Chamber and committees

The following table shows the number of social and affordable homes delivered in the Stirling council area each year since 2015. Of the 536 homes delivered, 363 are new build homes, with the remainder being a mixture of rehabilitation projects and off-the-shelf purchases:

The first payments of Scottish Child Payment to under 6s, including those who have successfully applied in the Stirling Council area, will start from the end of February. Using the latest available forecasts published by the Scottish Fiscal Commission in September 2020, Scottish Government analysts estimate that there could be around 1,600 families receiving the Scottish Child Payment in the Stirling Council area in 2021-22.

Social Security Scotland routinely publish information as part of the quarterly Official Statistics release ‘Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods’. This includes information at Local Authority level.

Information on Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods was last published on 27 October 2020 and provided information up to 31 August 2020. This publication is available from:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/best-start-grant-and-best-start-foods-high-level-statistics-to-31-august-2020/

The latest Official Statistics, covering the period from 10 December 2018 to 31 August 2020, show that 1,470 Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods applications were authorised for payment in the Stirling Council area.

The value of these payments, by 31 August, was over £352,000 for Best Start Grant, and over £82,000 for Best Start Foods.

Official Statistics covering the period to 30 November 2020 will be published 26 January 2021.

The percentage of school leavers in the Stirling Council area who have gone on to a positive follow-up destination is available on a consistent basis for 2009-10 to 2018-19 in table L2.1 of the Summary Statistics for Follow-up leaver Destinations publication: Summary Statistics for Follow-up leaver Destinations, No. 2: 2020 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The figures relate to the destinations of school leavers from publicly funded schools 9 months after the end of the relevant school year.

For 2009-10 onwards positive destinations are: Further Education, Higher Education, Employment, Training, Voluntary Work, Personal Skills Development and Activity Agreements.

Figures for 2007/08 and 2008/09 are available in archived publications but were produced using a different methodology and so are not directly comparable to those for 2009/10 onwards. For example, for these years school leavers undertaking Personal Skills Development activity could be recorded either as being in a positive destination or in an other destination depending on the details of the activity being undertaken.

Percentage of school leavers from publicly funded schools in Stirling in a positive follow-up destination

The percentage of pupils in the Stirling Council area leaving school having achieved one or more pass in National Qualifications at SCQF Level 6 or better is available on a consistent basis for 2009-10 to 2018-19 in table A2.2 of the Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations publication: Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 2: 2020 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). The figures relate to school leavers from publicly funded schools.

Figures for years prior to this are available in archived publications but were produced using a different methodology and so are not directly comparable to those for 2009-10 onwards.

Percentage of school leavers from publicly funded schools in Stirling attaining 1 pass or more at SCQF Level 6 or better

Social Security Scotland publish biannual Official Statistics on the number of carers receiving Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Statistics were last published on 11 th August 2020 and covered carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance to the April 2020 eligibility date. This information is available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/carers-allowance-at-february-2020-and-carers-allowance-supplement-to-april-eligibility-date-2020-statistics/

Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments have been made to 1,410 carers in Stirling who were eligible on at least one eligibility date from April 2018 to April 2020.

The next publication of Official Statistics is due to be released on 23 February 2021, and will include information to the October 2020 eligibility date.

Under the terms of their Royal Warrant it is the responsibility of the Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia to advise Her Majesty The Queen about all matters relating to the Stone of Destiny.

The four Commissioners are: the First Minister, as the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland; the Rt Hon the Lord Mackay of Clashfern KT, QC, the Lord Clerk Register; the Rt Hon James Wolffe QC, the Lord Advocate, and the Rt Hon Lady Dorrian QC, the Lord Justice Clerk. This answer is provided collectively on behalf of the Commissioners.

The Stone of Destiny (also known as the Stone of Scone) forms an important part of the story of Scotland. The use of a special stone in the enthronement of Scottish monarchs is a tradition of very long standing. The Stone first entered recorded history in 1057, when Lulach was proclaimed King at Scone and it appears to have been used in the coronation of Scottish monarchs thereafter.

