Chamber and committees

We estimate that an additional 2,400 pupils across 23 primary schools within the Airdrie and Shotts constituency will be entitled to receive a free school lunch after the rollout of universal free school meals to include all primary school children is completed. In addition, all 5,300 children attending these primary schools will be entitled to receive a free school breakfast.

The Scottish Government recognises that free school meals are a vital support to thousands of children and young people across the country - ensuring that children are fed and ready to engage in learning. They are also a valued support for family budgets, providing a saving of approximately £400 per year per child. We are providing an additional £49.75 million in 2021-22 to support the expansion of universal free school meals to primary 4 and primary 5 children, and for targeted free school meal support during all school holidays to all primary and secondary children who are eligible.

Social Security Scotland publish statistics for Carer’s Allowance Supplement at local authority level. We do not currently produce statistics by constituency due to the possible disclosure risks caused by producing statistics for overlapping geographies. We will continue to review this when developing future publications.

Since Carer's Allowance Supplement was introduced in April 2018, payments have been made to 9,650 carers in North Lanarkshire local authority area who were eligible on at least one eligibility date from April 2018 to October 2020. For the latest eligibility date of October 2020, payments were made to 7,135 carers in North Lanarkshire.

The most recent statistics were published on 23 rd February 2021 and covered carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance Supplement to the October 2020 eligibility date. This information is available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/carers-allowance-supplement-october-eligibility-date-2020-and-carers-allowance-disability-living-allowance-attendance-allowance-and-severe-disablement-allowance-at-august-2020-statistics/ . The next publication of Official Statistics is due to be released in August 2021, and will include information to the April 2021 eligibility date.

We are currently considering options to deliver this policy which will be informed by pilot projects. Further information on the age groups to be covered will be confirmed once the details have been agreed.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews restrictions on indoor and outdoor socialising to ensure they are appropriate and proportionate to the health risks and the direct harms of the virus. This past year has been highly challenging for our young people who have had to stay away from family members living in other households, including grandparents. We have made significant progress in suppressing the virus and vaccinating a growing proportion of the population over the last few months, but the virus has not gone away and we remain at risk from new, more transmissible variants which may become resistant to the vaccines. The Scottish Government’s approach is that only children under 12 years old do not count towards numbers indoors and outdoors, although they do count towards the number of households indoors. Close contact does still carry risks especially if it is indoors and amongst large groups of adults from multiple households. In recognition of the effects on young people’s health and wellbeing, the Scottish Government has allowed 4 12-17 year olds from 4 different households to meet outdoors in Level 4, increasing to 6 people (including 12-17 year olds) from 6 households in Level 3, 8 people from 8 households in Level 2 and this will increase to 12 people from 12 households in Level 1. Additionally, from 17 May the guidance was changed to make it clear that people can hug family members and loved ones indoors in a private dwelling or in their garden within the permitted limits.

We are currently considering options to deliver this scheme which will be informed by pilot projects. The eligibility criteria will be confirmed once the details have been agreed.

We acknowledge how challenging this past year has been for everyone in our society, including places of worship. We are grateful to all of Scotland’s faith and belief communities for all they have done to keep their congregations safe and to support our communities during this unprecedented time.

From 26 April, we moved towards greater easing of the health protection restrictions, with the removal of the 50 person limit in places of worship; instead the numbers of people who can attend are limited according to the building capacity and physical distancing of two metres, along with other measures informed by a risk assessment.

The Scottish Government is reviewing physical distancing including its impact on places of worship and an announcement of the outcome of this review is due ahead of the planned move to Level 1 on 7 June. Sectoral guidance will be further updated at that time to reflect the outcome of the review, including proposals for as clear a route as possible to the reduction/removal of physical distancing to enable people and organisations to plan effectively for a full reopening. Physical distancing has been an important tool for controlling the virus, but as with all restrictions, we will only have this in place as long as is necessary

The Scottish Government has to balance the harms from the virus which are potentially fatal, with the impact on faith and belief communities of the restrictions on places of worship. However, please be reassured that the Scottish Government understands the important role of congregational worship in supporting spiritual, mental and social wellbeing and will continue to engage with faith and belief communities regarding the scope for further easing.

We are currently considering options to deliver this scheme which will be informed by pilot projects. Final decisions on how the policy will be implemented will determine the number of bikes required.

I refer the member to the recent press release dated 22 May 2021 which is available on the Scottish Government website and can be found at www.gov.scot/news/scotlands-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-in-india/ .

We are currently considering options to deliver this policy. No decision has been made on suppliers of bikes.

The Scottish government will of course stay in close contact on any consideration of animal welfare labelling both by the UK government and the European Union.