Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:00 pm on 9 October 2025.
Ben Macpherson
Scottish National Party
2:00,
9 October 2025
We are committed to boosting skills among Scotland’s young people, especially in vital sectors such as those relating to the energy transition. Although we pursue long-term reform of post-school education and skills, we recognise that there is an urgent need to meet current demands. That is why we are providing targeted funding to colleges in 2025-26 for an offshore wind skills programme. That will create training hubs to build the skilled workforce that is needed for our offshore wind ambitions and will support the upskilling and reskilling that will aid energy transition. The funding enables new courses to be provided, strengthens college staff capacity and invests in facilities across strategically important regions for the offshore wind industry.
In addition, alongside the United Kingdom Government, we are providing up to £2 million of funding to Forth Valley College to support workers at Grangemouth to transition into those key sectors.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
