Seòmar agus comataidhean

Information on whether an application has been subject to a staff error is not routinely reported as part of Social Security Scotland’s processes.

Our records show that 178 properties have been purchased with golden share and 171 properties retain golden share through the Open Market Shared Equity scheme.

On 23 December 2021 we published a report on implementation of the actions set out in the Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities Action Plan (2017). The report shows encouraging progress made in a number of key areas including raising awareness of hate crime and encouraging reporting.

Building on this progress we will publish a new hate crime strategy later this year. Development of a strategy of this nature will engender consideration of and engagement on a number of relevant initiatives to tackle hate crime and prejudice – including Islamophobia – in Scotland. It will therefore also naturally allow for further consideration of the need for the Scottish Government to adopt a formal definition of Islamophobia, such as the definition advanced by the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims.

Social Security Scotland does not intend to routinely publish information on the reasons for Child Disability Payment applications not proceeding to part two of the application process.

Applicants have six weeks from the completion of part 1 of the Child Disability Payment form to complete part 2 of the application. There are various reasons why a part 2 application form may not be registered for Child Disability Payment applications. These can include where applicants make repeat applications whilst awaiting a decision or where applicants are already in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for Children.

Universal free school lunches are now available for all children in primaries 1 to 5 during school term-time and we remain committed to further expanding universal free school lunch provision, to include all children in primary and special schools, during the remainder of this parliamentary term.

Our budget for 2022-23 includes a £30 million capital allocation for initial investment in school kitchens ahead of the roll-out of free school lunches to all primary school children later in this parliamentary term.

We will continue to work with our partners in local authorities to plan for the expansion of free school lunch provision over the next academic year. This work will ensure the expansion can be delivered equitably across all schools, in all areas, whilst maintaining high quality lunch provision for all children.

Water charges remain linked to the council tax banding of the house occupied. Higher banded houses are usually expected to be occupied by higher income households and so linking water charges to council tax band will frequently reflect ability to pay. But, importantly, the linkage to Council Tax also means that discounts and exemptions which apply to Council Tax are also available for water and sewerage charges. The present range of discounts is worth over £150m per year and helps to reflect an individual’s circumstances and ensure ability to pay.

I refer the member to the answer given in S6W-05977.

We know since the initial introduction of the Distance Aware initiative, uptake has been good and we have therefore ordered more badges and lanyards and considered additional ways to distribute.

As such we will offer Local Authorities badges and lanyards to distribute on a flexible basis, based on local need. It will be for Local Authorities to decide on distribution channels, but could include testing centres and council buildings, as well as any local community facilities, hubs or stores in rural communities.

In rural, remote and island locations, lateral flow device (LFD) tests can be ordered online or collected from test sites, pharmacies and dispensing GPs. Beyond this, local partners are responsible for choosing where to establish additional LFD community collect points.

In NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles examples of community collect sites have included vaccination centres, libraries and transport hubs including airports, mainland ferry terminals, bus and railway stations. Partners maintain an up-to-date list of their community collect sites on their websites, which can be found via gov.scot.

Severance arrangements and the scrutiny of severance cases follow the process set out in SPFM . This includes arrangements around voluntary exits and settlement agreements and use of confidentiality clauses.

• Data in relation to settlement and the number of confidentiality clauses in Scottish Government and Public bodies, NHSScotland and Scottish Funding Council overseen bodies is held from 2014 and, since then, has been provided to parliament annually – see links to previous reports . 2020-21 data will be published imminently.
• We do not hold information prior to 2014, nor do we hold information in respect of local authorities.

SG and public bodies, NHS and SFC Data. - CC = confidentiality clause.

It is not appropriate for the Scottish Government or Ministers to comment on or intervene directly in individual cases relating to patient care.

We are aware that, following the tragic incident involving Mr Brown, the Scottish Ambulance Service has launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. The Service has been in regular contact with Mr Brown’s family and have confirmed that they will meet with the family again to discuss their full findings once their investigation is concluded in mid-March 2022.

Both new vessels; the MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 will have an accessible toilet with changing facilities, which includes a height adjustable bench and ceiling hoist. There will also be a smaller standard accessible toilet on each of the vessels.