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I refer the member to the Appointed for Scotland website. I attach the link to the appropriate page that provides appointment details of the Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd Board.

The Scottish Government has engaged with Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) and Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL) on an on-going basis since the award of the two shipbuilding contracts. Whilst contractual issues are a matter for FMEL and CMAL, Ministers and officials have facilitated several meetings with the parties to discuss the delivery of the two new ferries.

The Scottish Government will continue to engage with FMEL and CMAL regarding the timely delivery of the two new ferries.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) is a limited company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers and therefore subject to the governance requirements of the Companies Act 2006 regulated by Companies House.

CMAL is also classified as a public corporation and subject to the governance arrangements applied to Scottish public bodies. These are set out in a Management Statement and Financial Memorandum.

The Management Statement describes the governance framework within which CMAL operates while the Financial Memorandum outlines its financial responsibilities in greater detail. CMAL is also subject to the requirements of the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

CMAL Board and Committees meet at various times throughout the year:-

• Full Board (6 x per annum)
• Audit & Risk Committee (4 x per annum)
• Remuneration Committee (1 x per annum)

The CMAL complies with various annual audit requirements and industry guidance applicable to the Company including but not restricted to:-

• Statutory Annual External Audit
• Scottish Government Procurement Capability Audit (PCIP)
• ISO 9001
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Lloyds Register (classification society) requirements
• Maritime Port Code
• Health and Safety Legislation

The 2017 business births figure is not currently published. The 2017 figure will be published in the Office for National Statistics 'Business demography: 2017' publication, which is scheduled for release on the 21st of November 2018.

The figures for October 2017 to September 2018 will be included in the Office for National Statistics 'Regional Labour Market Statistics in the UK January 2019' publication, which is due for release on the 22nd of January 2019.

Businesses in Scotland 2018 will be published on 7 November 2018.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14943 on 8 March 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: .

This information is not held centrally.

Skills Development Scotland are responsible for issuing contracts to training providers.

The Scottish Government will outline our budget later in the year following confirmation from the UK Government of the financial settlement to Scotland. Budget allocations for SDS and other NDPBs for 2019-20 will be determined by that process.

Following the completion of the budget process Skills Development Scotland will issue contracts to Providers.

As announced by UK Government Treasury on 14 November 2016 the Scottish Government's settlement from the Barnett consequentials of the Apprenticeship Levy is (a) 2017-2018 - £221 million; and (b) 2018-2019 - £230 million.

As the public sector is liable to pay the levy, the overall net effect is a reduction in public sector spending power in Scotland. A similar impact has been experienced in the other devolved nations.

All of the monies nationally allocated to the Block Grant as a consequence of the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy has been invested in skills, training and employability services.