Flexible Workforce Development Fund: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
FOI reference: FOI/18/01688
Date received: 15 June 2018
Date responded: 29 June 2018
Information requested
The amount committed by the Scottish Government to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund referenced on page 54 of the Programme for Government; for the amount of money that had been paid out through the Fund has paid out to date; for (if it does not break the cost limits) a list of payees that have received funding from the Fund and for the business case for the Fund.
Response
The answer to your questions are as follows:
1. As stated in Scottish Governments Programme for Government 2017/18 there was a commitment to invest £10 million to continue to help employers to increase productivity and address skills gaps by supporting in-work training of their workforce.
2. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) who administer the Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government have reported that the spend as at the 18 May 2018 was £5.6m. However, colleges have until the 30 June to report on their final FWDF spend/commitment position for 2017-18. This should include all FWDF training that has either taken place or is contractually committed by 30 June (and will commence by 30 September). The SFC will then use colleges' final FES returns in October, in conjunction with their final spend/commitment position, to reconcile total spend over the academic year and to calculate any funding adjustments. SFC will then contact each individual college to recover funds or allocate additional funds as necessary.
3. A list of payees who have received funding from the Flexible Workforce Development Fund are attached at ( Annex A)
4. A copy of the Business case. We do not hold a specific business case document. However, a range of advice was provided to Ministers during the development of the Fund.
This is attached at (Annex B)
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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