Chamber and committees

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact the British Transport Police.

Children’s Social Work Statistics data provides an annual breakdown of the number of children and young people being looked after in community and residential placement types. However, data is not currently collected on reasons for homelessness or the linkage with parental outcomes including parental imprisonment.

Table 1 shows the number of children looked after on 31 July in kinship care and foster care placement types between 2013 and 2022. Publication tables in the Children’s Social Work Statistics publication show that on 31 July 2022 a total of 12,596 children were looked after compared to 16,032 on 31 July 2013. 4,249 (34%) young people were looked after by kinship carers with a further 4,155 (33%) young people in foster care.

Of all children looked after, the proportion of children placed with kinship carers has increased from 26% in 2013 to 34% in 2022. Of all the children looked after, the proportion of children placed with foster carers has stayed the same between 2013 and 2022 (33%).

The budgets allocated are as follows:

Scotland’s AI Strategy was published in March 2021. Taking account of recent and fast-paced technological developments and a growing international focus on the opportunities and threats which AI can offer, it is essential that Scotland has in place a strategy which keeps us on the forefront of those developments.

In a Scottish Parliament debate on 1 June 2023, I announced that I would ask the Scottish AI Alliance Leadership Group to undertake an independent review setting out what Scotland needs to do to optimise the benefits of AI. The review will set out recommendations on how we can maximise the potential of AI whilst minimising its risk and ensuring benefit for all.

The final review report and recommendations are expected to be available in early 2024, and will be shared publicly when available. The review is not a formal update of the strategy, more a refocus and refresh given the speed of development.

Scotland’s secure accommodation centres offer an integrated model of delivery, caring for children together in locked premises under high intensity supervision. This applies regardless of the route children have been placed there.

When a child is placed in secure care, children’s safety is to the fore. Secure care centres are highly skilled and experienced in directing and restricting the contacts that a young person can have with others.

The daily care arrangements experienced by individual children are tailored to their own risk and needs, and the safety requirements of other children. This involves risk-assessing the individual child, and then formulating a plan, based on those risks and the vulnerabilities of any others with whom they may come into contact.

The two main pieces of legislation in relation to dog control are the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (“the 1991 Act”) and the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”). The 1991 Act provides for criminal law measures for dog owners and persons in charge of dogs, where a dog is ‘dangerously out of control’. The 2010 Act provides for a civil regime in respect of dog owners who allow their dogs to be ‘out of control’.

The law is clear that dog owners are responsible for the actions of their dog. For example, if an owner does not control their dog they can be given a Dog Control Notice (DCN) by a local authority dog warden. If a more serious incident occurs, consideration can be given to prosecution for having a dog that is dangerously out of control under the 1991 Act.

Further detailed information on the 2010 Act can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/updated-guidance-control-dogs-scotland-act-2010/

A Scottish Government led Short Life Working Group was established in 2022 to review the 1991 Act. The working group has undertaken its review with a wide range of views offered. The Scottish Government will use this review to help determine what may be appropriate as next steps.

In addition, legislative action has been taken to encourage greater responsibility from dog owners around livestock.

The Scottish Government supported the introduction of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, which gained Royal Assent on 5 May 2021 and came into force on 5 November 2021, as being in accordance with the advice on responsible behaviour for people walking dogs contained in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Under this law owners of dogs that attack or worry livestock can be fined up to £40,000 or face a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

From April 2021 to the end of September 2023, the Heat in Buildings Programme has spent £340m, with an additional estimated spend of £163m over the remainder of this financial year.

• The programme forecasts are showing an increased demand that supports a continuing increase in capital support across the range of schemes offered by the HiBs programme. Final outturn will be based on actual demand for schemes and final budget allocations for 24-25 and beyond.
• We are continuing to make long term commitments to funding – for example, we have recently re-procured the Warmer Homes Scotland successor scheme at a contract value of £700 million over the next 5 years.

The vast majority of dog owners are responsible people who take good care of their animals and enjoy the widespread benefits of dog ownership and companionship.

Where a dog owner is issued with a dog control notice (DCN) under the terms of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 ("the 2010 Act"), conditions are included with the DCN. While a matter for local authorities, the 2010 Act recognises that training for dogs and owners is important and as such includes a requirement to attend and complete a course of training in the control of dogs as a suggested condition that can be included in a DCN. This proportionate approach focuses on those owners who have allowed their dogs to be out of control.

More generally, the Scottish Government previously carried out a digital marketing campaign on dog control with the Scottish SPCA. This campaign has been re-run on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on a number of occasions, and directs the public to information about ‘The law on controlling your dog’ on the mygov.scot website at: https://www.mygov.scot/controlling-your-dog

This website makes clear that dog owners are responsible for the actions of their dog, and also provides links to websites for organisations such as the Scottish SPCA that contain advice and assistance on issues such as dog training.

The Scottish Government would encourage all dog owners to seek advice and assistance from reputable organisations such as the Scottish SPCA and the Dogs Trust if they require assistance with their dog/dog training.

The Scottish Government is also embarking of a number of regional engagements to help consider what more can be done by enforcers and other key stakeholders to collectively consider what else can be achieved to strengthen enforcement and help prevent and reduce the risk of dog incidents.

Young people who have been supported and supervised under the children’s hearings system are not dealt with as ‘offenders’, as would be the case in the criminal justice system. There is no retributive focus for decision-makers in the children’s hearings system. Once a compulsory supervision order (CSO) has ended or been discharged, then the implementation authority has duties regarding the necessary aftercare arrangements. Section 7 of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill would, if passed, amend the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 to enable a children’s hearing on reviewing a CSO, to consider whether after the CSO is to come to an end, the child might still need supervision or guidance after the child turns 18. In that case, the relevant local authority's duty to provide the child with that supervision or guidance continues to have effect after the child turns 18 until they turn 19. 60% of over 100 respondents to the Bill consultation in 2022 supported this. By this point, there would be no compulsion or obligation to accept offers of support. Rather, the young person may benefit from, and wish, voluntary advice, guidance and assistance as they transition to adulthood.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention and in line with Rule 9B of Standing Orders, the UK Parliament should not legislate with regard to devolved matters – that is on matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament, or which change the competence of the Parliament or the Scottish Ministers – without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Within the legislative programme announced by the UK Government, Bills which appear to give rise to the requirement for the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament are:

• Animal Welfare (Livestock Export) Bill
• Automated Vehicles Bill
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Bill
• Criminal Justice Bill
• Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill
• Tobacco and Vapes Bill
• Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (carried over) – legislative consent memorandum already lodged
• Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill (carried over) – legislative consent memorandum already lodged.

In addition, the following Bills extend to Scotland. The Scottish Government will consider the need for legislative consent when the text of these bills is available, but we do not currently expect they will generate a requirement for a legislative consent motion.

• Media Bill
• Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
• Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
• Victims and Prisoners Bill (majority of provisions apply to England and Wales)

The Scottish Government will consider the content of all Bills before making its recommendation to the Parliament on legislative consent. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that legislative consent may be required for other UK Bills and those will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise.