Apprenticeships are a key way for all employers to invest in their workforce, providing the skills the economy needs both now and in the future. Official Modern Apprenticeship (MA) statistics are published by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) quarterly, including the number of starts, and are cumulative throughout the year.

The following table shows the number of MA starts from 2017 to 2021

Following the introduction of Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) in Scotland, we have seen a positive increase in the number of individuals taking up the opportunity to study for degree-level courses while in employment since the first two years of the programme.

The table below shows the number of Graduate Apprenticeship opportunities available from 2017-18 to 2021-22.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has operational responsibility for our Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme. Official MA statistics are published quarterly by SDS, including the number of starts, with a full year report available at the end of each financial year.

All MA starts are asked to complete an equality monitoring form. In terms of measuring and reporting on disabilities, SDS asks for participants’ self-reported information on impairment, health condition or learning difficulty. The number and proportion of MA starts self-identifying this from 2017-18 to 2021-22 is detailed in the following table:

Since the introduction of Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) in Scotland we have seen a positive increase since the first two years of the scheme in the number of individuals taking up the opportunity to study for degree-level courses while in employment.

The following table shows the number of GA starts from 2017.

As outlined in response to S6W-09197 on 24 June 2022 the Scottish Government launched a public consultation on the draft physical intervention in schools guidance on 21 June. The draft human rights-based guidance makes clear that restraint and seclusion should only ever be used as a last resort and when in the best interests of the child or young person.

The draft guidance is a result of our 2019 agreement with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2019 that non-statutory guidance be developed as a first step to improve practice in this area.

The draft guidance has been developed carefully, over time, with extensive input from over thirty working group members and partners, including the Children’s Commissioner, young people, parents, staff, local government and third sector organisations.

The consultation period has been extended to 25 October to allow all those with an interest in this sensitive area, including children and young people, to feedback their views. We will work closely with partners, following final publication, to ensure the guidance is followed.

Details of the membership and notes of the meetings of the physical intervention working group are available on the Scottish Government’s website: Physical Intervention Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Scottish Government are engaging with NHS 24 and stakeholders to review the MSK pathway, using data and learning from quality improvement initiatives to inform future developments that will enhance the patient journey. No date has been set for the implementation of a new MSK pathway.

The Scottish Government remains committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030, working in partnership with Local Authorities, The Promise Scotland, third sector, health boards and importantly the care community.

On 30 March 2022 the Scottish Government published the Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan , setting out how it will Keep The Promise by 2030. The Plan contains over 80 actions which span over a range of areas including education, health, justice and child poverty.

The Plan sets out how we will work with care experienced people in our design, delivery and evaluation of Keeping The Promise. We will continue work with stakeholders and care experienced people on our journey to Keeping The Promise by 2030.

The Scottish Government remains committed to Keeping The Promise, working in partnership with Local Authorities, The Promise Scotland, the third sector, health boards and importantly the care community.

On 30 March 2022 the Scottish Government published our Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan , which sets out a large number of actions, spanning a wide range of policy areas including education, health, justice and child poverty, that will all contribute to Keeping The Promise by 2030.

The Promise Scotland has been established to work across all stakeholders, including the Scottish Government, to support delivery of The Promise. Independent to this, the Promise Oversight Board, which includes a number of representatives with care experience, will monitor the progress organisations make individually, and the progress Scotland makes collectively towards The Promise's key priorities.

The Oversight Board will report to the care community and publicly on the progress made and will use its networks, relationships and governance structure to provide support and guidance wherever necessary.

From 29 August, a person moving from England to Scotland, who is in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the time of moving, will have their award moved to Adult Disability Payment via our case transfer process. As a result they will experience no gap in payment.

In the future, following completion of case transfer, the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) Regulations 2022 allow for Adult Disability Payment to be awarded from the day after the day on which an individual’s entitlement to PIP ends, following a move to Scotland from elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Scottish Government fund 31 third sector organisations throughout Scotland to deliver Support in the Right Direction, offering Advocacy and Brokerage Services, of which there is an administrative element. In financial year 2022-23 Scottish Government invested £2,959,658.23 in the Support in the Right Direction programme.

Part of the Grant tender process for SDS funding includes an assessment criterion that all funded projects should be accessible to anyone who might need social care, which includes disabled people.

Scottish Government has provided £46.6m funding since 2014 to organisations providing a range of support services. All people requiring support through the four Self-Directed Support options can benefit from administrative services. Figures are not available solely for the delivery of options 1 and 2, nor available solely for administrative support.

Information on the delivery of SDS Options 1 and 2 is not held centrally nor is the information on administrative support.

We are currently reviewing processes and systems for gathering such data going forward.