Chamber and committees

We recognise that local carer support services have been under additional pressure during the pandemic.

Local authorities and integration authorities are responsible for carer support under the Carers Act and commission third sector organisations to provide much of that support on their behalf. The 2021-22 budget contains an additional £28.5 million in the local government settlement for Carers Act implementation. Added to similar (baselined) increases in previous years since the Act came into force in April 2018, this brings the total additional investment for 2021-22 to £68 million per year.

The previous Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport wrote to local authorities in March 2021 to highlight the importance of using this additional funding to expand carer support: www.gov.scot/publications/carers-act-finance-2021-2022-letter .

The Scottish Government also funds the Time to Live scheme, administered by Shared Care Scotland, to enable local carer organisations to provide small grants for carers to spend on short breaks or something that gives them a break from caring. In response to the pandemic, we have put an additional £910,000 into the scheme in 2020-21 and a further £250,000 in 2021-22.

The Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism has been completed. The report is being finalised and is expected to be published soon.

As set out in the response to PQ S6W-01778 on 5 August 2021, the consultation on not proven will be taken forward early in the upcoming parliamentary term.

At the jury research engagement events held mainly last year, with a substantial number of legal professionals as well as survivors and victims, concerns were raised about the not proven verdict, such as lack of understanding, juror confusion and perceived stigma.

However, these are complex issues and many participants felt that the third verdict should be retained, or highlighted the interconnectedness of the system, so it is right that we consider these issues carefully.

Once these views have been gathered and analysed, the Government will set out the next steps and timescales.

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 .

Challenging behaviour is often the result of extreme frustrations in communication and Scottish Government recognises the challenges this brings for everyone. Scottish Government, together with the Scottish Commission for People with a Learning Disability, established the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Community of Practice to embed the principles of PBS nationally and locally.

Alongside this, Scottish Government funded the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Postgraduate Certificate which is currently being delivered to a range of practitioners across Scotland to improve specialist skills locally, for the benefit of individuals and families.

Parallel to this is the work of the Scottish Network for Reduction of Restrictive Practices (SNRRP) in recognition of the fact that the use of restrictive practices with people who have been identified as vulnerable in Scotland, including children, adults, and older adults is a significant concern. The aim of the SNRRP is to eliminate the misuse of restrictive practices in Scotland and to ensure that where these are used, they are done so safely, with respect for people’s human rights, and in a culture of openness and transparency. The network also exists to promote the use of positive alternative approaches to the use of restrictive practices.

The Scottish Government is undertaking a range of action to support local authorities to promote positive relationships and behaviour in schools. This includes investment in various violence reduction preventative approaches with young people across Scotland, which take place locally through schools or the local community, curricular learning on positive relationships and support for a whole school approach to promoting positive relationships and behaviour.

Our current Higher Education (HE) student support package provides a maximum income of £7,750, through a combination of bursaries and loans, for both young (those under 25 before the start of the academic year) and independent students (those over 25 at the start of the academic year) in the lowest income group, who are not care-experienced.

The Scottish Government has committed to a range of student support improvements including to expand the maximum total support package available to students over the next three years to reach the equivalent of the living wage. As part of that, consideration will be given to the financial support made available to both young and independent students.

Police Scotland have advised that there are currently 256 body worn cameras in use within North East Division and 5 body worn cameras in use within Fife Division. These are in daily use and managed in accordance with Data Protection impact assessments.

In addition, Police Scotland have access to 50 body worn cameras available from legacy force areas, including the Football Policing Unit.

Police Scotland have confirmed that they are proceeding with the development and introduction of additional body worn cameras for armed policing officers in advance of the Climate Change conference COP26 in November 2021.

The issue of body-worn cameras is a policy and operational decision for Police Scotland, acting under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. However, as part of our budget allocation for policing this year, we have provided one-off funding of £500,000 to support their use by armed officers.

Police Scotland are currently running a public consultation on a wider roll-out body-worn video across the service which will assist them in protecting the public, their officers and staff and provide best evidence at court.

This consultation launched on the 1 June and is due to close on 31 August 2021. The results will help inform protocols, a code of practice and training to ensure that cameras are used in appropriate and proportionate way .

Regulations revoking the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 were made today.

These new Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 will take effect on Monday, 9 August 2021.

The regulations provide that relevant hospitality and entertainment premises are required to obtain and record visitor information for the purpose of preventing the spread of coronavirus or monitoring the spread of infection and the incidence of coronavirus disease.

The regulations also require persons responsible for places of worship, carrying on a business or providing a service to have regard to relevant guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers about measures to minimise risk of exposure to coronavirus.

The regulations provide that persons in specified indoor places must wear a face covering unless a specific exemption applies.

The regulations require persons who use a passenger transport service or passenger transport service premises to wear a face covering unless a specific exemption applies.

The regulations cap numbers at live events at 5000 people for events held outdoors and at 2000 people for events held indoors subject to local authority approval of higher attendance limits in accordance with the process set out in the regulations.

The regulations provide for the enforcement of the regulations.

The regulations require Scottish Ministers to review the requirements at least once every 21 days and the regulations require Scottish Ministers to revoke any requirement as soon as it is no longer necessary.

The Regulations have been published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2021/277

This Government's recent manifesto stated that this review will consider reform of corroboration, and the three verdict system, including - in recognition of the strong case that can be made for abolition - a consultation on the removal of the not-proven verdict.

The Scottish Government has committed to engaging further with justice partners and opposition parties on corroboration to develop a shared understanding of the evolving legal position and the implications and potential unintended consequences of reform, while continuing discussions with those with direct experience of the system. These discussions will be arranged after parliament returns from recess.

The consultation on not proven will be taken forward early in the upcoming parliamentary term.

The Scottish Government has committed to a review of the Victim Notification Scheme and work in relation to this is being taken forward.

The minutes from the meeting of the Victims Taskforce on 10 March 2021 where this matter was discussed can be accessed here: Victims Taskforce papers: March 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .