Chamber and committees

Falkirk Council took the difficult decision to close Falkirk Town Hall theatre following recommendations that funding the modernisation of the building did not represent best value in the current challenging financial environment.

While disappointing for many people, this decision is entirely a matter for the Falkirk Council as they have responsibility for managing local resources.

The Scottish Government is increasing funding for Falkirk Council by an additional £28.9 million in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22.

The Scottish Government has also agreed to contribute £40 million to the Falkirk Growth Deal to support local projects. This figure includes £3 million towards the planned new Falkirk Arts Centre, which intends to feature a 550-seat auditorium, workshop, studios and other facilities. A further £3 million has also been committed towards developing an Outdoor Art Park along the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Timescales for both projects are being developed by the local partners.

After competitive tender, a contract was awarded to Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP to obtain expert independent advice on the implications of VAT on the NCS and associated Care Boards. This work is ongoing. We will engage with the wider sector and HMT prior to any decision being taken which would have a VAT impact.

The Scottish Government is in the final stages of preparing a Carers Strategy which will set out our long-term approach to unpaid carers’ social and financial inclusion. This will apply to different caring situations, including unpaid older carers of adults with a learning disability. The strategy will include a focus on support made available through social security policies, the Scottish Welfare Fund and action taken by the Scottish Government on fuel poverty, employment and education. This will help support carers who are likely to be disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis.

We are using all the powers and resources available to us to support families with cost of living and have already invested almost £3 billion in a range of measures for households. That includes supporting energy bills, childcare, health and travel, as well as social security payments that are either not available anywhere else in the UK or are more generous, such as the Scottish Child Payment and Bridging Payment.

In addition, we uprated 8 Scottish benefits by 6% in April. Eligible carers in Scotland receive the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, funded from the Scottish Government budget and paying up to £491.40 this year on top of Carer’s Allowance. We will double our Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million in 2022-23, to help households at risk of self-disconnection or self-rationing energy use and to ensure support continues to protect people affected by rising energy costs.

We know that the current situation is causing anxiety for many households – and that many people may be missing out on support that is available to them. To help people understand the significant range of support that they may be able to access, we have also launched a Scottish Government “cost of living” website: https://www.gov.scot/cost-of-living-support/ . The website will help people find out what support may be available depending on their own personal circumstances, for example, unpaid carers of adults with a learning disability.

Blood stocks in Scotland are assessed as adequate to meet current clinical demand, but will continue to be monitored. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has no plans at present to resume providing blood donation sessions in the Western Isles, due to the cost and logistical difficulties associated with doing so. However, that does not in any way affect the availability of blood components to patients in the Western Isles.

The Scottish Government remains committed to eliminating HIV Transmission in Scotland by 2030.

To support work to meet this target the PrEP short-life working group, a sub-group of the HIV Transmission Elimination Oversight Group, was tasked with maximising PrEP eligibility criteria. The group has formally adopted the new, wider, PrEP eligibility guidelines and are now working on materials to support implementation across Scotland.

The group, which is jointly chaired by community sector and clinical representatives, has also been actively considering the expansion of PrEP prescribing, with a focus on moving away from acute settings such as sexual health clinics. These discussions are on-going as the group considers different models and settings for PrEP care.

Rail accessibility and compliance with rail fleet accessibility requirements remain matters reserved to the UK Government.

I have however recently met with Disabled Persons Organisations, such as Disability Equality Scotland and Sight Scotland & Sight Scotland Veterans to gain an understanding of any issues being experienced by disabled rail users. Those issues will be taken forward during my monthly scheduled meetings with Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail Trains Ltd to consider and address.

The challenging funding landscape and difficult choices facing the Scottish Budget in coming years have only worsened since publication of the Resource Spending Review. As a result of inflation, the Scottish Government’s budget is now worth around £1.7 billion less than when it was published in December.

It is clear that Fair Work, including fair pay, is more important than ever in the context of the cost of living crisis, and we will use all the levers we can to support those most affected.

In the current economic climate, we recognise, most recently in the publication of the Emergency Budget Review, that there are a number of cost pressures on Scottish Government budget and associated contracts including inflation, energy costs and increases to the real Living Wage. We have undertaken a risk-assessment of our key current contracts and framework agreements and are working closely and sensitively with suppliers through this period to manage those contracts.

We understand the importance of fair and stable funding for the third sector and the benefit of this for longer term planning and development. As we continue to work through the impact of the recent and upcoming UK Government announcements on our ability to deliver the spending plans as set out in the Spending Review in May. We are also considering the appropriate level of detail and timing of financial information we can provide in the longer-term.

The Scottish Government does not have policy control over VAT rates or VAT exemptions. This is a fully reserved policy.

In a letter of 22 October 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes, and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, Fiona Hyslop, jointly called on the UK Government to reverse their decision to end VAT-free shopping following EU Exit. The letter called on the UK Government to introduce a VAT-free shopping scheme for EU and non-EU visitors to the UK.

The UK Government, as part of their ‘Mini Budget’ on 23 September 2022 announced the introduction of a new digital VAT-free shopping scheme. This however was scrapped as part of the reversal by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

The Scottish Government’s position remains that the restoration of VAT-free shopping for all overseas visitors to the UK would help support Scotland’s retail sector.

The new rules put Scottish and UK-wide businesses at a disadvantage when compared to other European destinations who continue to operate VAT refund schemes.

Ultimately, the Scottish Government believes that all tax powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament so that we can provide the support that Scottish retailers and tourism businesses need.

This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government but Scottish Fire and Rescue Service staff absence information is publicly available on the website SFRS under their People Committee meeting papers.

The Scottish Government allocated £1,255,953.00 for Area Based Schemes to be designed and delivered by Orkney Council in 2022-23. The Scottish Government allocated £1,324,703.00 for Area Based Schemes to be designed and delivered by Shetland Council in 2022-23.