Chamber and committees

The New Scots refugee integration strategy is built on partnership and collaboration, led by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council.

The second New Scots refugee integration strategy was published in January 2018 and runs until December 2022. Partners have begun discussions on arrangements to develop the third strategy, with the aim of publishing this in 2023.

In February 2021, the then Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, wrote to the Chief Operating Officer of Mears Housing Management about issues that had been raised with her about the mother and baby unit. She asked that no new women be transferred to the unit until there had been further engagement with local partners on its operation and concerns were addressed. In June 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government wrote to Mears Group about issues raised with the suitability of the accommodation provided and asked for information about how they are addressing them. On both occasions we received a response from Mears Group setting out measures they have taken.

Officials from Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Mears Group sit on the Asylum Regional Partnership Board and the Delivery and Procurement Group, which support collaborative working on asylum accommodation and support in Glasgow.

Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament, and the Scottish Government does not hold data on individuals seeking asylum who are living in Scotland. The latest Home Office quarterly statistics recorded 3,904 people in section 95 asylum support in Scotland as at 31 March 2021, including 122 who were receiving subsistence only. There is no geographical breakdown in the statistics of the number of people in receipt of section 98 or section 4 support. Home Office data is available on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets .

Transport Scotland has recently attended a meeting with Glasgow City Council on 26 May to discuss the maintenance and financing of the repairs for the Clyde Tunnel. My officials are willing to continue to engage with the Council on this matter in order to aid them in trying to find a solution, however maintenance of the local road network is the responsibility of local authorities.

The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and we do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations. It is therefore the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

Glasgow City Council will receive a total funding package of almost £1.5 billion in 2021-22 to support local services, which includes an extra £29.8 million to support vital day to day services, equivalent to an increase of 2.2 per cent compared to 2020-21.

To date, the council has been allocated an additional £221.7 million to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the local government settlement - over and above their regular grant payments.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Property transactions involving the sale of land and leases of 20 years and over are usually registered in the Land Register of Scotland. The register is managed and maintained by the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland as required by the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012. The register contains information on the parties to registered deeds (the buyer and the seller) but not on the status of those parties (ie whether they are private sector or public sector).

Changes to travel restrictions affecting Manchester City Council and Salford City Council were notified to Parliament by answer to question
S6W-00856 on 17 June 2021, and announced to businesses and the public through a media briefing by the First Minister, a news release, and updated guidance on the Scottish Government website. 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

We are delighted that COP26 is happening in Scotland and are working closely with the UK Government, Glasgow City Council, Public Health bodies and the UN to deliver a safe, successful and in-person conference in November. We recognise the significant challenges to public health alongside the urgent need to agree action to tackle climate change and are exploring all possible COVID security measures. Vaccination and test and protect will be key and we are involved in planning for these measures and all relevant aspects of event delivery.

The Scottish Government’s COP26 programme will focus on key themes of a just transition and people, demonstrate the actions Scotland is taking to a Net Zero future and support the global outcomes of the Summit. We are partnering with a range of organisations to engage people with COP26 and climate change. This includes the recently announced youth climate programme, delivered in partnership with Young Scot, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Youth Link Scotland, which will deliver a programme of events putting the voices of young people in Scotland at the heart of the climate conversation during COP26.

The Scottish Government understands that Historic Environment Scotland (HES) wrote directly to Mr Sweeney on 24 June 2021.

HES assessed this property in 2017, and it was found to not meet the criteria for listing at that time as it was not a notable example of its building type and its setting had been altered. HES held subsequent discussions with the Sir John Stirling Maxwell Trust and Glasgow City Heritage Trust during 2020 regarding the best ways to retain and reuse the building.

As Scotland's lead public body for built heritage Historic Environment Scotland (HES) investigates, cares for and promotes Scotland’s historic environment. Part of those duties is responsibility for designating listed buildings. The role of Scottish Ministers in designations largely relates to strategic oversight in matters of national importance. It should be noted that Minsters' powers are used sparingly as HES retains the considerable experience and expertise which is more appropriate to assess applications on a case-by-case basis.

The Scottish Government have worked closely with the Scottish FA, with Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and other partners on the operations of the EURO 2020 Fan Zone at Glasgow Green. The situation with the Fanzone in being continually reviewed during the EUROS and as part of that ongoing work Scottish Ministers set up a review team, comprising of the government, city council and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Public Health, to provide advice on the ability of the Fan Zone to operate safely.

The fan zone provides an outdoor, highly regulated space for fans to watch the tournament. Although there are up to 3000 people in attendance per session, this is in a large, outdoor space with normal capacity for up to 80,000 people. Necessary physical distancing and hygiene measures are of course in place. In addition, there is comprehensive stewarding, cleaning and contact tracing provisions in place. Rapid lateral flow test kits have been mailed to all visitors to the Glasgow Fan Zone as part of a series of measures to help reduce the risk of transmission before and after the event.

NHS Health Boards are holding drop in clinics to target those who have not yet been vaccinated, and to make it easier for people to receive their second dose. The use of drop in clinics is not directly linked to EURO 2020 Fan Zone events, but is appropriately informed by vaccination and testing data, including surveillance data from event attendees and ongoing testing in the community.

EURO 2020 events and locations have specific on-site safety measures, including Test and Protect surveillance data measures. Those attending Fan Zones are encouraged to take a rapid lateral flow test up to 48 hours beforehand. Fan Zone safety measures are continuously monitored to ensure the safety of everyone. Attendance at the Glasgow Green Fan Zone provides an opportunity for people to gather safely, in a controlled environment, with the necessary physical distancing and hygiene measures in place.