- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Renfrewshire Council regarding a letter from the headteacher of Cross Arthurlie Primary School to families of P7 pupils, which reportedly implied that their use of the Union Flag at an event may have been perceived as offensive or sectarian.
Answer
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place to ensure that schools remain politically neutral in how they present national symbols such as the Union Flag.
Answer
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what training or guidance is provided to head teachers on the appropriate use of national symbols, including the Union Flag, in educational settings.
Answer
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to schools on how to promote national pride through the act of flag flying with symbols such as the Saltire and the Union Flag.
Answer
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what resources are provided to schools to teach the meaning and significance of national symbols such as the Saltire and Union Flag.
Answer
Answer expected on 30 July 2025
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords in circumstances where a tenant is the liable person for council tax but they are not making payments to ensure that the bills are covered and any situation of arrears can be addressed.
Answer
In Scotland, typically the responsibility for Council Tax liability falls to the occupier of the property, not the owner. The exceptions to this general position may apply in specific circumstances, such as where a property is exempt, or let as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) where the owner has the responsibility to pay Council Tax.
Generally, landlords are not expected to take responsibility for ensuring that tenants pay Council Tax, and would not be aware of the payments arrangements between the council and the occupant for Council Tax purposes.
The collection and enforcement of Council Tax is governed by legislation and administered by local authorities. Collection rates for Council Tax are consistently high compared to other forms of taxation, averaging around 97% in recent years.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 10 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average timescale is for an application that is submitted by a private landlord to evict a tenant to be heard at the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).
Answer
This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords who are considering issuing a tenant with a notice to leave on the grounds of abandonment because they are no longer believed to be living at a property, but mail is occasionally collected from the building.
Answer
In Scotland, if a private residential tenant abandons a property, the landlord must follow a specific legal procedure to regain possession. They must serve a formal notice to leave, which sets out the ground for eviction (the reason why they are asking the tenant to leave), and provide them with the correct legal notice period.
The ground “Not occupying let property” is intended to cover cases where the tenant has abandoned the property.
When issuing the notice to end a tenancy, the landlord should use the communication method agreed set out in the Tenancy Agreement. They should keep records of all attempts to contact the tenant. Where post is being collected and rent continues to be paid, this may indicate a tenant continues to occupy the let property.
Once the notice period has ended, the landlord can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland an Order granting permission to repossess the property.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what instructions it expects local authorities to provide to parking attendants regarding the issuing of penalty charge notices in situations where a car is not displaying a ticket but the driver states that they were collecting a prepaid voucher from a machine and that this is the only reason why it was not affixed to the vehicle.
Answer
It is the responsibility of each local authority, who operates Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, to provide guidance to ensure their parking attendants are issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) lawfully and the level of discretion that can be applied in individual situations. It is not for the Scottish Government to specify when discretion should be applied. Stringent appeals processes are also in place to assist those who feel they may have been issued a PCN unfairly.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to local authorities to ensure that disabled, older and infirmed people are supported, when required, to park their vehicles in local authority car parks without incurring a penalty charge notice, and when any such guidance was last reviewed.
Answer
It is the responsibility of each local authority, who operates Decriminalised Parking Enforcement to ensure their parking attendants are issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) lawfully and the level of discretion that can be applied in individual situations. It is not for the Scottish Government to specify when discretion should be applied. Stringent appeals processes are also in place to assist those who feel they may have been issued a PCN unfairly.