S6W-44443

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to ensure that siblings from multiple births can access their funded early learning and childcare (ELC) hours at the same provider and within the same sessions, in light of reports that limited capacity in some areas is forcing parents to split twins between different nurseries or different time slots.

Answered by None

The Scottish Government fully funds Local Authorities to deliver 1,140 hours of funded ELC. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide funded ELC to all entitled children in their area and are responsible for local admission policies.

The Scottish Government has issued Operating Guidance on Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard which sets out the Scottish Government’s expectations of local authorities in delivering funded ELC hours.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Section 50) also requires local authorities to consult with families in their area about how they should make ELC available. This duty helps local authorities to take into consideration the views and needs of parents and carers they serve when making decisions on how to deliver funded ELC.

S6W-44470

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Police Scotland’s use of specialist drones to detect and track illegal e-scooter and e-bike riders, and how many vehicles have been seized in the (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Greater Glasgow division as a direct result of these interventions.

Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety

Police Scotland have a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) capability and rightly make operational decisions on how that is deployed. Police Scotland have advised this capability is within the development and evaluation phase, and future deployment will depend on their ongoing operational assessment and further technological development. Police Scotland also note that Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems cannot be used to pursue vehicles, and Civil Aviation Authority regulations can restrict operation to within visual line of sight.

Police Scotland have confirmed that, to date, one off-road motorcycle has been seized as a result of this activity in Lanarkshire and no vehicle seizures are attributable to such activity in Greater Glasgow.

S6W-44272

Asked by: Ross, Douglas (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister or his civil servants or special advisers have been updated on any action connected to Operation Branchform by the Lord Advocate or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in addition to the notes provided to him by the Lord Advocate on 20 March 2025 and 19 January 2026.

Answered by Dey, Graeme - Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans

As clearly set out in the Lord Advocate’s letter to the Presiding Officer of 24 February 2026, the Lord Advocate was advised on two occasions that it was appropriate to provide limited factual information to the government in relation to the case against Peter Murrell. First, on his appearance in court on March 2025 and then again on the service of the indictment in January 2026.

On each occasion, given the extremely high level of publicity which the investigation had attracted, it was appropriate to provide the government with appropriate and limited confirmation of decisions taken by the independent prosecutor and the nature of the charges. This also served to protect proceedings where there is a strong likelihood that ministers will be asked about prosecution decisions. Each minute also provided reassurance that the Law Officers had no operational involvement in prosecutorial decision making in this case.

S6W-44468

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of 2026 reporting by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers suggesting that an average of 26 people per week across Great Britain are harmed in e-scooter collisions, what specific data it holds on the number of such casualties in Scotland, and what urgent steps it is taking to protect vulnerable pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments, from the illegal use of high-powered e-scooters on pavements.

Answered by Hyslop, Fiona - Cabinet Secretary for Transport

Data on collisions which cause injury and take place on the road network, including adjacent pavements and cycle lanes, is collected by Police Scotland as part of the Great Britain-wide dataset known as STATS19.

The following table provides the recorded number of casualties injured in collisions involving e-scooters over the last three years for which we have finalised data.

Number of casualties in e-scooter collisions, by severity:

S6W-44485

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is regarding the proximity of high-risk retail units, such as those storing large quantities of combustible lithium-ion products, to critical national infrastructure like Glasgow Central Station, and whether it will review planning and building standards to prevent the location of such businesses in high-density transport hubs.

Answered by McKee, Ivan - Minister for Public Finance

Planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applications for planning permission for a new retail premises would be determined by the relevant planning authority in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations which, in the authority’s opinion justify a departure from that plan. It would be for the relevant planning authority to consider whether, and if so how, proximity to existing infrastructure is relevant to a decision on the application. Changing the type of goods sold within an existing shop does not generally require planning permission.

Similarly, applications for a building warrant require case by case consideration by a local authority verifier. Where a building warrant is required for a change of use the applicant and verifier should consider the extent to which the building standards apply, including those to address the spread of fire within and to neighbouring buildings.

