Joe Fagan

Answer · Angela Constance · 20 Jul 2026

All Health Boards were asked to submit proposals in response to the initial Call for Proposals and were asked to ensure proposals did not adversely impact existing service provision. I am however aware of staffing challenges faced by some sites and my officials remain in regular contact with affected sites to work together to find solutions.

Answer · Angela Constance · 20 Jul 2026

There are two walk-in services open in South Scotland, located in Hawick and Stranraer. Sites in East Ayrshire and Lanark are due to open in high street or former retail premises. These locations require longer lead times, as converting retail spaces into clinically compliant facilities must meet strict safety standards. I have committed to expanding the pilot programme and a Call for Proposals has been issued to Health Boards asking them to consider additional sites across Scotland.

Answer · Siobhian Brown · 1 Jul 2026

Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that funded ELC is available to the children residing within their own area and are also responsible for meeting the statutory guidance requirements in relation to cross-boundary placements.This guidance is clear that, wherever possible, education authorities should make arrangements that ensure families accessing cross-boundary placements are treated on the same basis as families accessing provision locally. While local authorities do not have a statutory duty to provide funded ELC to children who reside outside their area, they have the power to do so under section 23 of the Education (Scotland) Act (1980).To ensure families’ choice of provider is not limited by local authority boundaries, the Scottish Government encourages local authorities to work with neighbouring areas through Funding Follows the Child guidance, developed jointly by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government.

Answer · Siobhian Brown · 1 Jul 2026

Local authorities hold the statutory duty to ensure that funded ELC is available to the children residing within their own area, and are also responsible for meeting statutory guidance requirements in relation to cross-boundary placements.The Scottish Government does not collect national data on which local authorities fund and invoice each other for cross-boundary funded early learning and childcare placements. Information on individual local authority cross-boundary policies may be available through local authority websites, or via local authority Early Years teams.To ensure families’ choice of provider is not limited by local authority boundaries, the Scottish Government encourages local authorities to work with neighbouring areas through Funding Follows the Child guidance, developed jointly by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government.

Answer · Ivan McKee · 6 Jul 2026

As at 1 June 2025, there were 100,700 properties receiving 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief. We estimate that, in 2026-2027, more than 100,000 properties will be eligible for 100% SBBS relief, of which we estimate that around 96,900 will apply for and be awarded 100% SBBS relief. Table 1 shows a breakdown of these figures by council area and valuation joint board.Whilst the figures above represent the number of properties, the number of businesses or ratepayers receiving 100% SBBS relief will typically be lower: one ratepayer can be liable for multiple properties, and receive 100% SBBS relief on multiple properties. The currently available data does not allow us to reliably estimate the number of businesses or ratepayers benefitting.Additional information on SBBS relief awards as at 1 June 2025 is available in Non-domestic rates relief statistics 2025.Table 1: Number of properties receiving 100% SBBS relief as at 1 June 2025, and estimated number likely to receive in 2026-2027.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100, and may not sum due to rounding. Figures for 2025-2026 are based on the billing snapshot as at 1 June 2025. Figures for 2026-2027 are estimates based on the available valuation data.Valuation joint boardCouncil areaProperties receiving 100% SBBSas at 1 June 2025Properties estimated to receive 100% SBBS in2026-2027AllAll100,70096,900AyrshireAll7,1006,800AyrshireEast Ayrshire2,1002,000AyrshireNorth Ayrshire2,7002,700AyrshireSouth Ayrshire2,3002,200CentralAll5,3005,300CentralClackmannanshire700700CentralFalkirk2,2002,200CentralStirling2,5002,400Dumfries and GallowayAll5,6005,300Dumfries and GallowayDumfries and Galloway5,6005,300Dunbartonshire and Argyll and ButeAll6,4006,200Dunbartonshire and Argyll and ButeArgyll and Bute4,2004,000Dunbartonshire and Argyll and ButeEast Dunbartonshire1,000900Dunbartonshire and Argyll and ButeWest Dunbartonshire1,3001,300FifeAll5,9005,700FifeFife5,9005,700GlasgowAll8,9008,700GlasgowGlasgow City8,9008,700GrampianAll9,3009,100GrampianAberdeen City500500GrampianAberdeenshire6,4006,200GrampianMoray2,4002,300Highland and Western IslesAll9,5008,800Highland and Western IslesHighland8,2007,500Highland and Western IslesNa h-Eileanan Siar1,2001,300LanarkshireAll9,1009,000LanarkshireNorth Lanarkshire4,2004,100LanarkshireSouth Lanarkshire4,9004,900LothianAll10,80010,000LothianCity of Edinburgh5,8005,300LothianEast Lothian1,8001,700LothianMidlothian1,1001,100LothianWest Lothian2,1002,000Orkney and ShetlandAll2,3002,200Orkney and ShetlandOrkney Islands1,4001,300Orkney and ShetlandShetland Islands900900RenfrewshireAll5,8005,700RenfrewshireEast Renfrewshire800800RenfrewshireInverclyde1,1001,000RenfrewshireRenfrewshire3,9003,900Scottish BordersAll5,1004,900Scottish BordersScottish Borders5,1004,900TaysideAll9,5009,200TaysideAngus3,0002,900TaysideDundee City2,2002,100TaysidePerth and Kinross4,4004,200

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville · 3 Jul 2026

The Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund is a £20 million investment aimed at strengthening the capacity of third sector organisations to deliver tailored, community-based support to families living in, or at risk of, poverty across Scotland, contributing directly to the Government’s goal of ending child poverty.The application window closed on 7 May and attracted strong interest, with 88 applications from a diverse range of organisations. A panel of policy and analytical experts, alongside external partners, is currently assessing proposals, with funding awards expected to be confirmed over the summer.