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On 2 October 2013, I informed local authorities that the Scottish Government was making £20 million available for the purpose of adding to Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) budgets. In recognition of the fact that some local authorities may already have already topped up their DHP allocation to the maximum permitted, I stated that the funding is aimed not only at enabling topping up of DHPs, but also in recognition of the financial pressures that have been placed upon authorities by the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

The £20 million allocated to local authorities in 2013-14 will be paid as general revenue grant funding. Councils have been advised that this funding is for the purpose of adding to their Discretionary Housing Payment budgets. However, the Scottish Government does not have the powers to direct councils to make payments in respect of Discretionary Housing Payments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12726 on 25 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

In line with the commitments contained within the Diversity Delivers strategy, the Scottish Government remains committed to the progression of the public appointments diversity agenda and to building on the work begun through Diversity Delivers. Following the publication of the Diversity Delivers – Three Years On report in November 2011, which provided an assessment of progress at that stage, responsibility for delivering the diversity agenda passed to the Scottish Government‘s Public Appointments Centre of Expertise (PACE).To support our progress, we created a dedicated public appointments website, www.appointed-for-scotland.org, in 2009. This was followed by the setting up of PACE in 2011, to advise on and to administer the regulated public appointments process across the Scottish Government. We have also undertaken a range of outreach activity and awareness-raising to promote understanding of what board positions are, explaining the work of non-executive board members and how to apply for opportunities. A variety of events have taken place every year since 2008, most recently, in 2013, sessions for the Scottish Housing Regulator to encourage applications from homeless people and those in rented accommodation. All events focused on groups under-represented on Scotland’s public boards. PACE continues to be actively engaged with our equality colleagues and others to identify suitable future events. In addition we have produced and distributed a DVD on public appointments and a short written guide on the work of boards jointly with the then Public Appointments Commissioner and a PACE Twitter account is planned by April 2014. This will promote public appointment vacancies and outreach events. The initial cost of the DVD was £2705: reprint costs are £248.73 per 100. There are no associated costs for the outreach programme and Twitter except staff costs.

We have also used a range of different application and selection methods to attract a wider pool of applicants. These have varied by individual appointment round. They have included shortened applications that test fewer criteria at application stage, tailored life/career history, personal statements, pre-set questions, notes of interest and bespoke application support and altered interview processes and assessment centre exercises. Some progress has been made in enhancing the diversity of our public appointments but we will continue to develop and monitor this.

To highlight the importance we place on this issue, a Public Boards and Corporate Diversity Programme Board was established late last year to drive forward a programme of activity in relation to enhancing the diversity of Scotland’s public appointments. Its first meeting was held on 9 December 2013, with a second on 11 February 2014. All of our current diversity activity is being delivered in line with the Public Boards and Corporate Diversity Programme Board programme.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19435 on 20 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19449 on 20 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19438 on 20 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to understanding the experience of applicants for public appointments and to developing members of the boards of our public bodies.

Although we have not commissioned specific research into the impact of board meeting times and arrangements, or into the level of awareness of our public bodies, joint research on applicant experience with the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland has been carried out both in 2012 and 2013 and has informed our improvement agenda. Information regarding remuneration is also collected for analysis by the Scottish Government.

Prior to the introduction of the new Commissioner’s Code of Practice on 1 October 2013, all selection panel members were confirmed to the Commissioner as competent in diversity and selection matters. This responsibility has now passed to the Scottish Government. Advice and guidance on diversity issues is provided by the Public Appointments Centre of Expertise at all stages of the appointment process. Training for board members is the responsibility of individual public bodies, although, to support further development, the Public Appointments Commissioner has also previously delivered a mentoring programme for appointees.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19435 on 20 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19435 on 20 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.