Chamber and committees

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is the independent, regulatory body for the teaching profession and are responsible for the accreditation and approval of all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. They will only approve programmes which meet the requirements in their Guidelines for Accreditation of ITE Programmes. The Framework specifically asks how student teachers are supported to develop an understanding of a range of pedagogy approaches in a number of key areas. One of the key areas is health and wellbeing education with mental health education being included in this theme.

ITE providers regularly meet to discuss the quality of their provision and, on 8 June, held a symposium covering health and wellbeing. The learning from this symposium will inform future revisions to programmes.

Following the First Minister’s announcement on 13 July, we will update our published guidance for marriage ceremonies and wedding receptions as soon as possible to take account of the new arrangements. In advance of that, we are writing to our principal contacts within the wedding sector to highlight the key changes we will make to the guidance to set out the impact.

The Employee Voice indicator in the National Performance Framework draws on data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which is run by the Office for National Statistics. This is the largest household study in the UK and provides the official measures of employment, unemployment and economic inactivity.

Performance of the Employee Voice indicator is determined by a change of ±1.5 percentage points between the current year’s headline (i.e. all of Scotland) figure and the previous year’s headline figure.

The system of sampling used for the LFS provides a representative sample of the population at a regional level, but provides no guarantee of adequate coverage of any individual industry (as the survey is not industrially stratified). Industry category is self-reported by respondents participating in the survey and questions relating to collective agreements on pay are asked in the October to December survey period.

As a result, the Employee Voice indicator is based on a sample that is representative for Scotland as a whole, but may or may not be representative for any particular industry within Scotland.

Therefore, the Employee Voice indicator will have sampled workers from the transport industry, but those included in the sample may not cover all the sectors within that industry.

Transport Scotland’s Procurement Strategy plays a key role in achieving Transport Scotland’s Vision to create a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, which in turn will help to deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. It aligns to the Scottish Government’s procurement policy and assists in achieving its national outcomes.

Although Transport Scotland does not regularly measure its public procurement policies in the ferries sector against the National Performance Framework specifically, it publishes an Annual Procurement Report, which reports on Transport Scotland’s regulated procurements.

The Transport Scotland’s Annual Procurement Report 2020 was published in January 2021 and reported on compliance with commitments made in our Corporate Procurement Strategy and includes a summary of community benefits generated through Transport Scotland ferries contracts.

A direct comparison of the costs of renting and buying is complicated because a range of factors need to be taken into account. For example, the capital element of a repayment mortgage creates an asset for the owner, which rent does not; conversely, renters will need to provide a smaller deposit than home owners. Other factors that should be included in a comparison are that, unlike a renter, an owner will be liable for costs such as buildings insurance, repairs and maintenance, and LBTT. It is unclear from the Hamptons Report whether any allowance has been made for these factors in their methodology.

In the year to end September 2020, the average 2-bedroom rent in Scotland was £689, [1] as compared with £793 in England. [2] In May 2021, private rental prices rose by an annual 1.3% in Scotland as compared with 1.1% in England. In April 2021, the average house price in Scotland was £160,632, up by an annual 6.3%, while the average house price in England was £268,321, up by annual 8.9%. [3]

We are committed to ensuring that everyone has a warm, comfortable and safe place to live, and to expanding our social and affordable housing stock. Housing to 2040 , Scotland’s vision for housing to 2040, includes a commitment to take action to ensure the housing market operates more fairly across Scotland, providing affordable housing options and choices in all communities.

For the social and private rented sector, we will publish a new draft Rented Sector Strategy, by the end of this year, which will be consulted upon in 2022. The Strategy will be informed by those most affected, that will seek to improve accessibility, affordability and standards across the whole rented sector.

These commitments, builds on the significant reforms already put in place through our 2016 Private Housing Tenancies Act, which provided private renters with a range of new rights and greater security, stability and predictability in their rents. We will also reform Rent Pressure Zones, so that this is a workable tool for local authorities to address high rents in localised areas.

[1] Scottish Government, Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2020

[2] ONS, Private rental market summary statistics in England: April 2020 to March 2021

[3] UK House Price Index

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01146 on‎ 1 July 2010. 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

The New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) scheme aims to assist first time buyers and priority access groups to purchase a new build home from a local authority or housing association. There are no set criteria for determining a “significant change of circumstances”. Decisions on when to apply flexibility to the primary eligibility criteria are considered on a case by case basis, based on the evidence available and demand from the primary target groups.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme: process and procedures guidance provides further information - Affordable Housing Supply Programme: process and procedures MHDGN 2020/02 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Ministers have tasked CalMac Ferries Ltd and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to seek out potential charter opportunities and the MV Arrow is one vessel that is being considered.

The First Minister announced on 22 June that on 9 August, subject to confirmation nearer the time, all physical distancing requirements will be removed.

Ferry operators have been planning for the removal of physical distancing in order to increase passenger capacity wherever possible.

Any additional passenger capacity released will be made available on a first come, first served basis, as per the terms of the Clyde & Hebrides and Northern Isles ferry services contracts.

We held a number of meetings with a range of stakeholders during the parliamentary passage of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act), which gained Royal Assent on 1 October 2020. This included Grandparents Apart UK and Shared Parenting Scotland who provide support to those seeking contact with their grandchildren.

Section 11ZA(3)(f) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (the 1995 Act), as inserted by section 16 of the 2020 Act, introduces additional factors for the court to consider before making an order under section 11 of the 1995 Act. The 1995 Act is the key legislation on parental responsibilities and rights, contact and residence. This includes that the court must consider the effect that an order might have on the child’s important relationships with other people, which could include grandparents.

We have also engaged with Shared Parenting Scotland and Grandparents Apart UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.