Enterprise and Skills Review: call for evidence

Terms of Reference and Approach

On 25 May the First Minister announced that the Scottish Government would carry out an end-to-end review to ensure that all of our public agencies are delivering the joined-up support that our young people, universities, colleges, training providers businesses and the workforce need. The review terms of reference were published on 15 June and these are attached at Annex C .

The three aims of the review might be summarised as:

• Building on the evidence of 'what works' and national and international benchmarking to achieve the step-change needed in Scotland's economic performance;
• Capturing the user journey and experience to understand what might be simplified and improved;
• Shaping which services should be prioritised and how they should best be organised and delivered.

In conducting this review, the Scottish Government will follow these principles:

• The review will be outcome-focused, and help us make a step-change in our economic performance and productivity;
• It will be evidence-based, open and transparent, with an opportunity for everyone with an interest to contribute;
• It will put service users at its heart and aim for increased clarity, ease of access and simplicity in a system of support designed to meet future challenges;
• It will be robust and independent of any individual organisation;
• It will benchmark nationally and internationally against best practice.

As ideas and options for the way ahead start to emerge, we will take into account that a good outcome needs to ensure:

• A common vision and performance framework for all to maximise economic growth and productivity and support more inclusive growth, with full geographical access.
• A modern system of support that is fit for the 21st century, simple and clear for users to access, supported by the right roles, services, skills and behaviours.
• Affordability - making the best use of all public resources, financial and other assets, to impact on outcomes, with funding matching priority services and flowing through the minimum number of levels and organisations to the user.

The review is being led by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary will be supported in his consideration by other Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers from relevant portfolios.

He will also be assisted by a Review Group of independent experts, who will meet at least three times during the review to provide a high level of informed debate and challenge, gather input and evidence including from their own networks, and to consider findings and agree strategic direction and next steps. Experts from the agencies themselves will assist Scottish Government as it considers the submitted evidence and other information and synthesises the outcome for the Review Group.

The Review will report in late summer 2016.