Tag: Scottish Government

Record number of students from deprived areas at university

Positive progress on equal access to higher education

A record number of full time first degree students at Scottish universities were from the most deprived areas in Scotland last year. 

New figures show that, in 2017/18, 15.6% of students entering university were from the 20% most deprived areas. This is 0.4% short of the Government’s target for 2021.

Last year also saw an increase in the total number of Scottish students enrolling in Scottish universities.

The statistics, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), show the latest progress in the drive to widen access to higher education.

Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “These statistics highlight the good progress being made on widening access to higher education. I’m pleased to see more Scots going to university here and a record increase in entrants from our most deprived areas.

“Combined with recent UCAS statistics, this shows demonstrable progress towards giving every young person in Scotland an equal chance of success, no matter their background or circumstance.

“It is also great to see a record number of enrolments and an increased number of qualifications achieved in 2017/18. All of this speaks to the level of excellence found across our higher education institutions.”

Between 2016/17 and 2017/18:

  • Total Scottish domiciled students (undergraduate and postgraduate) at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) increased by 1.2% to 160,875
  • The number of students (undergraduate and postgraduate) at Scottish HEIs increased by 2.1% to 247,110
  • Entrants (undergraduate and postgraduate) to Scottish HEIs increased by 3.2% to 104,520
  • EU and non-EU domiciled enrolments to Scottish HEIs increased by 1.7% and 5.1% respectively
  • Qualifiers from Scottish HEIs increased by 2.4% to 76,595

Following the Commission on Widening Access, a target was set that, by 2021, 16% of students entering university will be from Scotland’s most deprived backgrounds, increasing to 20% by 2030. At 15.6% for 2017/18, this is just 0.4 percentage points off the 2021 target.

The latest UCAS statistics from the 2018 End of Cycle Report showed an increase in acceptances for 18 year old students from deprived backgrounds.

The full set of information on 2017/18 enrolments published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency is available as an interactive publication.

 

 

New drug driving laws and roadside testing to improve road safety

Zero tolerance for people caught driving with illegal drugs in their system.

Scotland’s stringent road safety laws will be strengthened further by the introduction of drug driving limits and roadside testing on 21 October this year. 

There will be a zero tolerance approach to eight drugs most associated with illegal use, including cannabis, heroin and cocaine, with limits set at a level where any claims of accidental exposure can be ruled out.

Meanwhile, a list of other drugs associated with medical use will have limits based on impairment and risk to road safety.

This will make it easier to hold drug drivers to account as there will no longer be a requirement to prove that someone was driving in an impaired manner.

Regulations laid in the Scottish Parliament, subject to MSPs’ approval, will permit prosecutions where different drug types are found to be above specified levels.

Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have been making preparations and are on track for implementation in October.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The introduction of drug driving limits will strengthen the power of Scotland’s police and prosecutors to tackle the minority of drivers who irresponsibly put themselves and other road-users at risk.

“Drug driving is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to prevent the avoidable deaths and damage caused by those who drive under the influence of drugs.

“Together with our stringent drink-driving limits, these new laws will ensure that Scotland has the UK’s most robust laws against impaired and unsafe driving.”

Chief Inspector Stephen Innes of Police Scotland said:

“Police Scotland is committed to reducing road casualties, and tackling drink and drug driving is a key focus of our activity. The devastating impact of drug driving on victims, communities and users themselves cannot be understated.

“This new legislation will significantly enhance our ability to detect and deter motorists engaging in this extremely risky driving behaviour.

“We are currently working closely with key partners and plans are well advanced to deliver this new legislation in October this year.”

Sally Witcher to chair new Social Security Commission

New body will provide independent and expert scrutiny

Dr Sally Witcher OBE has been appointed by Scottish Ministers as chair of the Scottish Commission on Social Security, a new body tasked with scrutinising the Scottish social security system.

Dr Witcher is currently the Chief Executive of Inclusion Scotland and has around 30 years of experience working in a range of relevant roles.

Announcing the appointment, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville (above) said: “I am delighted to appoint Sally Witcher to this new but vitally important role.  As we continue to build a Scottish social security system it is only right that we are held to account for the decisions we take.

