Correspondence Jun. 06 2024

Found: social services (2) The following functions will be transferred from the Scottish Social Services Council

Correspondence Jun. 05 2024

Found: The instrument aligns with European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on

Mentions:
1: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) CMAL is organising that preparation work, along with Argyll and Bute Council, with a view that ferries - Speech Link
2: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) I know that the City of Edinburgh Council is encouraging everybody to use public transport over those - Speech Link
3: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) However, Glasgow City Council might want to use that spend to help clean up after such events, which - Speech Link
4: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) I have not been approached by the City of Edinburgh Council on the issue. - Speech Link
5: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) the next UK Government will introduce rail reform legislation.On the proposed establishment of Great British - Speech Link

Correspondence Jun. 04 2024

Found: Scottish Ministers consult with relevant bodies as they consider appropriate, such as the General Medical Council

S6W-27632

Asked by: Dunbar, Jackie (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen Donside)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Poppyscotland’s Credit their Service campaign.

Answered by Dey, Graeme - Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans

We welcomed Poppyscotland’s Credit Their Service campaign last summer and acknowledge the two primary areas of concern highlighted in it. The first of these, Pension Credits, is reserved to the UK Government and the Scottish Government is therefore unable to intervene on this issue. However, we are in regular discussions with the UK Government on a range of related topics and have made them aware of the issues raised by Poppyscotland. We understand that officials from The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) met with Royal British Legion, Poppyscotland's sister organisation to discuss this.

The benefits administered by Local Authorities that are referenced by the campaign are Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payment and the Scottish Welfare Fund. The Scottish Government recently published an Action Plan outlining improvements to the Scottish Welfare Fund which will be delivered in partnership with Local Authorities. Officials are working to update the statutory guidance and improve the Fund’s administration, accessibility and experience.

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) as a Local Authority benefit is administered by Local Authorities, who consider the circumstances of each individual case when dealing with applications. However, to receive DHP, an individual must be in receipt of either the housing element of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. As both of these remain reserved to the UK Government, neither the Scottish Government nor Local Authorities have any powers over how they are administered.

With regards to Council Tax support, the Council Tax Reduction Regulations already instruct that Armed Forces independence payments should be fully disregarded as income in the calculation of council tax reduction in both the pension age and working age schemes. Therefore, all Local Authorities should disregard these payments as income in relation to applications for Council Tax reduction. The Scottish Government continues to keep the Council Tax Reduction regulations under review.