Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government's Communications Division has not had any meetings with Meta on this topic.

Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .

Information on Ministerial engagements prior to May 2016 can be found at: https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20170401123936/http:/www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/Events-Engagements/MinisterialEngagements .

The Scottish Government runs a number of accounts on social media platforms. Responsibility for uploading content to these accounts lies with the teams who manage those accounts. There are currently four social media managers with specific responsibility for uploading content to the Scottish Government’s primary social media platforms. An additional 112 Communications staff have access to carry out this task as part of their wider role and responsibilities. Outside of the Communications Division this task could form a part of many other roles and is not formally captured or recorded .

The Scottish Government has robust security policies and procedures in place, with training and guidance available for all staff to help them understand their security responsibilities. Steps include adhering to best practice in password management and using features such as two-factor authentication which is available on most social media platforms. The Scottish Government is not responsible for the cyber defence of the platforms themselves, but we refer to the UK Government’s SAFE Framework which outlines a set of standards for digital brand safety and includes the requirement for platforms to commit to cybersecurity.

The Scottish Government does not have access to information about cyber security incidents affecting social media platforms, except where they have been publicly disclosed by the platforms themselves. We refer to the UK Government’s SAFE Framework which outlines a set of standards for digital brand safety and includes the requirement for platforms to commit to cybersecurity. We hold no record of Scottish Government accounts on social media platforms being compromised as a result of hacking.

The Scottish Government has not allocated funding nor spent any money on this.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13278 on 12 January 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Homelessness data, which includes information about temporary accommodation placements, is available for all local authorities from 2017-18. The following table shows the lower (a) and upper (b) quartile of total time in days spent in temporary accommodation for households with homelessness applications that closed in each year from 2017-18 by household type. The figures are based on homelessness applications with at least one associated temporary accommodation placement.

Lower (LQ) and upper (UQ) quartile of total time (days) spent in temporary accommodation, by household type: 2017-18 to 2021-22

Alcohol duty is a reserved tax which is set and administered by the UK Government. We are not aware of the UK Government having made any assessment of the impact of the extended six-month freeze on alcohol duty on Devolved Administrations, nor did they consult with us on this decision.

We believe the UK Government must provide long-term clarity for the alcohol sector beyond the six-month rates freeze. Businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the freeze which was announced, cancelled, then re-announced, all in a three-month period.

When setting alcohol duty rates following the freeze, the Scottish Government would strongly recommend that the UK Government considers public health as part of this. We remain committed to reducing alcohol related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

Alcohol duty is a reserved tax which is set and administered by the UK Government. We are not aware of the UK Government having made any assessment of the impact of the extended six-month freeze on alcohol duty on Devolved Administrations, nor did they consult with us on this decision.

We believe the UK Government must provide long-term clarity for the alcohol sector beyond the six-month rates freeze. Businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the freeze which was announced, cancelled, then re-announced, all in a three-month period.

When setting alcohol duty rates following the freeze, the Scottish Government would strongly recommend that the UK Government considers public health as part of this. We remain committed to reducing alcohol related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

Alcohol duty is a reserved tax which is set and administered by the UK Government. We are not aware of the UK Government having made any assessment of the impact of the extended six-month freeze on alcohol duty on Devolved Administrations, nor did they consult with us on this decision.

We believe the UK Government must provide long-term clarity for the alcohol sector beyond the six-month rates freeze. Businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the freeze which was announced, cancelled, then re-announced, all in a three-month period.

When setting alcohol duty rates following the freeze, the Scottish Government would strongly recommend that the UK Government considers public health as part of this. We remain committed to reducing alcohol related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.