Chamber and committees

a) Details of Ministerial travel and gifts are proactively published on a monthly basis and can be found on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .

b) The breakdown by route and calendar year for civil servants is as follows:

Interim reporting from the pilot local authorities on the number of ELC places needed for children deferring entry to P1 has been used to inform budget settlement decisions for 2023-24. The final evaluation report will be published in May 2023 and will provide information about implementation in pilot areas and explore the impact of the pilot on parental awareness and perceptions of the entitlement.

We are aware that, currently nine Health and Social Care Partnerships have fully implemented the guidance on the provision of short-term wheelchair loans, with a further three in the early implementation stage.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15876 on 24 March 2023. 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 .

A multi-stakeholder task group has been established to progress the most effective route for implementation of the strategy. As well as a subgroup of experts to investigate and a define place criteria for roads that are appropriate for 20 mph speed limits.

Recognising the need to identify the number of roads affected and the financial implications, the Scottish Government has supported local authorities with an additional £1.4 million in funding to undertake the necessary roads assessments. This work is scheduled to conclude in Spring 2023 and will enable the multi-partner 20 mph Task Group to then scope the next steps and options for implementation.

Communication plans are being developed, with research underway to shape a national campaign that will focus on promoting the benefits of lower speeds and encourage behaviour change pre and post implementation.

As the intention is to work with existing land owners, NatureScot do not anticipate that the investment will contribute to increased land values as a result of the sale or purchase of land. However, investing in natural capital may increase land values as it improves the condition of the land and subsequently increases the potential for land managers to generate revenue from the sale of ecosystem services. This is an unavoidable outcome of delivering our nature restoration targets.

Community benefits, such as those referred to, will be explored during the design phase of the project.

NatureScot approached the Scottish Land Commission to provide advice so that the design of the investment meets the expectations for community engagement, benefit and ownership that are set out in the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital. Neither the Scottish Land Commission nor NatureScot will be paid by the investors for their advice.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023 . 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 .

We will consult with stakeholders and the public this year to gather and consider their views on future changes to speed limit policies and speed management measures.

The Scottish Government will look to publish the findings and conclusions thereafter.

The Scottish Government welcomes today’s publication of the Independent Review (the “Review”) of the Scottish Welfare Fund (the “SWF”) . The Review highlights the importance of the SWF as a national safety net. It provides an essential source of crisis support and helps with independent living. The Review confirms that local delivery remains the right approach for getting financial assistance to people in need.

The SWF is a lifeline for many people and the Review recognises the positive impact it has on recipients. We acknowledge the SWF is a vital service and note its importance at a time of crisis. We therefore want to ensure it is a programme that continues to deliver for people in the best way possible. After a decade in place, it is time to make improvements to ensure the SWF remains a robust and reliable service. That is why we commissioned Ipsos Scotland to undertake this comprehensive Review. We thank all those who have been involved in the Review and for the suggestions for improvement.

Since the SWF began in 2013, in excess of £360 million has been paid to more than 490,000 households. The current financial pressures facing many households and the hardship that brings has shone a spotlight on the need for such emergency funds, and we can be proud we have a national service like the SWF in place to provide support for people in need. There is no doubt that the current cost of living crisis and the inadequacy of UK Government welfare for everyday living has contributed to increased demand for the SWF.

We note there is no desire for a centralised SWF system, but it is clear we must increase parity and consistency of application and decision making across the country, as well as improving the promotion of the SWF. These will be central to our improvement actions.

We will now act on the findings of the Review and assess future sustainability of the SWF. We will establish a Policy Advisory Group to inform an action plan to make the improvements the SWF needs to ensure it continues to deliver for those in need. We will also continue to work closely with Councils and stakeholders in this work and plan to publish the action plan by the end of Spring 2023.

We will address directly the suggestions for improvement in the Review and take action to ensure grants are delivered consistently, effectively and efficiently by:

• Improving clarity and consistency of communication and promotion of the SWF to the public so no matter where people live, they know what they are eligible for, to maximise knowledge about the SWF from before and through the application process;
• Increasing and strengthening consistency of decision making to address the disparity between council areas;
• Increasing awareness and improving accessibility to the SWF;
• Simplifying and streamlining the application process including the form content;
• Reducing processing timescales and assessment prioritisation;
• Updating statutory guidance; and,
• Creating a new data, monitoring and audit approach.

Our approach to the action plan will be guided by four key objectives, which are to:

1. Assess the evidence base from the Review and develop policy improvements in collaboration with stakeholders including through a Policy Advisory Group;

2. Strengthen the relationship with delivery partners in Local Authorities, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the Scottish Prison Service, ensuring that policy improvements are implemented well;

3. Implement policy improvements in a sustainable way and establish an outcome auditing process to measure ongoing effectiveness; and,

4. Support the sharing of best practice and communicate positive outcomes driven by the SWF in the longer-term.