The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1041 contributions
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
That is a good steer. You said that that is within directorates.
I have a question for Rachel Cackett about mental wellbeing and social care. The adult mental health and wellbeing fund is distributed by TSIs. That is different from how we funded the children’s equivalent, which was done through local authorities. Is that confusing for the third sector? Would the sector like some uniformity in such processes, for example?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
I could probably go on at length about things like the national care service in relation to that, but I will forgo that.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
Does the badging of something as “new” often create a scenario in which a bureaucracy grows and other people come into play?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
Rachel, should there be a three-year, a five-year or a 10-year spending review?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
Should that include a multiyear spending review, rather than an annual budget, which is what we have seen far too often of late?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
I have a devil’s advocate question for Euan Leith about his commentary on the different forms of application in Government and how the cake is split. Let us take some examples that Euan will be aware of. In relation to capital regeneration funding, the Government is in agreement with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities that it has a major part to play in the allocation of funding. The Corra Foundation has done a huge amount of the legwork in some of the scenarios that have come about of late, such as funding for health and social care for addiction. There are scenarios in which the Government has agreed that others become involved in processes. I take it that you are not arguing for universality of decision making—or perhaps you are, I do not know. Could that be streamlined, or do we just need to communicate better how those things are done?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 12 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
It is one directorate, basically.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
I want to take the witnesses back a little bit. Both Ms Morrison-Ross and Mr Black said that there were real difficulties with the removal of financial transactions—in other words, loan money.
You will be well aware that the Scottish Government faced a hefty 62 per cent cut to financial transactions. My question is for both of you. With regard to ensuring that there is growth, do you think that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in her forthcoming budget, should re-introduce those financial transactions—the loan budgets—to help you guys to help us, and to help her, to achieve the economic growth that we all want? Perhaps Mr Black can start.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
We can see on our televisions, our iPads and the various other devices that we use that some countries have a huge marketing budget. Just over the past few days, if you watched the news you would have seen a huge effort by Turkey, Kazakhstan—which features very highly on international stations at the moment—and Saudi Arabia. Obviously they have megabucks behind them that VisitScotland does not have.
You talked earlier, Ms Miller, about activity that will make a difference—you mentioned YouTube and TikTok. There are also lots of adverts in online computer gaming, particularly the so-called free gaming, which is normally aimed at—it is naughty but I will say it anyway—an older audience. Are we doing that kind of thing? How do we ensure that such activity makes a difference because it seeks folk with a connection to Scotland, or who feel that they have a connection to Scotland?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 11 September 2024
Kevin Stewart
Okay. We can see the Expedia stuff, but it would be really interesting to get information on the TikToks of the world. Thank you.