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The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) supports the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies to fulfil their legal obligations to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people. The SYP is the democratic voice of Scotland’s young people. Their vision for Scotland is of a nation that actively listens to and values the meaningful participation of its young people. Their goal is to make this vision a reality, in order to ensure young people in Scotland grow up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

This PQ was submitted along with another 10 all regarding the SYP.

Ministerial time spent on individual matters such as the number of hours spent on matters relating to the Scottish Youth Parliament, is not recorded.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35803 on 2 April 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) supports the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies to fulfil their legal obligations to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people. The SYP is the democratic voice of Scotland’s young people. Their vision for Scotland is of a nation that actively listens to and values the meaningful participation of its young people. Their goal is to make this vision a reality, in order to ensure young people in Scotland grow up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

The purpose of the annual Cabinet Takeover meeting with children and young people, is for decision makers at the highest level of government to listen to the voices of children and young people and hear issues that matter most to them.

The meetings are an opportunity to demonstrate Scottish Government’s commitment to meaningfully engage with children and young people with the aim of improving the development and implementation of policy and legislation to help make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up for children and young people.

Since 2017, the Children’s Parliament (CP) and Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) have been involved in the co-design of an annual meeting of Cabinet Ministers with children and young people.

At each meeting the children and young people bring their Calls to Action which become tangible commitments to be taken forward by the Scottish Government.

This work supports the need for Scottish Ministers to consider the views of Children and Young People to inform plans and, from 2024 under the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, to ensure that they comply with the section 6 compatibility duty and to secure better or further effect of the rights of children.

Progress reports from previous Cabinet Takeover Meetings can be accessed via the links below:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/children-young-peoples-voices-matter-progress-report-march-2023/.

Children and Young People’s Voices Matter: Progress Report - March 2022.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/annual-cabinet-meeting-with-children-and-young-people-fifth-meeting-16-march-2021/.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) supports the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies to fulfil their legal obligations to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people. The SYP is the democratic voice of Scotland’s young people. Their vision for Scotland is of a nation that actively listens to and values the meaningful participation of its young people. Their goal is to make this vision a reality, in order to ensure young people in Scotland grow up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) do not publish or hold an electoral register. However, SYP work with all 32 local authorities and 9 National Voluntary Organisations as Election Partners to run the SYP Elections. All young people who are aged between 14 and 25 who also live, work or study in Scotland, are eligible to stand for election, and all young people 12-25 are eligible to vote via election partners online with the SYP Election Rules and Procedures.

The total number of counted votes cast in the last elections was 33,608.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) supports the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies to fulfil their legal obligations to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people. The SYP is the democratic voice of Scotland’s young people. Their vision for Scotland is of a nation that actively listens to and values the meaningful participation of its young people. Their goal is to make this vision a reality, in order to ensure young people in Scotland grow up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

The Scottish Government is not involved in increasing the number of young people engaged with the Scottish Youth Parliament. That is a matter for the organisation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35803 on 2 April 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The collection and administration of Council Tax is the responsibility of individual local authorities. Relative to other taxes, Council Tax collection rates remain consistently high, with 96% of charges collected successfully each year. Scottish Ministers are working with COSLA to promote best practice in debt collection and financial advice.

The Scottish Government will invest at least £15.8 million this year in welfare, debt and income maximisation advice services. This includes £2.2 million to expand a Citizens Advice Scotland Council Tax debt advice project which will provide tailored assistance to affected households while working with local authorities to encourage good practice in debt collection.

Additionally, the Joint Working Group on Council Tax Reform has identified ways to better equip councils with the information needed to improve collection practices. Strengthened data sharing on debt recovery will not only enhance collection efforts but also help identify individuals who may benefit from the Council Tax Reduction scheme.

The Scottish Government’s Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme protects the most financially vulnerable by ensuring that nobody in Scotland should have to meet a Council Tax liability they cannot be expected to afford. The Council Tax Reduction (CTR) Scheme reduces a household’s liability based on an assessment of their income, capital, and other circumstances. Over 460,000 households receive some level of CTR, and on average recipients save over £850 a year.

a) The Scottish Government publishes details of Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot containing information about Ministerial engagements, overseas travel, car journeys, domestic travel and gifts received.

b) The Scottish Government publishes details of Special advisers: gifts and hospitality - gov.scot, which includes information on travel expenses claimed.

ci & cii) The following table gives the relevant data for the last available 5 years:

1.Senior Civil Service;

2.Staff Below Senior Civil Service; and

3.Seafaring Staff.

I have discussed this issue a number of times with the SPFL and directly with some football clubs. More recently, the round table on enhancing Scottish football which has representatives from the footballing governing bodies and supporter groups, has discussed the reintroduction of alcohol in football stadia alongside other issues pertinent to Scottish football. We plan to publish the minutes of these meetings on the Scottish Government website in due course.

We are committed to co-developing and co-designing our agricultural policies with industry and rural partners.