Document 1115

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Enterprise and Lifelong Learning: Minutes: Meeting 12, 2001

Author(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Copyright holder(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: © Scottish Parliamentary copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

ENTERPRISE AND LIFELONG LEARNING COMMITTEE

MINUTES

12th Meeting, 2001 (Session 1)

24th April 2001


Present:

Alex Neil (Convener)
Bill Butler
Miss Annabel Goldie (Deputy Convener)
Marilyn Livingston
Des McNulty
Mr Kenneth Macintosh
Tavish Scott
Elaine Thomson
Duncan Hamilton


Also present was David Davidson as Reporter to the Finance Committee.


Apologies were received from Nick Johnston and Kenny MacAskill.


The meeting opened at 2:36pm.



1. Budget 2002-2003: The Committee heard evidence from the Scottish Executive -


Douglas Baird, Team Leader Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Finance Team;

David Wilson, Head of Enterprise Networks and Tourism Division, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department.


The Scottish Executive agreed to provide the following further information to the Committee:-

evidence of consultation undertaken with parties affected by the ELL Department’s budget;

information on the funding of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in terms of cost per student;

supplementary information explaining the sharp forecast rise in the Scottish Renewables Obligation budget;

fuller detail on the forecast budget figures for Energy Efficiency;

a breakdown of Highlands and Islands funding to explain the real terms drop of 2% in their funding;

an update on the progress to date towards the target of delivery of 90,000 Individual Learning Accounts by Scottish Enterprise and 10,000 Individual Learning Accounts by Highlands and Islands Enterprise during the year 2001-2002;

further detail on the funding for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council identifying the proportion of that budget to be spent on capital items;

a breakdown of the administration budgets for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise;

in relation to the funding of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, an analysis of the impact of using a hypothecated budget method rather than budgeting by actual student numbers;

further statistical information wherever available on budgets as they relate to issues of gender, ethnicity and disability;

a breakdown of the "Miscellaneous" budget explaining the sharp forecast rise;

information on the overall pass rate for Modern Apprenticeships; and

a breakdown of the allocation of the further funding of £200M to the Scottish Executive as this is allocated to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department.


2. SHEFC Teaching and Research Review: The Committee agreed to undertake a short inquiry into the review of funding by SHEFC.

The Committee agreed the remit of the inquiry as "to investigate the basis of the SHEFC reviews of teaching and research funding, and to make recommendations for its future education funding".

The Committee agreed to request written evidence form bodies with an interest in the review.

The Committee agreed a provisional work programme for the inquiry.

The Committee agreed in principle to appoint an adviser to assist in the inquiry and to produce the final report.

3. Lifelong Learning Inquiry: The Committee agreed the following general remit for the Lifelong Learning Inquiry and agreed to consider an expanded remit at a later meeting:-

"To enquire into the need for a long-term, comprehensive strategy for continuing post-compulsory education and training in Scotland which meets the needs and aspirations of individuals and society as a whole in respect of quality, relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, accessibility, accountability, funding levels and structures and delivery mechanisms."

4. Managing Change in the Scottish Electronics Industry: The Committee considered a letter from Duncan McNeil MSP and agreed that its New Economy Inquiry Report and a proposed meeting between business and academia to be hosted by Electronics Scotland on 18 June 2001 should address the issues raised in the letter. The Committee will nominate a representative to attend once an invitation has been received.

5. New Economy Inquiry: The Committee agreed not to commit itself to a formal publication date, but to await full agreement on the content of the report before making arrangements for publication.


The meeting closed at 3:53pm.


Simon Watkins
Clerk to the Committee

Information about Document 1115

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Enterprise and Lifelong Learning: Minutes: Meeting 12, 2001