Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting rural schools and supporting their role in preserving, supporting and developing rural communities.

The legislative responsibility for the provision of education in Scotland rests with individual local authorities, including decisions relating to catchment areas and the provision of school transport. In meeting these responsibilities, we would encourage authorities to take account of any national or international best practice that may be of benefit to the communities they serve, including initiatives such as Sweden's Turn the School Bus Around.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and community care policy in Scotland. It is however, for local authorities to determine the level of services that are required to meet local care needs and to arrange an appropriate range of services to meet individual care needs.

We are working with NHS boards, local authorities, and other stakeholders to drive up quality in the community to ensure appropriate social care provision is available when required.

Some of the therapies delivered at the Centre for Integrative Care are also provided locally by some NHS boards. It is open to NHS boards in Scotland to make such services available based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas.

NHS Highland continues to make referrals to the Centre for Integrative Care to access a range of complementary and alternative therapies.

Some of the therapies delivered at the Centre for Integrative Care are also provided locally by some NHS boards. It is open to NHS boards in Scotland to make such services available based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and community care policy in Scotland. It is however for local authorities to determine the level of services that are required to meet local care needs and to arrange an appropriate range of services to meet individual care needs.

The formula used in the distribution of the Scottish Government’s funding to local authorities takes into account a number of needs based factors including rurality and the additional cost of providing services to island communities. As a result Argyll and Bute Council is in receipt of a total package of funding of almost £220 million this year which includes funding for the care of older and disabled people and represents their share of the total local government finance settlement of over £10.85 billion. This represents the highest total funding per head of any council with a connection to mainland Scotland.

Included within their allocation of £220 million Argyll and Bute Council is receiving an extra £2 million resulting from the Special Islands Needs Allowance which recognises the additional cost of providing services to island communities.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and community care policy in Scotland. It is however for local authorities to determine the level of services that are required to meet local care needs and to arrange an appropriate range of services to meet individual care needs.

We are working with NHS boards, local authorities, and other stakeholders to drive up quality in the community to ensure appropriate social care provision is available when required.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is very supportive of the moves towards increased digital working and in particular the Parliament’s Digital Parliament Programme whose aim is to improve the organisation’s capability to work digitally. As a result of this programme, all electronic versions of committee papers are now issued to members as digital packs which can be accessed using smartphones and tablets as well as on desktop PCs and laptops. The pack provides navigation menus to allow easier and quicker access to and between papers. It also allows members to annotate and highlight text in advance of, or during, a meeting.

These digital packs are available via the Members’ Portal and are also emailed to committee members.

A further Digital Parliament project is underway which seeks to build on this work with the purpose of embedding a digital first approach to the creation, distribution, use and management of information for meetings (including committee meetings).

In November 2013, the Conveners’ Group agreed that two committees would be involved in piloting the use of electronic committee packs and this pilot was subsequently extended to seven committees. Committee clerks provided support to members of the relevant committees in accessing and using papers electronically and as part of this process, sought feedback from members to determine whether any further improvements needed to be made. All committee members now receive a digital committee pack and clerks and other officials can provide any assistance and guidance that members may require to enable them to work digitally.

The conduct and management of committee meetings (including the use of electronic devices) is a matter for the relevant committee convener.

However, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is very supportive of the move towards increased digital working which allows Members easier and more efficient ways to access information, saves on print costs and supports our environmental strategy. The Digital Parliament Programme is looking at further changes to support members who wish to work digitally to do so.