Chamber and committees

A local authority can introduce a visitor levy scheme where the statutory guidance produced under section 23 of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 has not been published.

The relationships, sexual health and parenthood education consultation report will be published in the coming weeks. I will ensure the member is sent a link to the report when it is published.

Between 1999 and 2023, 28 of the 32 Local Authorities transferred funds into their Housing Revenue Account. It is important to note that Ministerial consent is not necessarily required for such transactions and would depend on the fund from which the transfer was made. Ministerial consent has been requested and granted by the following local authorities:

• Midlothian Council – 2022-23 – use of capital grant to meet HRA loans fund repayments (as part of the Local Government pay deal)
• West Dunbartonshire Council – 2022-23 – use of capital grant to meet HRA loans fund repayments (as part of the Local Government pay deal)
• Falkirk 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 - hostel grant transfer
• East Ayrshire Council – 2012-13 - transfer from the repairs and renewal fund to the HRA for 5 years
• Stirling Council – 2009-10 - use of Capital Grant for Homelessness Hostel
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar – 2006-07 - closure of HRA & transfer of reserves
• Edinburgh Council – 2006-07 - transfer from Repairs and Renewals Fund
• West Dunbartonshire council – 2005-06 – transfer from Housing Trading Account to HRA

Consent was also provided on an all-Scotland basis in 2023-24 to allow local authorities a specific flexibility to replace revenue reserves earmarked for capital purposes with capital grant, thereby allowing the release of those revenue reserves to meet the costs of the 2023-24 Local Government pay award.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28357 on 23 July 2024. 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 Government plans to launch a public consultation on a cruise ship levy before the end of the year, to formally hear the views of those potentially affected by such a levy.

The Scottish Government continue to work at pace with COSLA to develop a Fiscal Framework underpinned by an Accountability and Assurance Framework. The concept of a power of general competence for local government is a consideration in those discussions.

This work is being supported by working groups consisting of Scottish Government officials, COSLA officers and representatives of CIPFA Directors of Finance and SOLACE.

The Government is open to giving local authorities the power to introduce a cruise ship levy. We will therefore be engaging with local authorities, the cruise ship industry, and others over the coming months to explore this issue further and develop more detailed proposals. We plan to launch a public consultation on a potential cruise ship levy before the end of the year.

The Scottish Government supports several small bodies that provide Scots language teaching resources for use in schools. Education Scotland and the Open University also make an important contribution to this. In addition, the Scottish Languages Bill, currently making its way through Parliament includes Scots provisions which will strengthen this support. In relation to Scots provisions, the Bill will also require Scottish Ministers to consult with those that have an interest in both the promotion of Scots and in the publication of Scots books and resources. We are confident that these measures will improve the resources available for teaching Scots in the classroom.

The refreshed Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Action Plan was published in June 2023. The Learning for Sustainability Leadership Group – which meets quarterly – is overseeing delivery. The Leadership Group commenced an annual stocktake process in July to assess progress against the Action Plan and to agree key priorities for 2024-25.

Further to the Scottish Government’s response to S6W-25156 on 22 February 2024, key areas of progress since publication of the Action Plan include:

? The development of a new LfS Mentor Network, which launched in February 2024 with over 97 engagements undertaken in its first 6 weeks, which reached more than 600 practitioners across 20 local authorities. The Network provides a forum for educators to provide peer-to-peer support and advice;

? The formation of a sub-working group leading on development of LfS Indicators that will support practitioners and wider stakeholders to embed a whole-school approach to LfS and delivery of our Target 2030 vision;

? The creation of a range of resources that draw on examples and activities from across Scotland to support educators to deliver good practice approaches to LfS. These resources will be hosted on the new and bespoke LfS online portal that launches in Autumn; and

? Continued close engagement with Education Scotland, His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education (HMIE), the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council to help consider alignment of LfS principles and approaches as part of on-going reviews of relevant inspection frameworks and practitioner standards.

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 .

This is an operational matter for the agencies referred to. I have asked the agencies’ Chief Executives to respond directly to you with the information requested.