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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 26 November 2024
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Displaying 1196 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 2 May 2023

Michael Marra

I raise that example because it feels a little emblematic of something that we have discussed already in that there was a need for the country to pursue a high-level, very challenging policy direction on the back of quite catastrophic data, which, in that case, showed that we had one of the worst drug deaths records in the developed world. I am trying to understand how all the organisations orientate towards dealing with something like that. That example might be illustrative to me, in the first instance, so I understand that the question might feel a little bit left field in the conversation.

How would your organisations be involved in the work of public service reform in areas like that? I will cite some other examples, such as the Promise, which requires that high-level statement, very detailed public service reform and the involvement of organisations. Another example is what the previous First Minister called the “sacred duty” of closing the attainment gap. Those are big public sector reforms. Are you involved in those decisions? If so, how does that work?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 2 May 2023

Michael Marra

If you can give an answer in writing, the committee would appreciate it.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 2 May 2023

Michael Marra

I know that Judith Turbyne is keen to come in. Michelle, do you want to continue in this area?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

What we have heard from St Mary’s Kenmure and the Good Shepherd Centre indicates that they are reliant on the higher-level cross-border fees to pay for Scottish children. Is the panel concerned about the sustainability of those organisations? I see Chloe Riddell nodding, but what about the other panellists?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

My question relates to the sustainability issue. Are your institutions relying on the finance from those placements?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

I suppose that that goes to the heart of my concern. Some of the evidence that we have received seems to indicate that, by removing that option, we will somehow make a change in England. As I said to the previous panel, we were told last week that the hope is that making it harder for local authorities to place children in Scotland will somehow force the issue of more appropriate places being provided in England. However, at least one member of the previous panel said that they did not believe that that would happen. In order to protect and enforce the rights of young people in England, are we not right to have some form of backstop option that allows young people to come to Scotland to be safe?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

The previous panel expressed real concern about that. Its expert opinion was that it is sometimes necessary or advantageous to put children at a distance from some of the negative influences on them, which gives them a chance to have a restart and a reset. Could you reflect on some of that evidence?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

I want to ask about cross-border placements, which the bill seeks to regulate. Do its provisions go far enough towards doing that? Will you outline the complexities that you currently experience in dealing with such placements?

Perhaps Meg Thomas could start.

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

That was really useful. Do you want to come in, Chloe?

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 29 March 2023

Michael Marra

Do we have sufficient surge capacity? There is a policy in place regarding the last bed, under which a place is reserved to deal with issues that colleagues have mentioned to do with the results in court or in the children’s hearings system on a particular day. Are we retaining that policy? Is it helpful?