Chamber and committees

My questions, which follow on from the convener’s initial questions, are about children in temporary accommodation. I feel that the tackling child poverty delivery plan lacks action on that issue. Today, more than 7,500 children in Scotland live in temporary accommodation, and the time that children spend in temporary accommodation has doubled. Does that issue need to be looked at again in the plan? As an Edinburgh MSP, I have to say that we are in a crisis situation. I will bring Alison Watson back in first.

I thank the witnesses for joining us this morning. Do you think that the delivery plan does enough to drive down cost of living issues? Perhaps Emma Congreve can start.

Finally, I want to ask about children in kinship care. Are there any specific asks in that regard? We know, for example, that different councils are providing different support payments. Does any of the witnesses have any views on how children who are living in a kinship care arrangement could be supported?

Does anyone want to come in on that? If not, I am happy to move on, convener.

Thank you for that. The delivery plan includes a welcome focus on employability, so I want to ask about forecasting in the labour market. Philip Whyte has already touched on a potential recession. What prospects are there for parents who are looking to enter employment or seeking to further increase income from work? I will start with Emma Congreve again and then everyone else can come in.

Thank you.

Good morning. I thank the witnesses for joining us. I want to kick off with questions on childcare, specifically in relation to barriers to work, because we often get feedback that people cannot go into the world of work due to childcare issues. As it is currently being delivered, to what extent does the policy of providing 1,140 hours of funded childcare maximise the impact on reducing child poverty and people’s ability to realise work opportunities? I ask Marion Davies to answer first. Anyone else who wants to come in should put an R in the chat function.

Thank you for that.

Finally, are you aware of regional divergence and differences in Scotland around opportunities or in the ability of parents to access employment? For example, do we have any data specifically on Edinburgh and the south-east, where, even through the pandemic, things have grown continuously? Emma Congreve, I do not know whether you have any data on that. It might be something that we need to look at. If you could write to us, that would be helpful.

That is very helpful. When we hear public bodies saying, “Lessons will be learned,” most of us think that they are learned only until the next scandal or the next issue. Whether your recommendations are followed up is really important. Has that follow-up work not been possible over the past two years because of Covid?

Those of us who support constituents have to manage expectations sometimes, as well.

My final question is on helping vulnerable people through, specifically, the Scottish welfare fund. I know that you have looked at a number of cases regarding people applying for various grants, including crisis grants. Can you tell me about the number of cases that have been coming to you for review?

Good morning, panel. I am not sure whether my microphone is on. [Interruption.] It is. Sorry.

The previous ombudsman told the predecessor local government committee that some public bodies ignored the SPSO’s recommendations or delayed in responding. Is that still the case?