“I know that Sally shares my desire to create a social security system based upon the principles of dignity, fairness and respect and I warmly welcome her to this position.”

Dr Witcher said: “The Social Security Act Scotland represents an historic opportunity to establish a coherent system based on dignity and respect. The challenge now will be to ensure that the positive commitments set out in the Charter are translated into the real-life experience of people claiming devolved benefits.

“The Scottish Commission on Social Security will have a key role to play in scrutinising developments and promoting accountability. It is a great honour to be appointed to the role of Chair of the Commission.”

The Scottish Commission on Social Security will provide independent and expert scrutiny of the Scottish social security system (including the benefit regulations), holding Ministers to account for delivering a system based on dignity, fairness and respect.

Dr Sally Witcher has worked, at different times and in different roles, on matters relating to social security over a period of approximately 30 years. She is currently the CEO of Inclusion Scotland, Deputy Chair of the Disability and Carers’ Benefits Expert Advisory Group and a member of the Scottish Government’s Poverty and Inequality Commission.

From 2006-2010 she was a senior civil servant in the Office for Disability Issues, DWP, and, before that, she chaired the Disability Employment Advisory Committee (a UK Government Non Departmental Public Body) and worked in consultancy and academia, based in Edinburgh.

In the 1990s she was the Director of the Child Poverty Action Group. She has been a member of many government and research advisory groups, including for the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion at the London School of Economics. Sally is herself a disabled person and A Disability Living Allowance recipient.  She was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to disabled people.

More information is available here.

The Social Security Charter is a document that sets out how you should be treated by Social Security Scotland. It will be published early in the new year.

 

 

Salmond wins sexual harassment case

Scottish Government breached it’s own rules during Salmond investigation

Statement from Permanent Secretary at the Scottish Government Leslie Evans:

Lawyers for the Scottish Government and for Alex Salmond have this morning informed the Court of Session that his action has been settled and the Court has approved that settlement. 

As part of the settlement, I have accepted that the decision reached after the investigation of two complaints made against Mr Salmond should be set aside.  

This action is being taken because it has become clear that, in one respect only (albeit an important one), the investigation was procedurally flawed. 

However, it is important to stress that this relates to the operational application of the Procedure for Handling Complaints Involving Current or Former Ministers (‘the Procedure’). The Scottish Government considers the Procedure itself to be robust and it remains in place.

After reassessing all the materials available, I have concluded that an impression of partiality could have been created based on one specific point – contact between the Investigating Officer and the two complainants around the time of their complaints being made in January 2018. 

The full picture only became evident in December 2018 as a result of the work being undertaken to produce relevant documents in advance of the hearing.

I want to apologise to all involved for the failure in the proper application of this one particular part of the Procedure. There is nothing to suggest that the Investigating Officer did not conduct their duties in an impartial way.

Unfortunately, the interactions with the complainants in advance of the complaints being made meant that the process was flawed, however impartially and fairly the Investigating Officer conducted the investigation.

All the other grounds of Mr Salmond’s challenge have been dismissed.

The Scottish Government has acted in good faith at all times and will continue to do so. It was right and proper that these complaints were investigated and I stand by the decision to carry out that investigation. 

It is also important to note that the procedural flaw in the investigation does not have implications, one way or the other, for the substance of the complaints or the credibility of the complainers. The Judicial Review was never about the substance of the complaints, but about the process that took place to investigate those complaints.

It is accordingly open to the Scottish Government to re-investigate the complaints and, subject to the views of the complainants, it would be our intention to consider this – however, this will only be once ongoing police inquiries have concluded.  

Meantime I have commissioned an internal review of the specific application of this one element of the procedure. We shall learn and apply the lessons of this case to any future complaint addressed under our internal procedure.

My priority remains the duty of care to my staff, including anyone in the organisation who brings forward any concerns about inappropriate conduct, regardless of the identity or seniority of the individual complained about. 

Finally I would reiterate that the single procedural flaw which led to this decision is deeply regrettable. In particular, I regret the distress it will cause to the two women who raised the complaints.