Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of her budget the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs will direct toward tackling youth unemployment in 2012-13.
Answer · Angela Constance: As part of the all Government, all Scotland approach to tackling youth employment, all Cabinet Secretaries will consider how best they can each support Scottish Government objectives of helping young people into employment within their areas of responsibility…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of his budget the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will direct toward tackling youth unemployment in 2012-13.
Answer · Angela Constance: As part of the all Government, all Scotland approach to tackling youth employment, all Cabinet Secretaries will consider how best they can each support Scottish Government objectives of helping young people into employment within their areas of responsibility…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will increase the proportion of under-25-year-olds in its workforce and those of its agencies.
Answer · Angela Constance: As part of the all Government, all Scotland approach to tackling youth employment, all Scottish Government Directorates will consider how best they can support the Scottish Government’s commitment to helping young people into employment on an ongoing basis. T…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many under-25-year-olds each of its agencies (a) employs and (b) has employed in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) permanent and (ii) agency staff.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08723 on 20 August 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many under-25-year-olds it (a) employs and (b) has employed in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) permanent and (ii) agency staff.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08723 on 20 August 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, in developing its youth employment strategy, it consulted the Department for Work and Pensions on the subject of the Youth Contract.
Answer · Angela Constance: Yes. DWP officials in Scotland discussed and commented on the draft Strategy. This included discussions on the Youth Contract.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in producing guidelines on work experience, whether it will consider defining (a) work experience, (b) internship, (c) work and (d) when an employee should be paid.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government recognises the important role work experience can play in supporting young people toward and into work. As we note in Action for Jobs – Supporting Young Scots into Work: Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy, we will investigate existin…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultations it has planned with businesses and other employers in order to produce the certificate for work readiness.
Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland has spoken to a range of employers and employer-facing groups through the process of developing the certificate of work readiness. Skills Development Scotland is also in the process of establishing an external stakeholder group, wh…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what minimum number of hours of work experience will be required to qualify for a certificate for work readiness.
Answer · Angela Constance: The minimum number of hours of work experience required to qualify for a certificate for work readiness will be 192 hours.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Skills Development Scotland and the SQA will introduce the certificate for work readiness.
Answer · Angela Constance: The certificate for work readiness is currently being piloted by Skills Development Scotland across five areas in Scotland (North Lanarkshire, Borders, Highlands, Fife and Glasgow). Taking the learning from these pilots, Skills Development Scotland plan to mo…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will spend the £25 million from the European Structural Fund that has been allocated to youth unemployment.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08767 on 3 August 2012. 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/parliamentarybus…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many graduates will be given jobs as a result of its scheme to support graduate recruitment and business growth.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is the aim of the pilot programme being run in 2012-13 by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce to support 100 graduates into employment.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £505,000 allocated for its graduate employment pilot scheme will be spent on (a) incentives to firms and (b) careers fairs.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Chambers of Commerce has provided a summary of financial estimates setting out that of the £505,000: (a) £300,000 will be allocated for incentives to firms, and (b) £99,000 will be allocated for the delivery of careers fairs.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will explore the potential for an outcome-focused national employability fund.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is currently exploring the potential for an outcome-focused national employability fund. Initial consultation with stakeholders was undertaken in Putting Learners at the Centre and as part of the Employability Framework refresh current…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which modern apprenticeship frameworks have contribution rates.
Answer · Angela Constance: Please find attached the link to the section on the Skills Development Scotland website that details the public sector contribution rates across modern apprenticeship frameworks by age. http://www.providercentral.org.uk/OurServices/NationalTrainingProgrammes…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will offer to employers to take on 16 to 24-year-olds from disadvantaged groups.
Answer · Angela Constance: In December 2011, the Scottish Government announced it would support 1,000 of the most disadvantaged young people including; care leavers, ex-young offenders and young carers, to enter the labour market over the next three years. An Employer Recruitment Incen…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it will offer to employers to take on 16 to 24-year-olds from disadvantaged groups.
Answer · Angela Constance: In December 2011, the Scottish Government announced it would support 1,000 of the most disadvantaged young people including; care leavers, ex-young offenders and young carers, to enter the labour market over the next three years. An Employer Recruitment Ince…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will reduce the rate of college drop-outs.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Government outlines its priorities for the college sector through my annual letter of Ministerial guidance. For 2012-13 my priorities included: A guarantee of an appropriate place in learning for every young person aged 16 to 19, That a similar offer is…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether refocusing college places on younger workers will have a negative impact on the opportunities for older workers with low skills to go back into education.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06058, on 19 March 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what age group it will prioritise college places.
Answer · Michael Russell : The Government outlines its priorities for the college sector through my annual letter of Ministerial guidance. For 2012-13 my priorities included: A guarantee of an appropriate place in learning for every young person aged 16 to 19, That a similar offer is…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will prioritise college places for 20 to 24-year-olds.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Government outlines its priorities for the college sector through my annual letter of Ministerial guidance. For 2012-13 my priorities included: A guarantee of an appropriate place in learning for every young person aged 16 to 19, That a similar offer is…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will prioritise provision in colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Government outlines its priorities for the college sector through my annual letter of Ministerial guidance. For 2012-13 my priorities included: A guarantee of an appropriate place in learning for every young person aged 16 to 19, That a similar offer is…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will incentivise employers to support up to 1,000 young people facing the greatest disadvantages, as noted in Action for Jobs - Supporting Young Scots into Work.
Answer · Angela Constance: In December 2011 the Scottish Government announced it would support 1,000 of the most disadvantaged young people including; care leavers, ex-young offenders and young carers, to enter the labour market over the next three years. An Employer Recruitment Incen…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of funding from the Social Enterprise and Third Sector Challenge Fund will be allocated through community planning partnerships.
Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is managing and delivering the Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. It will allocate the fund directly to Third Sector organisations and Social Enterprises who are successful in the bidding process. Therefore no part of…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all European Social Fund money for tackling youth unemployment will be allocated through community planning partnerships.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08767 on 3 August 2012. 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/parliamentarybu…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when each of the heritage and culture organisations will have developed plans for (a) training, (b) volunteering and (c) work-experience activities.
Answer · Michael Russell: As with all Government bodies and agencies, the Scottish Government will be in dialogue with heritage and cultural organisations about the development of their youth employment plans on an ongoing basis.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will encourage non-departmental public bodies to create a plan for youth employment.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government will work with all non-departmental public bodies to help them develop plans to tackle youth employment.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what activities supported by the CashBack for Communities programme have specifically affected youth employment.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We want our young people to have as many positive opportunities as possible. Jobs and economic growth are this government’s top priorities and youth employment is one of the most critical. We have invested over £46 million to benefit over 600,000 young peopl…
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) modern apprenticeships and (b) work experience or student places the NHS has offered in each of the last three years.
Answer · Angela Constance: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government, however the NHS offers a range of measures to support the employability of young people across Scotland.
16 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the development of work-focused skills among young people.
Answer · Angela Constance: Through our reform of post-16 education we will ensure that the whole system is focussed on improving the life chances of learners and on meeting the needs of employers and Scotland’s economy. Through the delivery of modern apprenticeships, work experience op…