Chamber and committees

Recently, I met staff at the STAR Centre, a rape crisis centre in Kilmarnock that supports survivors aged 13 and above across Ayrshire. Despite covering a large area, the centre has fewer than three full-time members of staff. The centre cannot meet demand and finds it a challenge to advertise its service widely because of its concern that survivors will be stuck for months on the growing waiting lists. By contrast, other centres across Scotland that support significantly lower populations employ several times more staff. That raises serious questions about how funding is allocated.

Will the First Minister explain how the Scottish Government calculates and allocates funding to rape crisis centres, why there is such a stark disparity in staffing levels between centres that provide the same service and what immediate action will be taken to ensure that the STAR Centre receives the funding that is needed to meet demand?

Recently, I met staff at the STAR Centre, a rape crisis centre in Kilmarnock that supports survivors aged 13 and above across Ayrshire. Despite covering a large area, the centre has fewer than three full-time members of staff. The centre cannot meet demand and finds it a challenge to advertise its service widely because of its concern that survivors will be stuck for months on the growing waiting lists. By contrast, other centres across Scotland that support significantly lower populations employ several times more staff. That raises serious questions about how funding is allocated.

Will the First Minister explain how the Scottish Government calculates and allocates funding to rape crisis centres, why there is such a stark disparity in staffing levels between centres that provide the same service and what immediate action will be taken to ensure that the STAR Centre receives the funding that is needed to meet demand?

Recently, I met staff at the STAR Centre, a rape crisis centre in Kilmarnock that supports survivors aged 13 and above across Ayrshire. Despite covering a large area, the centre has fewer than three full-time members of staff. The centre cannot meet demand and finds it a challenge to advertise its service widely because of its concern that survivors will be stuck for months on the growing waiting lists. By contrast, other centres across Scotland that support significantly lower populations employ several times more staff. That raises serious questions about how funding is allocated.

Will the First Minister explain how the Scottish Government calculates and allocates funding to rape crisis centres, why there is such a stark disparity in staffing levels between centres that provide the same service and what immediate action will be taken to ensure that the STAR Centre receives the funding that is needed to meet demand?

Hospitality businesses continue to report higher rates and energy costs than their competitors elsewhere in the UK, with industry leaders warning that closures are increasingly likely. They want an immediate pause to revaluation. Lochside House hotel, in my area, has invested in its property and it now faces having its rates increased by £271,000. Businesses are getting penalised for investing. There simply is not an incentive to grow. In the light of collapsing business confidence and the calls from the sector, will the minister today commit to pausing the upcoming revaluation? If not, why not?

Concerns have also been raised about the maternity unit at Crosshouse university hospital, with Healthcare Improvement Scotland finding that it fell short of standards in 16 areas. These issues keep happening across Scotland and we need action now. What discussions has the minister had with the chief executive of NHS Scotland about the matter? Has the national review of maternity care that was announced last year started? Is there an escalation procedure to ensure that issues that are found are dealt with immediately? When will the review conclude?

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales showing that business confidence in Scotland has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter and is lower than the United Kingdom average. (S6O-05454)

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales showing that business confidence in Scotland has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter and is lower than the United Kingdom average. (S6O-05454)

Hospitality businesses continue to report higher rates and energy costs than their competitors elsewhere in the UK, with industry leaders warning that closures are increasingly likely. They want an immediate pause to revaluation. Lochside House hotel, in my area, has invested in its property and it now faces having its rates increased by £271,000. Businesses are getting penalised for investing. There simply is not an incentive to grow. In the light of collapsing business confidence and the calls from the sector, will the minister today commit to pausing the upcoming revaluation? If not, why not?

Concerns have also been raised about the maternity unit at Crosshouse university hospital, with Healthcare Improvement Scotland finding that it fell short of standards in 16 areas. These issues keep happening across Scotland and we need action now. What discussions has the minister had with the chief executive of NHS Scotland about the matter? Has the national review of maternity care that was announced last year started? Is there an escalation procedure to ensure that issues that are found are dealt with immediately? When will the review conclude?

What effect will this year’s shortfall have on the long-term plan to improve the estate?