Chamber and committees

I have no further questions, convener.

I should declare that I was previously a councillor, from 2003 to 2022.

Good morning, minister and officials. I am aware of the work on kinship care that has been carried out in both of the health and social care partnerships in my constituency, and I know that they have started to issue back payments. I am interested to know when local authorities will receive the £16 million that was announced by the Scottish Government. Are you confident that the money will be sufficient?

Over the past 15 years, the cashback for communities programme has played a crucial role in the lives of countless young people and communities across Scotland. I welcome the fact that, over the next three years, phase 6 of the programme is expected to reach around 34,000 young people. In East Dunbartonshire, which part of my constituency is in, more than £1 million has been spent on more than 40,000 activities from 2008 until now. In West Dunbartonshire, approximately £2.5 million has been spent on 44,000 activities.

One of the organisations that received funding was Includem, which is a Scottish charity that works with young people and families. In 2020, it was granted cashback funding for a three-year project to provide an early intervention service in West Dunbartonshire for children and young people who were felt to be at risk of offending. A recent report by Matter of Focus discussed its findings after three years. Some of the figures that were reported by the young people speak for themselves. The report said that 91 per cent of children and young people moving on from the project reported increased confidence, 94 per cent said that they felt more resilient and 89 per cent felt that they had maintained or improved their attendance in school.

That is valuable in helping us to understand the impact, but to add to that, here is a rather powerful statement from a police representative from year 1 of the programme. They stated:

“The majority of young people who have been referred are no longer coming to my attention for negative things. That is where the pattern of behaviour that they were displaying previously, in my professional experience, would have suggested the risk of escalation.”

As an MSP covering part of West Dunbartonshire, I know that fire setting continues to be an on-going issue.

The issue was brought to the attention of Includem, and to tackle it the charity set up meetings between young people, their Includem worker and the fire service. The young people gained a new understanding of the potential seriousness of fire raising, the consequences of their actions and what that could mean for their future. The workers observed that those involved in the work appeared to stop fire setting, which is hugely significant and very welcome.

The impact of cashback extends well beyond the individuals that it supports; it extends to their families, too. Evidence from the project in West Dunbartonshire has helped parents and carers to be in a better place for supporting children in their care. However, it does not stop there; it also extends to the wider community. One of the most compelling aspects of cashback is that it allows communities to get involved in the change that they want to see. Includem’s fire-setting project was a key example of responding to something that local residents were concerned about. For the families of young people who have been involved in fire raising, that will contribute to reduced pressure and worry, and, overall, it contributes to a safer community in West Dunbartonshire. That is just one case study among the vast amount of positive work that is being done, but it illustrates the success of the programme.

The Scottish Government’s cashback programme shows the power of effective governance, and it understands the importance of investing in our vulnerable young people. It underlines the Scottish Government's commitment to support young people to live full, healthy lives and to address some of the underlying causes of crime. Young people are the future of our country, so cashback is not only an investment in our local community but an investment in our future.

Will the member take an intervention?

Good morning, panel. What are your views on its being an accommodation rather than a visitor levy? As you know, many visitors, such as day trippers, campers and motorhome drivers, would not pay anything. You will be aware that the Scottish Government has recently confirmed that it intends to amend the bill to include cruise ships. Should the bill be amended to capture other visitors who do not pay for accommodation but clearly have impacts on the areas that they visit? If so, how could that be done?

You are on mute, Sheila.

Does anyone else want to come in?

I will move on to my last question. Are there any accommodation providers currently covered by the bill that you consider should not be? For example, the boating sector argues for the removal of recreational vessels and moorings from the scope of the bill.

Good morning, panel members. I have already asked this question of the earlier panel. I would like to get your views on this being an accommodation levy rather than a visitor levy. As you have probably heard, many visitors such as day trippers, wild campers and some motorhome visitors would pay nothing. What are your views on whether the bill could or should be amended to capture visitors who do not pay accommodation costs but have a clear impact on the areas that they visit? I put that to Gary Curley first.