Scottish Government

The Scottish Budget 2003-04: Summary

Chapter 4 Enterprise and Lifelong Learning

Wendy Alexander MSP: Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning

In 2001-02, the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning budget was 2,117m. Among other things, that money provided:

• assistance to 7,595 new business starts
• opportunities for 20,519 people in the Modern Apprenticeship scheme
• 20 higher education institutions and Scottish places offered by the Open University, with the equivalent of 132,550 full-time student places
• 46 further education colleges providing courses for around 452,000 students
• branding for over 300 learndirect scotland learning centres.

Our budget for 2002-03 is 2,092m. Among other things, we expect this
to go towards:

• assistance to 8,075 new business starts ¹
• opportunities for 21,700 people in the Modern Apprenticeship scheme ¹
• supporting 1,650 small- and medium-sized enterprises in developing e-business ¹
• 20 higher education institutions and Scottish places offered by the Open University, with the equivalent of 132,950 full-time student places
• 46 further education colleges providing courses for around 454,000 students.

We plan to spend 2,148m in 2003-04. Among our key priorities for 2003-04 are to:

• assist 8,075 new business starts ¹
• provide opportunities for 21,700 people in the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme ¹
• support 1,650 small and medium-sizes enterprises in developing e-business ¹
• support 20 higher education institutions and Scottish places offered by the Open University, with the equivalent of 133,350 full-time student places
• support 46 further education colleges providing courses for around 457,000 students

Aim

To create a highly skilled, learning, earning, connected Scotland.

What the budget does

Our strategic objectives are:

• building a pro-enterprise culture in Scotland
• helping every Scot to be ready for tomorrow's jobs
• making a reality of the promise of lifelong learning.

These objectives are also reflected in the 'Framework for Economic Development', published in June 2000 and 'A Smart, Successful Scotland', published in January 2001.

We are working towards achieving our objectives by:

• promoting the skills, learning and global connections to put Scottish business on a world stage
• supporting investment projects that will improve local employment opportunities in Assisted Areas of Scotland
• providing grants to encourage innovative product and process development in small- and medium-sized companies
• providing financial support and advice to Scottish Students ( http://www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/)- undergraduates, postgraduates and also nursing and midwifery students
• funding the Scottish Higher Education Funding Councils, ( http://www.shefc.ac.uk/) ( http://www.sfefc.ac.uk/) allowing quality higher education and research in Scotland's 18 universities and colleges of higher education
• funding the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, supporting Scotland's 47 further education colleges offering a wide range of education and training courses, more than 80% of which are part time.

Table 4.1 Broad categories of spending (Level 2)

What we will do with the money

Building a pro-enterprise culture in Scotland

The bulk of the spending on this objective is towards new business creation, growth and transformation. The Enterprise Networks ( http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/) ( http://www.hie.co.uk/welcome.asp) have a front-line role. They are charged with:

• encouraging greater entrepreneurial dynamism and creativity
• supporting more e-business
• increasing commercialisation of research and innovation
• achieving global success in key sectors.

The Networks and the Department will work closely together to support key sectors through Departmental Investment Assistance (Regional Selective Assistance) ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/who/elld/biz-RSA-about.asp) and other schemes.

The Department will continue to work with the Education Department to make enterprise education in schools part of a wide-ranging education for work agenda.

Helping every Scot to be ready for tomorrow's jobs and Making a reality of the promise of lifelong learning.

The programme spending on these objectives is largely aimed towards improving skills and employability:

• improving the operation of the Scottish labour market
• providing the best start for young people
• narrowing the gap in unemployment between and within regions
• improving demand for high quality in-work training.

In each case, performance will be benchmarked against the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average.

Through its guidance to the Scottish Higher Education and Scottish Further Education Funding Councils, the Department will work to improve the quality and effectiveness of further and higher education, to meet the needs of individuals, business and the economy.

While policy on New Deal is a UK Government responsibility, the Department will support the work of the Scottish Welfare to Work Task Force and provide policy advice and analysis to Scottish Ministers.

The Scottish University for Industry (SUfI) is a key organisation in this area, promoting lifelong learning and streamlining access to learning through its learndirect scotland ( http://www.learndirectscotland.com/) services. SufI has also received Capital Modernisation Fund monies to help establish a national network of high quality learndirect scotland learning centres across Scotland.

SEONAID (pronounced Shona and standing for Scottish Executive Online News and Information Distributor) is a virtual character on the cutting edge of modern animation technology, believed to be the first to be based on a government website anywhere in the world. Seonaid was specially created by Digital Animations Group in partnership with the Executive, and her role is seen as extending the aim of delivering open and accessible government to a youth audience (target age group: 8-16).

Objectives and Targets

These are some of our objectives and targets. There is a fuller list in our main Annual Expenditure Report.

¹Provisional until we have agreed the Enterprise Networks operating plans for these years, targets for 2003-04 are subject to further development and are likely to increase.