Chamber and committees

Since its launch in 2013 we have supported more than 52,000 training places through the Employability Fund giving unemployed individuals the support they need to move towards and into work.

The UK government spending review of November 2015 was hugely challenging to the devolved Scottish budgets, including employability. Despite the severe restrictions imposed I am pleased that we are able to support a further 11,650 Employability Fund training opportunities in 2016-17. This of course sits alongside our wider package of employability support such as Community Jobs Scotland, Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive and Modern Apprenticeships.

In the event of any training provider closures, Skills Development Scotland will seek to support those affected and ensure that provision of training opportunities in the local area is not compromised.

Help with travel costs to jobcentres and work interviews is reserved to the UK Government and administered by Jobcentre Plus. Eligible claimants can have their travel expenses reimbursed if they are required to attend the Jobcentre Plus office, for example, to attend a pre-arranged (mandatory or non-mandatory) labour market interview at the jobcentre

It is not payable to claimants attending a Jobcentre Plus office on their normal signing day, including, for example, a work coach meeting which falls on the normal signing day, an initial work search interview and fortnightly work reviews.

Claimants in Scotland who have been unemployed for thirteen weeks can apply for the Jobcentre Plus travel discount card and pay reduced fares under the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the Secretary of State and the Association of Train Operating Companies.

We are committed to developing an overarching approach to implementation and monitoring of the Race Equality Framework in the first six months. We intend to do that collaboratively with key stakeholders during the summer and will publish the details on implementation thereafter.

Transport Scotland is supportive of the on-going collaborative working involving the private sector, rail industry and local authorities in exploring the feasibility of establishing a rail freight facility at Kinbrace to transport timber from Sutherland to its onward markets.

If a business case and funding is identified Network Rail will work with the scheme promoters to find the most cost effective and safe option to deliver this facility. Network Rail have advised that a dummy entry loop is not part of the design, nor is one likely to be required, for any potential rail freight facility to operate effectively at this location.

The Scottish Government is currently taking forward discussions to appoint a Race Equality Framework advisor who will act to take forward the actions in the race framework. The remit and responsibilities of the advisor will be made available following discussion and agreement with the advisor.

The Scottish Government would welcome a debate about the Race Equality Framework and will look to scheduling this.

Work to progress the actions within the Race Equality Framework has already begun within the Scottish Government and across our partner organisations and will continue through 2016 and beyond. There are a number of projects funded through the promoting equality and cohesion fund covering the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 which will contribute to the commitments in the framework. Considerations as to longer term funding will be taken as part of normal spending review processes.

The work of the Gypsy/Traveller strategy development group progressed during 2014-15. A key part of the strategy was the development of an action plan to help drive the change necessary to secure improvement in outcomes. A draft action plan was considered by the group in August 2015. The group raised a number of issues, which were important in terms of the developing action plan and required further consideration. Work on the strategy was therefore paused to allow a period of reflection.

We recognise that there is still much to do to address the needs of Gypsy/Travellers and the further development of the programme of work for Gypsy/Travellers is currently being considered. However, work to improve outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers is continuing.

The Scottish Government has provided £200,416 funding from the equality budget in 2015-16 and £229,159 in 2016-17 to organisations working with Gypsy/Travellers to improve outcomes across a range of areas of work. Through the Scottish traveller education review group, we are developing guidance which will be published for consultation in 2016, to improve the educational outcomes of Gypsy/Traveller children and young people. Additionally, the review process for local housing strategies looks at how the needs of Gypsy/Travellers have been considered and addressed (within the strategy), and highlights any concerns to the local authority for further consideration.

Transport Scotland officials have recently engaged in a series of meetings with local authorities and smaller operators across Scotland. Around 18 meetings were held between April and June 2016 to discuss a range of operational and policy areas, including bus subsidies.

The Scottish Government has regular ongoing engagement with local authorities and regional transport partnerships (RTPs) through a range of channels, including COSLA, the association of transport coordinating officers (ATCO), RTP lead officer and chairs meetings and the bus stakeholder group.

The majority of bus services in Scotland are provided on a commercial basis, however NHS boards are required to have effective travel plans for all major hospitals that will address the following:

Employee transport to and from work;

Employee transport during work time;

Patient and visitor travel and access to sites;

Public transport availability;

Use and type of fleet vehicles;

Deliveries and contractors;

Peripatetic/community visits;

Travel and subsistence rates and rewarding small-engine cars or cycle mileage;

The needs of disabled people with a physical, mental and/or visual impairment, and the needs of patients, employees, visitors and may even address the needs of visitors accompanied by young children.

On the wider aspect of delivery to GP practices, the provision of bus services are a matter for individual bus companies who use their own commercial judgement on service routes and frequencies, however the Scottish Government recognises the importance of the bus network through the £50 million per year bus subsidy provided as bus service operators grant (BSOG). BSOG is paid based on the distance bus services operate supporting the overall bus network and particularly benefiting rural areas where the routes are longer. It is paid directly to operators and benefits passengers helping to make fares more affordable.

It is also recognised community transport services also play an important role as part of the transport network in rural and remote parts of Scotland. The government provides resources to local authorities to support community transport services and fund the community transport association to support, provide advice and develop the community transport sector in Scotland.