In 1296, the Stone was seized and taken from Scotland to England by King Edward I. From that time on the Stone was used in the coronation of the future Kings and Queens of England and, subsequently, those of the United Kingdom.

In 1996, 700 years after it was taken, the Stone was returned to Scotland. Since when it has been located in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle, where it is displayed along with Honours of Scotland, under the care of Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

In 2019 Perth & Kinross Council, and its delivery partner, Culture Perth & Kinross, submitted to the Commissioners proposals for the relocation of the Stone to Perth to become the centrepiece of the Perth City Hall project, which forms one element of the overall Tay Cities Region Deal. Proposals were also received from Historic Environment Scotland for the re-development of the display of the Stone along with the Honours of Scotland within Edinburgh Castle.

The Commissioners gave detailed and extensive consideration to both proposals and initiated a public engagement to gather views from both the public and organisational stakeholders. The consultation concluded on 19 September 2019 with a total of 1,825 responses received. Details of those responses that respondents have agreed can be made public are being published today and can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800045200 .

In addition to the public engagement exercise, the Commissioners undertook comprehensive scrutiny of both proposals. Following due consideration, the Commissioners were satisfied that the proposals for Perth City Hall gave full and proper regard to the need to ensure the security and conservation of the Stone, its accessibility to the general public and that it would be displayed in a manner in keeping with such an important cultural artefact. The Commissioners also concluded that there would be considerable merit in relocating the Stone to assist with the ongoing regeneration of Perth.

Following that consideration the Commissioners recommended to Her Majesty that the Stone of Destiny should be relocated to Perth when the City Hall refurbishment has been completed, with the opening currently planned for early 2024. Her Majesty has graciously accepted the Commissioners’ advice.

On behalf of the Commissioners, officials in the Scottish Government will work with Perth and Kinross Council to ensure that plans are in place for the transfer of the Stone to the Perth when the planned works are satisfactorily completed. Plans will also be in place to ensure that the Stone can be returned safely and timeously to Westminster Abbey for future Coronations.

The Commissioners wish to express their gratitude to Historic Environment Scotland for their stewardship and care of the Stone since its return to Scotland in 1996. The Commissioners also welcome that Historic Environment Scotland will continue to make available to Perth and Kinross Council its expertise to assist with the ongoing conservation of the Stone.

The Scottish Government have been engaging with all sports which have been adversely impacted by the loss of spectator revenue with a view to understanding (i) the financial implications; and (ii) what support was required to secure their survival.

Today we are announcing details of a £55 million emergency fund to support the sector through the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be made up of both resource funding and low interest loans. This comes on top of sport scotland’s £1.5 million COVID Recovery Support Fund, announced in August to support Scottish sport governing bodies.

The funding will be comprised of a combination of grants and loans. This includes £30 million for Scottish Football supporting all levels of the game as we know that the impact of COVID has been particularly felt in the lower leagues and non-league/Community Club level. Scottish Rugby will benefit from £20 million, alongside funding for basketball, netball, motor sport, horse racing and ice hockey, including support for ice rinks who support our world class curling programmes as well as recreational and professional skating.

Recognising the importance of supporting the sport sector, this support package is well in excess of the Barnett consequentials received from the £300 million rescue package announced last month by the UK Government, which comprised of £250m in loans and only £50m resource funding.

The Scottish Government's COVID-19 Advisory Group considers the scientific and technical concepts and processes that are key to understanding the evolving COVID-19 situation and potential impacts in Scotland. The advisory group applies the advice coming to the four nations from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) and other appropriate sources of evidence and information in order to advise and inform the decisions made by Scottish Ministers and senior clinical advisers during the pandemic.

Minutes of the group’s meetings, papers considered by the group at their meetings and the group’s full remit and membership are published on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/groups/scottish-government-covid-19-advisory-group/ . With effect from the group’s next meeting, the format of the minutes will be expanded to provide more detail than the current summary form.