

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

Notes:

(1) For colleges, students with an autistic spectrum disorder are included in the category 'A disability, impairment or medical condition not listed above' as they are not reported on separately.

Enrolment numbers rounded to the nearest five.

The vast majority of higher education courses have a duration of at least one academic year, therefore students generally enrol once per year. The number of HE enrolments is broadly comparable to the number of HE students.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting all young people with additional support needs who want to work, and it is our ambition that with the right support, they are able to find work in mainstream employment, taking account of their specific needs, and in line with their skills.

In support of this, the Scottish Government has:

Made a specific commitment to all 16 – 19 year olds seeking a place in education or training through Opportunities for All. This is supported by £30 million new investment;

Updated our Post 16 Transitions Policy and Practice Framework which includes specific guidance on how to support the transitions of young people with additional support needs from school into post-school education and employment; and

Provided £1.5 million over three financial years in support of an Employer Recruitment Incentive for 1000 young people within disadvantaged groups.

E.ON, the operator of the Steven’s Croft station, reports that last year it exported approximately 21 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of heat from Steven’s Croft to neighbouring customers. The remaining heat is used within the steam turbine to generate electricity.

The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with Ofgem regarding its investigation into claims of wholesale energy price fixing.

The Scottish Government has repeatedly called on Ofgem and the UK Government to take firmer action to deliver an energy market that is transparent, fair, competitive and effective to ensure that consumers are protected. The allegations of price fixing in the wholesale gas market which emerged on 13 November 2012 were of great concern to the Scottish Government and it called for swift and effective action to fully assess the allegations. As such, the Scottish Government urges Ofgem and the Financial Services Authority to press ahead with their investigations into these allegations; including publishing outcomes and taking any required action, as soon as possible, to ensure that any wrongdoing, where founded, is punished and that the consumers are protected.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with stakeholders across the energy sector, including energy suppliers, Ofgem and the UK Government, to ensure that Scottish consumers get the best deal on their energy bills.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12497 on 6 February 2013. Scottish Government officials liaised with the UK Government officials regularly in the build-up to the summit. The Scottish Government issued the news release following a debate on fuel poverty in the Scottish Parliament. It reflected the content of the debate and set out the key points of action the Scottish Government believes need to be taken to further tackle fuel poverty.

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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government had a number of meetings and communications with Scotland Office officials, dating from August 2012, to organise a joint energy summit and to ensure that the event achieved positive outcomes for Scottish households suffering from high energy prices. Difficulty in securing earlier UK Ministerial attendance resulted in the summit date of 24 January 2013.

In the interim, the Deputy First Minister asked to meet with each of the major energy companies, regarding assistance for vulnerable consumers.

A meeting was held between Scottish Government and Scotland Office officials on 15 January 2013 to discuss the agenda for the summit. Scottish Government officials made the Scotland Office aware of the Deputy First Minister’s meetings with the major energy companies (confirmed in an email of 18 January 2013), who would be attending and also raised matters of concern to stakeholders regarding the Energy Companies Obligation. Scottish Government officials also requested a nominated Department for Energy and Climate Change official to discuss what matters they were planning to raise at the summit. A teleconference between Scottish Government officials and a Department for Energy and Climate Change official on 21 January 2013 covered the respective issues for the summit.

On 22 January 2013 Scottish Government officials emailed Scotland Office officials to confirm that the Minister for Housing and Welfare would address support for vulnerable customers in Scotland and the asks of energy suppliers and UK Government in her agenda item. Scotland Office officials confirmed by email that they were content with these points.

A key responsibility of officials and special advisers is to advise and brief Ministers on an ongoing basis, in particular for debates and events. The Minister for Housing and Welfare required and received briefing for the fuel poverty debate on 23 January 2013 and the joint summit on energy prices the following day.

The Scottish Government has been liaising with the Department of Energy and Climate Change on a regular basis to discuss the policy relating to the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) since its inception and throughout its development. As ECO moves to implementation we continue to liaise with them and Ofgem as part of our efforts to secure maximum uptake and benefit to the people of Scotland.

The opening and closing speeches for the fuel poverty debate referred to the Government motion and issues raised by members in the debate. The Minister for Housing and Welfare updated members on the Deputy First Minister’s meetings with the major energy companies and how we wished to see Scotland receive its fair share of Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding. The six-point list of demands for the Summit included these concerns, and also concerns raised in the debate such as improved regulation of energy companies and ensuring ECO is delivered throughout Scotland and supported by robust and relevant reporting.