Chamber and committees

We commissioned this work in response to the recommendations the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group made for ending homelessness. We very much welcome the Prevention Review Group recommendations and we are grateful for the commitment Crisis and other partners have shown in delivering their report, in particular the vital role people with lived experience of homelessness had in shaping the recommendations.

We accepted the recommendations in principle earlier this year and will now consult with our partners across public services, people with experience of homelessness and the wider public as we fully consider the detail of the suite of recommendations, to ensure that their introduction leads to stronger housing rights for people in Scotland. Shifting the balance of services and response towards prevention is more important than ever as we work to recover from the public health crisis.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) provides clear guidance to public bodies on Property acquisition, disposal and management. There is no reference within that guidance to the maximising of receipts from the sale of land but rather a duty for each body subject to the SPFM to consider the most appropriate method for disposal either by:

1. obtaining the best possible price on the open market, or;

2. disposal of the asset at less than Market Value to deliver wider public benefits consistent with the principles of Best Value, or;

3. transfer under the Guidelines for the Transfer of Property within the Scottish Public Sector.

The costs and benefits of disposal via one of these routes will have been determined on a case by case basis when considering the method of disposal by the public body in question and any audit of such a transaction would be undertaken by Audit Scotland as part of their audit work. The duty of Best Value applies to all public bodies in Scotland and is a formal duty on Accountable Officers.

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 sets out the rights for community bodies to seek to acquire rights in any land and property held by a named public body. Guidance has been published both for relevant authorities and community bodies which explains the how any such application is to be handled. The legislation does not comment on whether disposals should be at market value or at a discount. As with all publicly-owned assets, where a disposal is being considered at less than market value, the public body decisions should be consistent with the principles of Best Value.

The recommendations we received from the Prevention Review Group are comprehensive and are likely to require significant updates to existing legislation as well as the development of new duties for the public sector. We are currently considering the most appropriate vehicles for implementing these changes which we will confirm in due course.

No decision on timings has yet been taken in relation to a new housing bill within this Parliament.

A decision on a future round of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme will be taken following the current round which is due to close in June of this year. In line with the Scottish Government’s “Stability and Simplicity” approach set out in its June 2018 consultation, simplifications and improvements will be made, and potential new schemes for longer term policy piloted, between 2021-2024.

Sea Eagle Management Scheme payments will remain with NatureScot for the time being, but may be included in other approaches to future agri-environment support currently being piloted by NatureScot in partnership with the Scottish Government.

Our review of maternity and neonatal services, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, recommended that all women receive continuity of maternity and obstetric care. The roll out of continuity of carer has started in all Boards, but further roll out was paused in many areas in light of COVID. The Best Start Programme Board has recently reconvened and is looking at remobilising continuity of carer and how that might be prioritised.

The Scottish Government understands how difficult ongoing restrictions at funeral services are for those who are bereaved and wish to pay their final respects to a loved one.

We continue to review all of the funeral restrictions on a regular basis taking into account the stage of the pandemic, the public health risks and the impact on bereaved families.

The conclusion of the physical distancing review is expected shortly, which will consider the implications of 2 metre physical distancing at funeral services.

The Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football was commissioned by the Scottish FA Board in late 2016 and began work in the first quarter of 2017. In summary the terms of reference (developed in conjunction with some survivors) were to examine what was known at the time of the abuse in Scottish Football, who knew and what action was taken as a result.

The purpose of the Review was not to find fault or to attribute blame but rather was about learning from the experiences of the past with a view to improving the way that Scottish football assures the safety, rights and wellbeing of children involved in the game today where necessary. This is set out at para 1.2 of the full report when it says “the Review is not concerned with attributing culpability or liability” and further “Attributing blame and engaging in a finger-pointing exercise is not helpful and is almost always unproductive, detracting from ensuring that the right change takes place with the commitment of us all” and “the narrative of ‘failure’ and ‘blame’ is one which the Review is keen to resist in order to focus on learning and improvement which is of more productive value.”

The Review accepts that knowledge and practices were markedly different in the past than they are now, and recognises the recent efforts of the Scottish FA and its members to put in place a Child Protection and Wellbeing Strategy. It makes clear that continued culture change is imperative – this includes continuing to work closely with survivors to improve processes, challenging distorted thinking about sexual conduct or violence and creating positive attitudes to mental health. The Scottish Government fully support those aims.

We welcome this report and will review its findings in detail. We are absolutely committed to working with local government to support the realisation of the right to adequate housing.

In March 2021, the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership published its recommendations for a new human rights framework in Scotland that brings internationally recognised human rights into domestic law. The report contains 30 progressive and ambitious recommendations for a new human rights framework that will ensure the human rights of every member of Scottish society are protected.

The Scottish Government has accepted the recommendations and a Human Rights Bill will be introduced to parliament during this parliamentary session. The involvement of the public and further consultation with stakeholders will be crucial in developing this framework. An executive board will be established comprising of senior decision makers from public authorities to ensure there is capacity across the public sector to implement the Bill.

We are also committed to introducing a new housing standard for all homes in Scotland which will include improved energy efficiency requirements. It will go beyond traditional models of fitness for human habitation to a new model that meets expectations for housing as a human right and delivers homes that underpin health and wellbeing. We will consult on the new standard this year, publish a draft standard in 2023 and introduce legislation in 2024/25, for phased introduction from 2025 to 2030.

The Scottish Government has carefully considered the findings of the review by Laura Dunlop QC, James Hamilton’s Ministerial Code inquiry and the Scottish Parliament Harassment Committee’s report and is publishing its composite response today.

The process to return Glasgow Prestwick Airport to the private sector continues. To protect the integrity of the process we will not be making any further comment at this time and will update Parliament at the appropriate time.