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Social Security Scotland publish statistics for Carer’s Allowance Supplement at local authority level. We do not currently produce statistics by constituency due to the possible disclosure risks caused by producing statistics for overlapping geographies. We will continue to review this when developing future publications.

Since Carer's Allowance Supplement was introduced in April 2018, payments have been made to 9,650 carers in North Lanarkshire local authority area who were eligible on at least one eligibility date from April 2018 to October 2020. For the latest eligibility date of October 2020, payments were made to 7,135 carers in North Lanarkshire.

The most recent statistics were published on 23 rd February 2021 and covered carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance Supplement to the October 2020 eligibility date. This information is available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/carers-allowance-supplement-october-eligibility-date-2020-and-carers-allowance-disability-living-allowance-attendance-allowance-and-severe-disablement-allowance-at-august-2020-statistics/ . The next publication of Official Statistics is due to be released in August 2021, and will include information to the April 2021 eligibility date.

We are currently considering options to deliver this policy which will be informed by pilot projects. Further information on the age groups to be covered will be confirmed once the details have been agreed.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews restrictions on indoor and outdoor socialising to ensure they are appropriate and proportionate to the health risks and the direct harms of the virus. This past year has been highly challenging for our young people who have had to stay away from family members living in other households, including grandparents. We have made significant progress in suppressing the virus and vaccinating a growing proportion of the population over the last few months, but the virus has not gone away and we remain at risk from new, more transmissible variants which may become resistant to the vaccines. The Scottish Government’s approach is that only children under 12 years old do not count towards numbers indoors and outdoors, although they do count towards the number of households indoors. Close contact does still carry risks especially if it is indoors and amongst large groups of adults from multiple households. In recognition of the effects on young people’s health and wellbeing, the Scottish Government has allowed 4 12-17 year olds from 4 different households to meet outdoors in Level 4, increasing to 6 people (including 12-17 year olds) from 6 households in Level 3, 8 people from 8 households in Level 2 and this will increase to 12 people from 12 households in Level 1. Additionally, from 17 May the guidance was changed to make it clear that people can hug family members and loved ones indoors in a private dwelling or in their garden within the permitted limits.

We are currently considering options to deliver this scheme which will be informed by pilot projects. The eligibility criteria will be confirmed once the details have been agreed.

We acknowledge how challenging this past year has been for everyone in our society, including places of worship. We are grateful to all of Scotland’s faith and belief communities for all they have done to keep their congregations safe and to support our communities during this unprecedented time.

From 26 April, we moved towards greater easing of the health protection restrictions, with the removal of the 50 person limit in places of worship; instead the numbers of people who can attend are limited according to the building capacity and physical distancing of two metres, along with other measures informed by a risk assessment.

The Scottish Government is reviewing physical distancing including its impact on places of worship and an announcement of the outcome of this review is due ahead of the planned move to Level 1 on 7 June. Sectoral guidance will be further updated at that time to reflect the outcome of the review, including proposals for as clear a route as possible to the reduction/removal of physical distancing to enable people and organisations to plan effectively for a full reopening. Physical distancing has been an important tool for controlling the virus, but as with all restrictions, we will only have this in place as long as is necessary

The Scottish Government has to balance the harms from the virus which are potentially fatal, with the impact on faith and belief communities of the restrictions on places of worship. However, please be reassured that the Scottish Government understands the important role of congregational worship in supporting spiritual, mental and social wellbeing and will continue to engage with faith and belief communities regarding the scope for further easing.

We are currently considering options to deliver this scheme which will be informed by pilot projects. Final decisions on how the policy will be implemented will determine the number of bikes required.

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is a UK wide benefit reserved to the UK Government. Guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions requires that GPs provide fit notes, as evidence of the advice the ESA applicant has been given about their fitness for work, and these are provided free of charge. These requirements do not apply where further non-mandatory evidence is sought to support a claim. The Scottish Government has not made any representations to the UK Government on this specific matter.

We are currently considering options to deliver this policy. No decision has been made on suppliers of bikes.

Students aged 18 to 29 (as of 17 May 2021) are currently being invited to register for their coronavirus vaccine: Registering for a coronavirus vaccine | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) . The registration service is available for 2 weeks, from 24 May until 4 June 2021. Vaccination appointments will start from mid-June and aim to conclude well before the start of the new term. Alerts and information will be received digitally, rather than through the post. Students who are aged 30 and over will still receive their appointment in a blue envelope in the post as per their age cohort.

All eligible students who do not have access to the internet or a smartphone, can still register by calling the national COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013. People can opt to have their future appointment sent to them by SMS text, email or letter.

Most students will receive their vaccine appointment during the summer holidays. If students are registered with a GP practice near their term-time address, the appointment will be at a vaccine clinic near there. However, if they are living elsewhere in Scotland over the summer, they can call the phone line to get moved to a clinic near their summer location.

If they wish to change the date, time and local location (they are not moving away to be in another Scottish health board area for the summer), they can do this online here: Rearrange or opt-out of your vaccination appointment | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) .

Spending data on additional support for learning (ASL) is provided below. This data is collected from local authorities via the Local Financial Returns (LFR). In addition to 2019-20 expenditure data, figures for 2018-19 have also been provided due to revisions in LFR statistics since the response to
‎ S5W-27605. These revisions reflect an upward revision in ASL spending reported by North Lanarkshire, and a downwards revision in ASL spending reported by Stirling local authority.

Local authorities are asked to provide this data in line with guidance to ensure returns are completed on a consistent basis to allow for a reasonable degree of comparability. However, these figures may be affected by variations in local accounting practices and education strategies. It is important to bear this in mind when making comparisons between local authorities and years.

Local authorities are asked to record all centrally funded ASL expenditure under Special Education, irrespective of where it is delivered. Decisions about prioritisation and budgets, including those for the provision of services for pupils with additional support needs, are a matter for individual councils. We recognise the challenges facing authorities in balancing their need to meet a wide range of statutory duties, local priorities and local circumstances.

Tables 1 and 2 shows gross revenue expenditure on additional support for learning (ASL) education from 2019-20 and 2018-19 respectively, split by Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Special Education.

Table 1 – 2019-20 ASL expenditure by Local Authority (£000)