Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09303 on 5 July 2022. 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 .

The Scottish Mental Health Law Review, chaired by Lord John Scott QC, is ongoing. The principal aim of the Review is to improve the rights and protections of those who may be subject to the existing provisions of mental health, incapacity or adult support and protection legislation as a consequence of having a mental disorder. The Review’s final report and recommendations are due to be completed in September 2022.

The ongoing Scottish Mental Health Law Review is reviewing our mental health and incapacity legislation in light of developments in international human rights, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and will consider where improvements could be made. The Review’s final report and recommendations are due to be completed in September 2022.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a Scottish carers card. Local authorities and integration authorities are responsible for carer support under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, and commission Third Sector organisations to provide much of that support on their behalf. This includes information and advice about a range topics, including carers rights and income maximisation. Much of this support is delivered through local carer centres and would include signposting to any local carer discount cards or schemes in place, for both adult and young carers.

To specifically support young carers, the Scottish Government works with Young Scot to provide tailored discounts and opportunities through the Young Carers Package. This package is available to all young carers aged 11 to 18 years of age, and the Scottish Government encourages the promotion of this scheme as widely as possible. Young carers can claim vouchers, tickets to events, prizes and discounts to help support their health and wellbeing.

The Independent review of the Mental Health Act for those with learning disability or autism (Rome Review) recommended that those with learning disability and autism should no longer be included within the definition of ‘mental disorder’ under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 but not that they should be removed entirely from the protections under that Act.

To fully explore the impact of this recommendation in the context of wider mental health law, the ongoing Scottish Mental Health Law Review, chaired by Lord John Scott QC, has absorbed consideration of this issue into its wider work. The Review’s final report and recommendations are due to be completed in September 2022.

The Scottish Government has committed to introducing a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill. This Bill will ensure that the rights of autistic people, people with learning disabilities and people with neurodevelopmental differences are respected and protected. To help make sure the new legislation is championed when it is implemented we intend to create a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodiversity Commissioner through the new law.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to increase the single person’s council tax discount. We are committed to reforming the Council Tax to make it fairer and is establishing a working group with representation from the Scottish Green Party, and engaging with COSLA, to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement on sources of local government funding, including Council Tax. This work will culminate in a citizens’ assembly.

The Scottish Government holds data on the number of long term empty homes that have been empty for 6 months or more, by local authority from 2005 to 2021. This can be accessed using the following link: Housing statistics: Empty properties and second homes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

This data is sourced from Council Tax information. Caution should be applied when considering this data as improvements have been made to the data collection systems by several local authorities since 2005, with some local authorities reporting zero long-term empty properties up until 2013. In addition, local authorities gained discretionary power to remove the empty properties discount or set a council tax increase of 100% in 2013. The council tax changes have led to the reclassification of a number of properties.

This information is not held centrally.

This information is not held centrally.

Fulfilling the commitment made within the Housing to 2040 route map, we are currently in the process of reviewing the Housing for Varying Needs design guide. The guide offers good practice in the design of homes in order to help them achieve a good standard of accessibility and flexibility. Where possible, all new affordable homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards.

Over the coming months, we will publish a consultation on proposed changes to the guide. As part of this consultation we plan to seek views on the introduction of building standards in 2025-26 to underpin a new Scottish Accessible Homes Standard, which all new homes will need to achieve, regardless of tenure.