Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has been in almost daily contact with AHDB, Dairy UK and the wider dairy sector in Scotland throughout the covid 19 outbreak to help assess the situation. In particular the recent relaxation of competition rules has enabled the Industry to share more information with each other and allow the sector to work collectively to address issues being faced.

Skills Development Scotland contracts Modern Apprenticeships through occupational grouping rather than apprenticeship framework. The following table provides the breakdown for contracted learning providers and direct employer contracts in the Food and Drink occupational grouping (which contains the agriculture framework) and the Tourism and Hospitality occupational grouping.

Skills Development Scotland administer Apprenticeships on behalf of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Government provides support and direction to Skills Development Scotland through the Annual Letter of Guidance. In 2019-20 Skills Development Scotland received grant-in-aid of £214.7m, up from £193.3m in 2018-19. The grant-in-aid for 2020/21 will be confirmed in due course.

The Scottish Government maintains regular engagement with Skills Development Scotland to support and collaborate on the development and implementation of Scottish Government’s Skills and Apprenticeship policy. Scottish Government’s Sectoral specific support is manifested through Skills Groups, Action Plans and specific policy decisions.

Additional support is provided to Skills Development Scotland through the work of the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board and the newly formed Apprenticeship Approvals Group (AAG) which has taken over the approval of all Scottish Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships. The move to one approval group for the whole Scottish Apprenticeship family will ensure consistent standards are applied across all standards and frameworks.

(i) Regarding Tourism sector assessment, Skills Development Scotland has produced the Tourism Skills Investment Plan which outlined the key skills priorities for the sector (pre-COVID-19). Skills Development Scotland also produces an annual Tourism Skills Assessment. Additionally the National Tourism Skills Group plays a key role in identifying the skills needs in the tourism sector, and the demand for Apprenticeship frameworks.

The Scottish Government developed a new national tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030. This strategy has a strong focus on the workforce and a key role for Work-based Learning. Due to the impact of COVID-19 focus has been shifted to supporting the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG) develop a National Action Plan. The STERG National Action Plan will however look to align with Scotland Outlook 2030.

(ii) Regarding an assessment for apprenticeships in the agriculture sector, an annual Modern Apprenticeship Demand Assessment is undertaken with key stakeholders to inform the Skills Development Scotland Contracting Process. Skills Development Scotland has also worked with industry partners to develop the Food & Drink Skills Investment Plan. This plan articulates the skills priorities for the sector. Building on the plan, new frameworks have been developed in this sector:

• Brewing MA
• Food & Drink Technical MA
• Land-based Management MA
• Distilling MA (currently in development)

Additionally, the Scottish Government launched The Rural Skills Action Plan in June 2019. This plan sets out our strategic approach to support the skills needs of the rural economy by addressing skills shortages, talent retention and attraction, and demographic challenges.

This is complimented by the Employers’ Toolkit for Agricultural Apprenticeships, Training and Placement Support, also launched in June 2019, to assist small rural businesses in attracting, recruiting and retaining staff and it is an important instrument in supporting further Apprenticeship delivery for the sector.

The Scottish Funding Council published its funding allocations to the college sector for academic year 2020-21 on 07 April 2020. We expect colleges to use their funding to plan course provision in line with the economic needs of their college region.

Options for the Agricultural Transformation Programme are continuing to be worked through and may need to respond to the evolving impacts of Covid-19. On-going work includes the feasibility of uptake, value for money and effective delivery to meet the desired outcome for delivering transformational change. Details of the Programme, including the funding allocations, are expected to be announced later this year. Some aspects of the Programme will involve immediate actions but the key policy purpose of the Programme is to promote long term change for the future.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28278 on 29 April 2020. 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 .

We are determined to help keep companies in business and our financial support now exceeds the £2.3 billion passed on from the UK Government and actively works to fill the gaps in the UK scheme. In designing the relief and grant system we had to balance helping as many businesses as possible against what was affordable. Where possible these decisions prioritised traditional businesses occupying small properties over more generic lands and heritages such as huts, sites and bare ground.

Shootings, deer forests, fishing huts and game larders will be able to benefit from the 1.6% universal non-domestic rates relief in 2020-21, which will apply automatically to their non-domestic rates bills.

As with any other rateable property, owners, tenants and occupiers of these lands and heritages may apply for different reliefs. Many of these premises may be in receipt of up to 100 per cent rates relief which is available through the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and may qualify for Empty Rates Relief in specific circumstances.

The Scottish Government is also offering other forms of support outside of the non-domestic rates system and has just announced a £100 million fund to help micro and SME businesses as well as the newly self-employed not eligible for other schemes and with immediate cash flow issues.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28278 on 29 April 2020. 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 .

We are determined to help keep companies in business and we are delivering a package of support measures worth £2.3 billion to limit the impact of COVID-19 on the business community.

Local Authorities are responsible for the administration of the small business grant scheme, including applying our guidance on eligibility for the grants which is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/local-government-finance-circular-5-2020-covid-19-grant-funding-schemes/ .

In addition, we have also extended the eligibility for the £10,000 Small Business Grant to additional ratepayers not covered by the original scheme, which includes Sports clubs eligible for the Small Business Bonus Scheme but in receipt of discretionary sports relief.

Shootings and deer forests will be able to benefit from the 1.6% universal non-domestic rates relief in 2020-21, which will apply automatically to their non-domestic rates bills. They may also benefit from up to 100 per cent rates relief through the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and may qualify for Empty Rates Relief in specific circumstances.