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When it came out with its proposal in March, that was not really anything to do with the UK; it was simply saying to member states, “You need to get back in line because this is our competence, not your competence”.
We have also seen some of the new bodies, such as the East-West Council, which met in skeleton form in March. Those bodies need to be utilised well in order to provide a benefit.
We are maintaining front-line services with a higher number of firefighters than there are in other parts of the UK. On 31 March 2022, there were 11.3 firefighters per 10,000 population in Scotland, 6.1 in England, and 8.4 in Wales.
The Scottish Government has a budget that works on the financial year April to March, while the colleges are funded for the academic year, which is August to July.
I will not restate all the effects that members have put across so well so far today, as I know that time is marching towards the start of the chamber’s afternoon sitting.
I have said on several occasions that, in the months ahead, we will review the winter heating payment situation and consider whether payment in this period of the winter, February into March, is the right payment schedule for households.
With regard to the HMRC data, we are keen to use the powers that Scotland has had since earlier this year—March, I think. We have been in discussion with the Cabinet Office and HMRC to try to get access to that data.
In Kelty, where I live, the pipe band marched round the village every few weeks to collect food, which was then brought into Kelty club, where it was shared out.