Chamber and committees

The criteria to qualify for free school meals is provided for in section 53 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. A summary of the criteria can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/schoolmeals/FreeSchoolMeals. Two of the qualifying criteria for free school meals are linked to the income of a parent of a pupil or of a pupil in Scotland and these particular criteria are prescribed in regulations under section 53(3)(a)(iv) of the 1980 Act (the Education (School Lunches) (Scotland) Regulations 2009).

The first qualifying criteria for free school meals linked to income is the receipt of child tax credit by a parent or pupil (and not working tax credit) where the award of child tax credit is based on an income not exceeding an amount specified by Regulations under section 7(1)(a) of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) Regulations 2002). These Regulations have been amended a number of times since 2007 by the regulations set out in the following table, to increase the first income threshold for the receipt of child tax credit. These changes in income threshold have resulted in changes to the income threshold qualifying criteria for a free school meal in Scotland.

The second qualifying criteria for free school meals linked to income is the receipt of child tax credit and working tax credit based on an income not exceeding an amount specified by Regulations under the Tax Credits Act 2002 (the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) Regulations 2002). This qualifying criteria was introduced in Scotland in 2009. The Tax Credits Up-rating Regulations 2008 increased the income threshold specified in the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) Regulations 2002 from £5,220 to £6,420 and that threshold remains unchanged.

The 2015 Interim Framework Report of the National Improvement Framework for Scottish Education presents a range of evidence which demonstrates that we are making progress in reducing the gap in educational attainment between pupils from our most and least deprived communities. For example, the interim report presents evidence on the attainment gap with regards to school qualifications at SCQF levels three to six, showing that across all levels the gap has decreased slightly between 2011-12 and 2013-14. This report will be updated in December 2016 with data for 2014-15.

The key issue in relation to colleges and universities is the participation of those from our most deprived areas rather than a gap in attainment. This is an area in which colleges continue to perform strongly: in 2014-15 29.1% of all college students were from Scotland’s 20% most deprived areas.

In relation to universities, in 2014/15 14% of Scottish domiciled, full-time first degree entrants were from our 20% most deprived areas, up from 11.2% in 2006-07 (an increase of over 1,000 entrants).

Despite this progress, we know there is a need to do more. That is why we expanded the Scottish Attainment Challenge to invest £750 million over the course of this Parliament to reduce the attainment gap in school, and why we have established the Commission on Widening Access to advise on the actions necessary to achieve step change and committed to the full implementation of its recommendations.

The Scottish Government has allocated almost £650 million since 2009 and we will make available a further half a billion pounds over the next four years, meaning over £1 billion will have been committed by 2021 to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency.

This record investment is reflected in the big improvements in the energy efficiency of Scotland’s housing. The share of homes in the top three energy efficiency ratings has increased by 71% since 2010, and 11% in the last year (EPC Band C or better); and we now have proportionately 35% more homes with the top three EPC ratings (A-C) than England.

To improve the energy efficiency in social rented houses in Scotland, the Scottish Government launched the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) in March 2014. Achievement by the first milestone set for 2020 will mean that in the main, no social property will be lower than a ‘C’ or ‘D’ energy efficiency rating and social landlords are already making good progress. Compliance with EESSH is monitored by the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) who reports that 68.6% of social housing already met the EESSH in 2015/16. A review of the operation of EESSH is scheduled to take place in 2017 and, will also allow for consideration of options for a new standard beyond 2020. We have made available £10 million in grant and loan funding over the last two years to help social landlords meet EESSH.

The Programme for Government sets out our intention alongside consultation on a new Energy Strategy to consult this winter on the regulation of private rented sector housing to increase energy efficiency standards. We will also, in due course, consult on phased regulation of other existing buildings to improve their energy efficiency as well as looking at what financial incentives may be appropriate. Further detail on the scope and timing of regulations and standards as part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (the cornerstone of our commitment to designate Energy Efficiency as a National Infrastructure Priority) will be set out in the draft energy strategy.

Local authorities have the duty to ensure that advice and information about homelessness and any services that may assist a homeless person or assist in the prevention of homelessness, is available free of charge to any person within the authority’s area.

The Scottish Government provides funding to the five local authority led Housing Options Hubs which facilitate the sharing of prevention of homelessness practice across Scotland. The Scottish Government also publishes PREVENT1 data which records local authorities prevention of homelessness activity.

Scotland’s homelessness rights mean households with children are in temporary accommodation while they wait for appropriate settled accommodation. We want this time to be as short as possible and we are increasing housing supply to help with this. We will deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes, backed by more than £3 billion investment by the end of this Parliament.

Time spent in temporary accommodation should be used positively to identify the best possible housing option for a household to ensure a sustainable outcome. We are also working with local authorities and their partners to prevent homelessness for families with children before it occurs through further strengthening of the housing options approach.

The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act (Scotland) 2007 places a number of duties on local education authorities including ensuring that schools are health promoting. This includes promoting physical, social, mental and emotional wellbeing by supporting pupils to make positive lifestyle choices in relation to their health and wellbeing.

In addition, as part of Curriculum for Excellence, all practitioners are expected to embed aspects of health and wellbeing in their lessons, regardless of what subject specialism they are delivering. It is for the local authority and schools to decide how to develop their own approaches to implement Curriculum for Excellence and they will be using a range of approaches and resources to support children and young people with their mental and emotional wellbeing based on local needs and circumstances.

Education Scotland have developed a national resource to support the development and practice of nurturing approaches for secondary and primary schools. This aims to ensure that all schools are equipped to support all children and young people to have equal opportunities to learn and develop. Education Scotland is also supporting the delivery of ‘Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid: Young People’ training nationally in secondary school communities. This will complement the range of initiatives and approaches to support mental health and mental wellbeing that local authorities already have in place.

By working closely with schools, teachers and parents, as well as other professionals, educational psychologists have a key role in building capacity to meet the learning and mental health needs of pupils. In addition, every school has a named contact in specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) who can be contacted for advice if they have any concerns about a pupil and can provide ongoing support.

The criteria for someone being classified as homeless in Scotland were last updated by the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 and commenced in January 2004.

Scottish Ministers are currently considering all the evidence, including responses to the consultation on electronic training devices which closed earlier this year, and hope to announce a decision on the future of such devices in Scotland before the end of 2016.

The possible need for further regulation on commercial and non-commercial dog breeding will be considered as part of an ongoing review of pet welfare. The Scottish Government has already held a number of meetings with stakeholders around that ongoing review; and will invite further participation from them.