Mentions:
1: Arthur, Tom (SNP - Renfrewshire South) The latest results from the business insights and conditions survey showed that, of the businesses with - Speech Link
2: Webber, Sue (Con - Lothian) We should remember that those businesses are key to providing local jobs and employment opportunities - Speech Link
3: Choudhury, Foysol (Lab - Lothian) What other measures is the Scottish Government taking to get people into employment in Edinburgh? - Speech Link
4: MacDonald, Gordon (SNP - Edinburgh Pentlands) Employment in Edinburgh is at 82 per cent and has increased compared with the previous year. - Speech Link
5: McKee, Ivan (SNP - Glasgow Provan) the proposal, or choice, that she is advocating.The Scottish Government works hard to support employment - Speech Link

S6W-27957

Asked by: Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people (a) in receipt of welfare benefits and (b) on low incomes have accessed the Digital Start Fund to date.

Answered by Forbes, Kate

(a) The eligibility criteria for the Digital start fund required applicants to meet at least one of the following conditions:

? Unemployed

? In receipt of a low income benefit such as Universal Credit

? Employed on an income of £16,000 or less

? Experience two or more barriers or disadvantages as defined by Scottish Government’s European Structural and Investment Funds Participant Guidance.

SDS, who administered the fund, do not hold the data necessary to determine how many participants met each of these specific criteria.

(b) Over three years, the Digital Start Fund supported 468 individuals with 380 candidates completing training. Their employment status when starting the training is broken down as follows:

? Year One: unemployed individuals 55.7%; employed 28.7%

? Year Two:unemployed individuals 71.3%; employed 18.3%

? Year Three: unemployed individuals 50.9%, employed 35.3%