Asked by: Ewing, Annabelle (Scottish National Party - Cowdenbeath)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, based on the most recent data available, what the uptake is for the Young Carer Grant in (a) Fife and (b) the Cowdenbeath constituency.
Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
The latest estimated take-up rate for Young Carer Grant in Scotland in 2022-23 is 75%. Social Security Scotland routinely publish Official Statistics on the number of carers receiving a payment for Young Career Grant. Whilst these statistics include information by local authority area, we do not currently include information by Scottish Parliament constituency.
The latest statistics show that, as of 31 March 2024, 875 Young Carer Grant payments with a total value of £285,143 had been issued to clients living in the Fife local authority since its launch in October 2019. Of these, 280 payments with a total value of £99,217 were made in the 2023-24 financial year.
The latest statistics publication for this benefit can be found at: Social Security Scotland - Young Carer Grant: high level statistics to 31 March 2024 and estimated take-up rates are available at: Analysis of Take-Up Rate Estimates - Take-up rates of Scottish benefits: November 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
Asked by: Gosal, Pam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to align its fair funding principles with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) definition of fair funding, which is defined as "a long-term, flexible, sustainable, and accessible approach to funding".
Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
The Scottish Government is committed to progressing a Fairer Funding approach for the third sector to improve the transparency and consistency of our funding relationships.
Improving grant-making practices across the Scottish Government is a significant undertaking and we are at the beginning stages of this process. The measures that we have prioritised to date – early notification of funding, increased multi-year agreements, improved relationship practices and grant conditions – do align with the SCVO’s principles. However, we have been clear that the implementation of Fairer Funding within the current financial context is challenging and that our ability to deliver on every aspect of SCVO’s ask is constrained.
I set out progress towards our priorities, the challenges that we have met and our next steps, in a letter to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee of 20 May and have committed to keep them updated as our work continues.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the structures for distributing European structural and investment funds between the Scottish Government and the lead partners changed, between 2014 and December 2023, in order to address any audit failings.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
The Scottish Government revised it procedures for the distribution of European structural and investment funds eight times over the period between 2014 and December 2023.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it was liable to pay to lead partners under the European structural and investment funds, as of 1 June 2024.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
As of 1 June 2024, the Scottish Government was liable to pay claims to the value of £62.7m.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reportedly remaining 118.1 million euros of the European Regional Development Fund, not committed by the end of 2023, will be spent by lead partners.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
The final European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) expenditure figures and reimbursements will not be known until the second half of 2025 when the figures will be published.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government who was responsible for any audit failings that meant that proposed projects in Scotland, to be paid for with European structural and investment funds, could not go ahead.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
At no time were payments to those Lead Partners who submitted a fully compliant and verifiable claims paused. All audit findings were resolved with both programmes being successfully lifted from suspension by the European Commission.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reportedly remaining 17.9 million euros of the European Social Fund, not committed by the end of 2023, will be spent by lead partners.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
The final European Social Fund (ESF) expenditure figures and reimbursements will not be known until the second half of 2025 when the figures will be published.
Asked by: Smith, Liz (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it paused European structural and investment fund payments to lead partners in November 2019, and, if so, when any such pause was lifted.
Answered by Forbes, Kate
No claims were paused to any Lead Partner who submitted a fully compliant and verifiable claim for payment.
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Scottish Liberal Democrats - Edinburgh Western)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what reasonable adjustments Social Security Scotland is making in relation to communicating its visits to those with incapacity, such as those with Down’s syndrome, including any easy-read letters and other means of communication.
Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
Social Security Scotland works closely with individuals and disability organisations to design it’s services. Every stage of the application process has been tested to ensure that Social Security Scotland are taking a human rights-based approach to what they do, as set out in Our Charter. This means treating everyone without discrimination and in line with their values. This includes finding processes that work and are inclusive and fully accessible.
Social Security Scotland is committed to delivering a social security system that is inclusive. They do this by carrying out user research and testing with people who have lived experience of the benefit system, people who communicate in different ways and relevant stakeholders across Scotland. This is to embed inclusive communications across the entirety of Social Security Scotland. Social Security Scotland work with these stakeholders to influence how they develop their services and processes.
Social Security Scotland clients understand information and express themselves in different ways. To accommodate this, Social Security Scotland provide different channels clients can use to contact them in a way that suits them. Social Security Scotland can make written communications available in different formats and languages such as Braille and Easy-Read. Social Security Scotland can also arrange for interpreters for clients who request that level of support as well as support for clients who are non-verbal.
Social Security Scotland provide in-person support to clients who need it when accessing their services at a place and time that suits them. Social Security Scotland have specially trained advisors based in every local council area across Scotland who can support clients with appointments at home, in local community venues or by telephone or video call.
Asked by: Ewing, Annabelle (Scottish National Party - Cowdenbeath)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many young people it estimates are eligible for the Young Carer Grant in (a) Fife and (b) the Cowdenbeath constituency.
Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
Social Security Scotland publishes official statistics for the number of payments for Young Carer Grant by Local Authority but not at constituency level. In the financial year 2023-24, Social Security Scotland made 280 payments totalling £99,217 to clients in the Fife Local Authority.
The Scottish Government published estimates of take-up rates for a number of devolved benefits in November 2023. Take-up rates are estimates of the number of people who are eligible for a benefit that receive it. The latest estimated take-up rate for Young Carer Grant in Scotland for 2022-23 is 75%. This figure is for Scotland nationally.
The latest take-up rate estimates and further detail on the methodology can be found at: Take-Up Rate Estimates - Take-up rates of Scottish benefits: November 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The latest statistics published for Young Carer Grant can be found at: Social Security Scotland - Young Carer Grant: high level statistics to 31 March 2024 .