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Scotland’s Labour Market Strategy recognises that the nature of work is changing and that a number of factors will influence the labour market of the future, including an ageing workforce.

In 2017 we published 'Older People and Employment in Scotland' that set out the motivations, opportunities and barriers experienced by older workers (defined here as 50+) and employers around later-life working. We will continue to make the case for devolution of employment law to the Scottish Parliament but we are already taking action to deliver equality in the workplace, this has included:

? funding a Returner’s programme to assist women, through a number of different opportunities including training programmes, to re-enter the workforce following a career break;

? working with partners such as Age Scotland, Business in the Community and Edinburgh University, to promote good practice in recruiting older workers and ensuring they are treated fairly in the workplace;

? providing £750,000 to the Workplace Equality Fund to address long standing barriers in accessing the labour market. Through the Fund’s first round, several projects will be funded to support older workers. The second round of applications for Fund closes on 31 August 2018;

? providing Individual Training Accounts to give people of all ages access to up to £200 per year for training and skills development to enhance the employment prospects of those in low paid work or looking for work, and to equip people with the right skills to participate and be successful within our labour market;

? promoting the uptake of the living wage which will benefit older workers financially; and

? funding the Carer Positive Awards scheme to help workers with caring responsibilities to remain in employment.

In July I also confirmed that the £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund will continue for a second year in 2018-19. This Fund aims to provide employers with flexible workforce development training opportunities to support inclusive economic growth through up-skilling or re-skilling of employees who may not benefit from the increase in apprenticeship opportunities. The Fund will be available to support all employees of all ages and across the private, public and third sectors.

Fair Start Scotland, the devolved employment support service from April 2018, is a distinctly Scottish employment support service focussing on those further from the labour market for whom work is a realistic prospect. The service will assist those who are disadvantaged in the labour market, providing person tailored support and a fair opportunity to secure employment.

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W 17862 on 17 August 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) published its Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan (EAP) Year 2 update on 8 August 2018.

The Scottish Government is committed to achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth in all parts of Scotland, including in East Kilbride, by working closely with a wide range of partners, particularly Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and South Lanarkshire Council which has lead responsibility for local economic development in the area.

Investment we make in areas such as local government, housing, education and skills, transport and health contributes to inclusive growth and supports local economies. In addition to that investment, we have committed £500 million over 20 years to the Glasgow City Region Deal to support delivery of a programme of investment to stimulate economic growth and create jobs right across the city region, which includes East Kilbride. The Deal includes a £62 million upgrade to Stewartfield Way to become a dual carriageway in both directions and £23 million for the widening of Greenhills Road. In addition, East Kilbride is one of four Community Growth Areas that have been identified in the Deal. This will enable a number of individual education, transport and community infrastructure projects to enhance the lives of the people living in each of the four areas and beyond.

Our main enterprise agency in the area, Scottish Enterprise, works with a wide range of local businesses to help them to meet their growth aspirations, thereby supporting East Kilbride's economy. Scottish Enterprise currently account manages 22 companies in the East Kilbride area and plays a key role as part of the Scottish Government's Partnership Action for Continuing Employment initiative which has responded to the recent, regrettable job losses in East Kilbride.

We are doing everything within our powers to support all sectors of our economy, including our retailers and manufacturers. For example, in 2017/18 4,483 properties in South Lanarkshire with a combined rateable value of over £27.6 million benefitted from the Small Business Bonus Scheme, with a total relief figure of £11.3 million based on mid-year estimates. Our Manufacturing Action Plan, which reaffirms our commitment to growing and investing in the sector, aims to boost productivity through increased investment and innovation and a long-term partnership between government, industry, our enterprise agencies and other key stakeholders.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-17726 on 13 August 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

We recognise that the retail sector in Scotland has transformed significantly in the period 2008-2015 in response to, among other things, significant changes to shopping habits and through new technology. For example, official statistics show that the proportion of retail businesses in the UK (with 10 or more employees) making e-commerce sales has increased from 25.8% in 2009 to 35.8% in 2016.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of a successful and vibrant retail sector and regularly engages with the Scottish Retail Consortium and other key stakeholders across a wide range of policy priorities to better understand the challenges and opportunities that transformational change in the sector is presenting. We continue to work with the Scottish Retail Consortium to develop a joint retail strategy for Scotland that will help provide more certainty for retailers in planning for future tax and regulatory changes.

We are doing everything within our powers to support all sectors of our economy, including our retailers. For example, this year we have enhanced measures to support both new development and re-use of vacant property in town centres and elsewhere as part of a total rates relief package of around £720 million. This includes the Small Business Bonus Scheme which will lift over 100,000 properties out of rates altogether. In addition, Scotland’s Town Centre First Principle, together with the range of measures in our Town Centre Action Plan is designed to tackle key issues such as empty shops and to improve the vibrancy of our town centres.

Figures on the participation of LGBTI individuals on Modern Apprenticeships will be published in 2019 in Skills Development Scotland’s Modern Apprenticeship Equality Impact Assessment.

Modern Apprentices are employed and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) makes clear through the apprenticeship training contracts that zero tolerance of bullying, harassment and discrimination should apply to Apprentice employers.

The Modern Apprenticeship 2018-19 specification, which each training provider is required to comply with, makes clear that:

“Participants following a Modern Apprenticeship framework must be subject to the same policies and procedures as other employees of the organisation with which they are employed and the Provider must use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that each Participant is informed by his or her employer of their rights…”

Skills Development Scotland monitors any complaints of discrimination, bullying and harassment through their Complaints Procedure . Skills Development Scotland is unable to disclose the number of complaints received in relation to discrimination, bullying or harassment as the numbers are particularly small. Disclosure would therefore risk identification of individuals and contravene SDS obligations under the Data Protection Act.

SDS actively investigates any cases which are reported to their Skills Investment Advisers through their ongoing contract monitoring of training providers.

In addition, SDS works with training providers and employers to continually signpost them to appropriate training opportunities which are available to help them tackle discrimination, bullying or harassment in the workplace and signpost them to appropriate advice and guidance relating to diverse recruitment and embracing diversity in the workforce.

Growing, widening and enhancing apprenticeships is at the heart of Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy, Developing the Young Workforce (2015). We have a number of Key Performance Indicators to measure progress including reducing the proportion of Modern Apprenticeship frameworks where the gender balance is 75:25 (or worse) to 60% by 2021.

In 2015-16, the proportion of Modern Apprenticeship frameworks where the gender balance is 75:25 was 74% with 2017-18 Modern Apprenticeship statistics showing a reduction to 72%. To achieve the change we want to see, determined and persistent effort will be required from all partners across the education and skills pipeline to challenge stereotypes and attract men and women to sectors where they are underrepresented.

The Skills Development Scotland Apprenticeships Equalities Action Plan Year 2 update highlights the range of activities SDS undertakes to contribute towards addressing gender imbalance wherever it may exist.

Scottish Ministers have had a number of discussions and meetings with councillors, local government representatives and representatives from across Scotland’s visitor economy.

These have been both formal and informal and covered a variety of different issues, all supporting the ambition of sustainable tourism growth for Scotland that we share with Scotland’s wider tourism industry.

I lead on discussions with the tourism sector, the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government leads on discussion with local government including with COSLA and the local government review.

The Scottish Government proactively publishes ministerial engagement data on the Scottish Government website and may be accessed using the URL

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/?term=Ministerial&publicationTypes=transparency_data