Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44387 on 20 March 2026. 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 Communication Workers Union (CWU) has recently written to the Scottish Government with its concerns around the provision of Royal Mail services and we will provide a considered response to that communication.

The Scottish Government has not been informed by any public body of any delays or disruptions to Royal Mail postal deliveries.

On 14 March, the First Minister announced a financial package worth up to £10 million to help businesses rebuild and renew the part of Glasgow affected by the Union Corner fire. Glasgow City Council will administer the scheme based on engagement with local businesses to understand how they have been affected.

In addition, up to £1 million will be made available to help the council with demolition costs.

Local authorities can also award up to 100% non-domestic rates Hardship Relief to ratepayers if they are satisfied that the ratepayer would be in financial difficulty without it and awarding it is in the interests of local people.

Scottish Government’s contribution to discretionary non-domestic rates Hardship Relief in Glasgow City Council for those impacted will increase from 75% to 95%.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44387 on 20 March 2026. 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.

On 14 March, the First Minister announced a financial package worth up to £10 million to help businesses rebuild and renew the part of Glasgow affected by the Union Corner fire. Glasgow City Council will administer the scheme based on engagement with local businesses to understand how they have been affected.

Royal Mail and postal delivery services are reserved to the UK Government.

The First Minister visited the Glasgow Mail Centre on 22 December where he reiterated the importance of maintaining high service standards across Scotland.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with Royal Mail to provide constructive challenge and ensure that services meet the specific needs of communities in Scotland.

All Scottish Government funding provided to Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid is subject to monitoring and reporting requirements to ensure it is being used for agreed purposes. From 2016, oversight by the Voluntary Action Fund included project visits and six-monthly progress reports. Since late 2020, Inspiring Scotland has reviewed quarterly financial and forecast reports for this funding.

We are satisfied that the current oversight arrangements are proportionate and robust. Funded organisations are subject to random financial spot checks to verify reported spend, or to more in-depth financial monitoring visits to review financial procedures against best practice. In addition, all registered charities are required to submit annual accounts to the charity regulator, OSCR, and companies must file their annual accounts with Companies House.

It is not appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on individual organisations’ employment and grievance handling processes, other than to note that all organisations should ensure that they comply with relevant legislation. These are a matter for the Board of Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid and I will not comment on individual cases. As such, the Scottish Government has not engaged Audit Scotland, the Care Inspectorate or the Pensions Regulator in relation to the historic financial mismanagement at Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid.

All aspects of the incident at Union Corner in Glasgow are being thoroughly investigated via a multi-agency investigation; this is currently underway and will establish the full circumstances when it is safe to do so. If there are lessons to be learnt from this fire, all levels of government will need to do so and, if it leads to the need for further regulation or policy guidance to ensure the safety of people and buildings, the Scottish Government is very open to that. However, it is important that the investigation is allowed to conclude so that the facts can be fully established, rather than speculated upon.

Planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, including an assessment of potential impacts.

The Scottish Government fully funds Local Authorities to deliver 1,140 hours of funded ELC. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide funded ELC to all entitled children in their area and are responsible for local admission policies.

The Scottish Government has issued Operating Guidance on Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard which sets out the Scottish Government’s expectations of local authorities in delivering funded ELC hours.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Section 50) also requires local authorities to consult with families in their area about how they should make ELC available. This duty helps local authorities to take into consideration the views and needs of parents and carers they serve when making decisions on how to deliver funded ELC.