The Scottish Government is currently undertaking public consultation through a Call for Evidence in relation to fire safety standards. This consultation is seeking industry views on new and emerging fire safety issues and a review of current guidance, and will close on 10 April.

Scottish building regulations - fire safety review and compliance: call for evidence - gov.scot

S6W-44442

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to eliminate the reported "postcode lottery" regarding the start dates for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) hours, and what specific support is available for parents of twins who turn three years old mid-term but are forced to pay for two full-time places for several months until the following term's intake.

Answered by None

Responsibility for delivering 1140 hours of funded ELC sits with local authorities, who have a statutory duty to consult with families in their area about how they should make ELC available.

Current arrangements for when children become eligible for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) are set out under the Provision of Early Learning and Childcare (Specified Children) (Scotland) Order 2014. Three-year-olds are eligible to start funded ELC from the relevant start date, which is usually the term after their 3rd birthday, and does not vary in relation to the number of siblings.

Local authorities have powers to provide funded ELC from an earlier date, if they choose to do so.

At a national level, the Scottish Government funds earlier access to ELC for eligible two-year-olds – those we believe will benefit the most – based on a range of research which shows that while attending high quality ELC improves outcomes for all children, children facing the most disadvantage, benefit the most.

S6W-44441

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of childcare costs on families with multiple-birth children under three years, and whether it will consider a multiples discount or supplementary funding for these families to ensure that the cost of two or more nursery places does not exceed household income, as highlighted by the group, Pregnant Then Screwed, in its 2026 National Childcare Survey.

Answered by None

The aim of the 1140 policy is to support affordability and improve outcomes for all eligible children and their families, with 1140 hours per year offered to all 3- and 4-year-olds and eligible 2-year-olds and we have invested around £1 billion every year since 2021 to support that.

Families who are not yet eligible for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) can access financial support with childcare costs through either Universal Credit or Tax-Free Childcare. Tax-Free Childcare support is per child, and the upper limit on Universal Credit support with childcare costs is also set higher for families with more than one child. The Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grant are also both paid on a per-child rather than per-family basis.

All local authorities have the discretion to make funded ELC available to address specific needs, and parents are encouraged to engage with their local authority to ensure that their needs are known and understood.

S6W-44486

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local planning authorities regarding the proximity of high-risk retail units, such as those storing combustible vaping and smoking materials, to residential properties and major transport hubs, and whether it will review the safety of flats located directly above such retail units, in light of the Union Street building collapse in Glasgow.

Answered by McKee, Ivan - Minister for Public Finance

All aspects of the incident at Union Corner in Glasgow are being thoroughly investigated via a multi-agency investigation; this is currently underway and will establish the full circumstances when it is safe to do so. If there are lessons to be learnt from this fire, all levels of government will need to do so and, if it leads to the need for further regulation or policy guidance to ensure the safety of people and buildings, the Scottish Government is very open to that. However, it is important that the investigation is allowed to conclude so that the facts can be fully established, rather than speculated upon.

Planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, including an assessment of potential impacts.

S6W-44462

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its specific timeline is for the implementation of the first steps of the minimum income guarantee (MIG) roadmap, as called for in the Trussell 2026 Scottish Parliament election manifesto, and what assessment it has made of how a MIG would reduce the 16% of Scotland's population who are currently living in relative poverty after housing costs.

Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

The Scottish Government response to the independent Expert Group’s Roadmap, published in November 2025, sets out the associated actions we are already taking to transform the lives of people across Scotland.

However, the UK Government retains powers over a number of key policy levers, including the minimum wage, living hours and Universal Credit, needed to fully address the Group’s recommendations .

We are making progress towards the ambitions we share with the Expert Group by investing in policies which tackle poverty and address the cost of living, providing the strongest package of financial support for families anywhere in the UK.

S6W-44463

Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reform the Scottish Child Payment to ensure that families do not experience a so-called "cliff edge" loss of all support due to small changes in household income, and whether it will consider extending eligibility to people aged 16 to 19 who remain in full-time education.

Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

The childhood assistance section of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025 provides powers to legislate for Scottish Child Payment as a standalone benefit. Any future developments would need to take into account finance availability, cost effectiveness and delivery and legal implications.