Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has repeatedly asked the UK Government to clarify the involvement of the devolved administrations in the UK-EU negotiations and we continue to do so. The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations was established to provide a means for the devolved administrations to be fully involved in the UK Government’s approach to the Brexit negotiations but this has not met since 8 February 2017, despite requests from Scottish Ministers for it to reconvene. On 14 June 2017, I wrote jointly with Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the Welsh Government, to David Davis MP on his reappointment as Secretary of State for Exiting the EU. This correspondence set out our views on next steps, including representation in the negotiations and called again for the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations to be reconvened. These views were reiterated when I met the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU in July.

I have been greatly encouraged by the 256 Energy Strategy consultation responses, giving a very rich set of views on the Scottish Government’s 2050 vision that we put forward through our draft Energy Strategy consultation. In combination with the consultations on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme, Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies, District Heating Regulation and Onshore wind, we have had a total of more than 500 responses.

These responses will be analysed by an independent research company, to inform the development of the final version of the ‘Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy; and the Future of Energy in Scotland’ is expected to be published before the end of 2017.

Centrica’s announcement on 15 May is good news for the industry. It clearly demonstrates both continued confidence in the North Sea and support for the goal of Maximising Economic Recovery for the UKCS, and has resulted in securing a number of offshore jobs that would otherwise have been lost.

While it is contingent upon a supportive fiscal and regulatory environment, it is estimated that up to 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent remains under the North Sea and in the wider UKCS basin. This announcement further demonstrates that Scotland's oil and gas industry has a bright future, for decades to come if the policy environment is optimised. Our draft Energy Strategy clearly outlines that the Scottish Government remains committed to maintaining domestic oil and gas exploration and production, and maximising economic recovery.

The North Sea fiscal regime is currently reserved to the UK Parliament and UK Government. Whilst this investment in the Chestnut field is welcome, it is crucial that appropriate support is in place to encourage investment and activity to maintain vital capacity and skills that will support on-going production and ensure we maximise economic recovery from the North Sea and best sustain our domestic energy security.

Centrica’s £35 million investment to prolong the life of the Chestnut oil field is a welcome development and a clear demonstration that positive investor sentiment is returning to the sector. The announcement is a prime example of effective late-life management to help realise the industry-wide objective of Maximising Economic Recovery. In addition, the decision will contribute towards the company’s push of annual targets of £400-600 million of investment and annual production of 40-50 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Centrica’s announcement on 15 May adds to mounting evidence of an upturn in industry confidence. It is understood that the £35 million investment will safeguard 70 offshore jobs on the Floating Production and Storage Unit (FPSO) as well as many more throughout the wider supply chain as the company targets trebling output from the oil-producing asset. This good news story comes after Centrica also announced, in March, its plan to create 50 new roles in their UK Exploration and Production team, based predominantly in Aberdeen. Clearly this direct employment will support further indirect and induced employment within the local economy and wider Scottish supply chain, but we have not seen any assessment of such an impact at this point.

It is estimated that up to 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent remains under the North Sea and in the wider basin. This announcement further demonstrates that Scotland's oil and gas industry remains open for business and that it has a bright future ahead of it. Our draft Energy Strategy clearly outlines that the Scottish Government remains committed to maintaining domestic oil and gas exploration and production, and maximising economic recovery.

On 30 November 2016 the Scottish Government announced £1 million of support for the establishment of 11 new routes to teaching that will be developed by the eight universities providing Initial Teacher Education in Scotland. These courses are now being developed, are being accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and will almost all start in August 2017.

The new routes to teaching include:

University of Strathclyde – will focus on recruiting STEM graduates and will results in the completion of a PGDE, the achievement of the Standard for Full Registration alongside a Masters degree.

University of Dundee – will focus on STEM but taking a full calendar year to complete both PGDE and the probation year. Students will be based in school throughout.

University of the Highlands and Islands – new undergraduate route to Home Economics available through Perth College UHI.

University of Stirling – working with Heriot Watt University to deliver a concurrent degree in Technology.

University of the West of Scotland - extending their ITE offer to include concurrent degree programmes for Physics and Chemistry.

University of Stirling – will qualify more primary teachers with additional subject specialisms including Literacy, numeracy, Additional Support Needs and STEM subjects.

University of Glasgow – will qualify teachers to work between P6 and S3 in mathematics.

University of Aberdeen – expands the Distance Learning Initial Teacher Education (DLITE) to secondary focusing on the STEM subjects and is being rolled out nationally.

University of Dundee –expanding their Learn to Teach programme for primary teachers to make it available to all local authorities. In addition they are open to extending provision to offer secondary teacher education through this route.

University of Edinburgh – will develop existing Returners to Teaching Programme to create a nationally recognised route to for professionals who have either never taught in Scotland or who have been of the profession for some time.

University of Glasgow – aims to recruit recently qualified teachers from Ireland, to undertake further study with the university while they work in a partner local authority.

The Scottish Government is working to attract more teachers in STEM subjects in a number of ways. Our Recruitment Campaign ‘Teaching Makes People’ targets STEM undergraduates, and builds on the success of last year’s campaign which helped drive a 19% increase in Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) student intakes to Scottish Universities. The current phase of the campaign specifically encourages current undergraduates in STEM subjects to consider teaching as a career.

We have also increased student intake targets for the STEM subjects for the sixth year in a row and on 30 November last year we confirmed that £1 million from the Scottish Government Attainment Scotland Fund would be used to develop new routes into teaching. Included in these new routes, the Universities of Dundee and Strathclyde will be offering a combined PGDE and Induction year for STEM graduates.

£400,000 from the Transition Training Fund has also been used to enable 12 oil and gas workers to bring their skills and expertise into STEM teaching in the Aberdeen area and we are currently considering whether this programme can be supported again.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08661 on 10 May 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is engaging with both BP and Ineos and will continue to work closely with both companies during and beyond the transition period.