Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34591

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to embed the key messages of the paper, Improving relationships and behaviour in schools: ensuring safe and consistent environments for all, Joint action plan 2024 - 2027, which it published with COSLA in August 2024, in light of the decision by NASUWT members at Kirkintilloch High School to take industrial action, short of striking, due to reported concerns regarding staff safety and pupil behaviour.

Violent and abusive behaviours towards pupils or staff is unacceptable. Schools should be safe and consistent learning environments for all.

Since May 2023, we have responded to schools’ concerns about relationships and behaviour in a number of ways. This includes the publication of new guidance on gender-based violence, updating our guidance on mobile phones and anti-bullying, and providing £900k to local authorities to support training of support staff.

The joint relationships and behaviour in schools action plan was developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour, of which NASUWT is a member. The plan sets out 20 actions to be taken over the next three years at both national and local level to help support schools to improve relationships and behaviour. This includes a number of actions under the theme of reducing violence and harm in schools.

The Programme for Government 2024-25 contains a commitment to report annually on progress of delivery against the plan. The first progress report will be published in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-34290

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the new duties on employers under the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, what steps are being taken to make all employers in Scotland aware of their obligations, and how commitments to the Respect principle in the Fair Work Framework will be addressed, to take account of these new duties.

The legal powers governing Health and Safety, Employment and Equality laws are reserved to the UK Government, and it is their responsibility to promote and enforce legislation in this area. However, taking action to prevent sexual harassment at work is an issue that the Scottish Government takes very seriously. We have made employers aware of their duty to protect their workers' health, safety and welfare by promoting fair work practices. For example, we notified employers and stakeholders of the Act in October’s edition of our monthly Equally Safe bulletin.

Additionally, we have been using the levers we do have to promote Fair Work and Fair Work Principles. Our Fair Work First Guidance on public sector spend is an example of this, it explicitly highlights to employers that violence against women and girls, including sexual harassment, is a workplace issue and how women's experiences of sexual harassment can have a detrimental impact on their employment.

The guidance highlights good practices for employers, such as Close the Gap's Equally Safe at Work accreditation program. It emphasises the importance of providing enhanced support for workers, including flexible working arrangements, leave entitlements, and access to resources for advice, such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and ACAS.

Our Fair Work approach follows the Fair Work framework introduced by the Fair Work Convention and commits to the principle of Respect, as it ensures the health, safety, and well-being of all employees. It addresses issues related to bullying and harassment and extends to promoting dignified treatment, social support, and the development of trusting relationships.

Question reference: S6O-04339

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to help local authorities move families with children out of temporary accommodation into suitable permanent homes.

Question reference: S6W-32654

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to complete the due diligence process in connection with the direct award of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract before 30 September 2025; what assessment it has made of the cost to taxpayers of the UK Government’s mandatory requirement to refer Scottish Government contracts to the Competition and Markets Authority, since 2022 to date, and when Transport Scotland officials last met with the chair and representatives of the Ferries Communities Board to discuss the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 contract.

We expect to complete the due diligence in Spring 2025, prior to award of the new contract in October 2025.

The costs included in the referral to the CMA are the overall costs of providing ferry services over the coming years, which include the costs of increasing the number of vessels in the fleet, resulting in an increased charter cost to reflect the value of new assets.

Transport Scotland officials met with the Ferries Communities Board on 18 December 2024 to discuss issues related to Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 contract.

Question reference: S6W-32410

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the new duties on employers under the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 regarding the prevention of sexual harassment of staff, how ScotRail is meeting its duty to take reasonable steps to prevent its employees from being subject to such harassment, including from third parties; whether it has asked ScotRail to (a) update its anti-harassment policies and (b) produce an updated risk assessment, and what its position is on whether ScotRail’s reported plans to reduce ticket office opening hours at 101 stations is compatible with the new duties.

Question reference: S6O-04166

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is giving consideration to a pilot scheme on independent legal representation for rape victims.

Question reference: S6W-31969

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to compensate businesses on the Isle of Arran for any losses that they have incurred as a result of delayed and cancelled ferries.

Scottish Ministers appreciate the particular challenges faced by island communities as a result of delayed and cancelled ferries.

Recognising the distinct challenges of hospitality business on Islands, the Scottish Budget announced we will continue to offer 100% relief in 2025-26 for hospitality businesses located on islands as defined by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, and in prescribed remote areas, capped at £110,000 per business.

The Scottish Budget also announced a freeze to the Basic Property Rate in 2025-26, delivering the lowest such rate in the UK for the seventh year in a row, and supporting a package of reliefs in 2025-26 worth an estimated £731 million. This includes maintaining the Small Business Bonus Scheme which remains the most generous relief of its kind in the UK.

Question reference: S6O-04104

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it plans to double the funding available to local authorities through its school meal debt fund from £1.4 million to £2.8 million, whether it plans to allocate the same amount of funding on a recurring basis in future Budgets.

The Scottish Government has taken steps to address the historic school meal debt accrued by local authorities by increasing the funding available through the School Meal Debt Fund from £1.5m to £2.8m in 2024/25. This increase has fully met the requests made by local authorities on school meal debt.

The 2025/26 budget will deliver a really strong deal for councils that means they can avoid families building up significant debt. This funding along with the measures outlined in the COSLA guidance on this matter, will ensure that future school meal debt is managed appropriately, as far as possible, for families.

Question reference: S6O-04008

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its cross-government co-ordination on islands policies, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding what more it can do to support residents and businesses on the Isle of Cumbrae.

Question reference: S6W-31143

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it is undertaking regarding (a) the implementation of firework control zones and (b) any impact that firework control zones are having on deterring the antisocial use of fireworks.

All local authorities are required to review the operation and effectiveness of any firework control zones designated within their area. Data gathered as a part of such reviews can be utilised for the Scottish Government's statutory obligation to report on the operation of the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 for the period through to 10 August 2027. Ministers also engage with relevant parties, such as Police Scotland, to understand the impact of firework control zones.

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