Chamber and committees

Funding for devices was provided to local authorities by the Scottish Government. As such, local authorities undertook their own procurement exercises and devices purchased became assets of, and are managed by individual local authorities. Decisions on their use, are taken locally. We do not hold information on how devices are used and monitored.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many households have received the single person’s council tax discount in each year between 1999 and 2003, broken down by local authority.

The Scottish Government does hold data on how many households have received the single person’s council tax discount in each year between 2004 and 2021, broken down by local authority.

A copy of the table has been placed in SPICE - BIB number 63208.

Private sector landlords in Scotland are subject to the same regulatory requirements, irrespective of the number of properties they let.

Most private landlords are required to apply for registration with their local authority under Part 8 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 . The applicant must provide information to help local authorities assess whether they are a fit and proper person to let houses.

The fit and proper person test is intended to provide a level of assurance that the owner of a let property is a suitable person to let privately rented property. It is a standard that all private landlords are required to uphold throughout the time that they operate as a private landlord.

In addition, where the property in question is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), the landlord must apply for a licence. The HMO owner or their agent is subject to the fit and proper person test, and the property is subject to inspection by the local authority and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Local authorities are responsible for administering Landlord Registration and Houses in Multiple Occupation licensing.

From 1 December 2017, new tenancy agreements for most privately rented properties would be Private Residential Tenancies and tenants will also therefore be afforded the rights and protections flowing from that regulatory framework (as set out in Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016).

Our New Deal for Tenant's consultation, which runs until the 15 April, makes clear that all tenants should live in properties where quality and standards are high, and people have clear rights. It also seeks views on our vision for the future regulation of the rental sector - setting out that regulation should seek tenure neutral outcomes for tenants in all sectors, empowers tenants through routes to redress failures and support good standards across the rented sector.

The Housing to 2040 strategy and the New Deal for Tenants Draft Strategy consultation both encourage professionalism in the housing industry. The consultation particularly seeks views on how to drive up standards in the private rented sector, including around training.

The Scottish Government is working to deliver the Care Experience Grant which will provide young care experienced people age 16-25 with, additional financial support and security as they move into adulthood; and support their financial wellbeing. This £200 annual grant will benefit around 50,000 young people. Officials are currently engaging with stakeholders and potential partners to identity the best delivery mechanism for the Grant.

In 2021-22 the Scottish Government distributed over £12 million to support the provision of free welfare and debt advice. This vital funding ensures that people who are struggling the most can access the support they need in a way that works for them – be it face to face, online or over the phone. Care leavers and individuals with care experience can access this advice.

Additionally, eligible care leavers can request aftercare from the local authority who had responsibility for providing their care. Aftercare support can include: financial support to meet essential accommodation and maintenance costs, such as travel and other necessary living expenses; information or advice.

Our decision-making criteria agreed between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Information Commissioner defines the roles and responsibilities of different parties in relation to FOI request handling, including the role of Special Advisers in providing views and comments and is available here .

Documentation for all FOI requests is held in individual case files. We do not keep a collated record of all cases on which Special Advisers have been asked to comment, since we have no business need to do so.

There are currently no plans to undertake such a review. The Scottish Government receives a low level of correspondence about how the system of house buying and selling operates in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has been working with other organisations across the UK, including UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Sea Mammal Research Unit and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science to investigate the unusually large numbers of emaciated and dead seabirds that were found along the North Sea coasts in autumn 2021.

Due to the long life spans of many seabird species, the full impacts of the increased mortality in 2021 may not be evident for a number of years. However, long term monitoring of populations and individual survival at some seabird colonies may provide an indication of the impacts of the recent mortality event, although these data will only become available from the autumn of 2022.

The Scottish Government do not have a remit in relation to the training and skills of the housing sector workforce, social landlords have a duty to train their staff appropriately and this includes the upcoming delivery of any Housing to 2040 outcomes, and private landlords must meet the legal standards required, but specific professional training is not essential.

The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities through the local government funding settlement for the provision of continuing care and aftercare services, which includes provision of accommodation for care leavers. Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide support to eligible care leavers and it is the responsibility of each authority to decide how funds are allocated to services within their area.