Keith Brown

Answer · Jenny Gilruth · 23 Jul 2026

I attended the 45th British-Irish Council meeting held in St Peter Port, Guernsey on 10 July. The summit was hosted by the Chief Minister of Guernsey and attended by ministers from across the UK and Ireland. The First Minister of Wales attended as did the Taoiseach and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Defence, and the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by its Ministers for Economy and for Communities and the Chief Ministers of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man attended. The theme of this year’s summit was ‘Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing. The main summit plenary provided an opportunity to highlight Scottish Government policies to ensure our children receive the best start in life alongside learning from activity being undertaken in other jurisdictions. During the main plenary discussion on latest political developments, I reflected on the significant global challenges we all face including the conflict in the Middle East and the resulting domestic impacts, including on the cost of living. I highlighted the importance of the Scottish Child Payment in tackling poverty. I also raised the need for public service reform. I reiterated the Scottish Government’s position in relation to our constitutional future alongside our commitment to Scotland’s relationship with Europe and welcomed the reset in relations with the EU and the opportunities presented by Ireland’s EU presidency. Ahead of the main summit I met with the First Minister of Wales, during which we discussed the relationship between our governments, wider intergovernmental relations and devolution. I also met with the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minster, during which I reflected on the importance of meaningful and constructive engagement between our governments.In addition, I held a range of introductory bilateral meetings including with the Chief Minister of Guernsey, the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, the Minister for the Economy in Northern Ireland and the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade/Minister for Defence. The Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council after the meeting can be found on its website at: www.britishirishcouncil.org/resources/ 45th British-Irish Council SummitGuernseyFriday 10 July 2026 Communiqué The British-Irish Council (BIC) held its 45th Summit meeting today, Friday 10 July 2026, hosted by the Government of Guernsey in St Peter Port. The theme of the Summit was Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, Chief Minister of the Government of Guernsey. Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing. The plenary focussed on efforts to support integrated, high quality early years systems which can help give every child a happy, healthy and secure start to life. Among several important discussion points was the topical matter of children and young people’s digital access. Council members discussed how children’s digital needs, risks and opportunities evolve as they grow. Latest Political Developments Members briefed the Council on recent developments within their administrations and discussed several domestic and international topics of mutual interest. Cross-BIC Symposium  Leaders welcomed preparations by officials to mark the breadth and depth of the Council’s work through a cross-cutting Symposium in Edinburgh on 29 September, the title of which is These Islands: Cultivating Communities and Tackling Inequalities. Next Summit Meeting The Council noted that the next BIC Summit will be hosted by the UK Government. BIC Secretariat 10 July 2026 Plenary Participants Government of Guernsey Depu

Answer · Ivan McKee · 23 Dec 2025

The numbers of properties receiving rates relief in each council area as at 1 June 2024 are published in Non-domestic rates relief statistics 2024. Figures as at 1 June 2025 are available in Non-domestic rates relief statistics 2025.Outturn values of reliefs, including a breakdown by council area, are published in Non-domestic rates income statistics.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth · 5 Jan 2026

For the years 2010-11 to 2024-25 the Scottish Government’s school estates data collection makes a distinction between schools built and those refurbished, while for the years 2007-08 to 2009-10 no such distinction was made in the data collection.Between 2007-08 and 2009-10, one primary (Deerpark) and three secondary (Alloa Academy, Alva Academy, Lornshill Academy) schools were built or refurbished in Clackmannanshire, while in Stirling eight primary (Cambusbarron, Raploch, Our Lady’s, Buchlyvie, Aberfoyle, Breahead, Bridge of Allan, St Mary’s) and five secondary (Dunblane High, Stirling High, McLaren High, St Modan’s High, Wallace High) schools were recorded as built or refurbished.Between 2010-11 and 2024-25, one primary school was built in Clackmannanshire (Redwell), and two were refurbished (Alva, Clackmannan). In Stirling, four primary schools (Braehead, St Margaret’s, St Ninian’s, East Plean) were built, while six primary schools (Aberfoyle, Strathyre, Riverside, Strathblane, Borestone, Cowie) and one secondary school (Bannockburn High) were refurbished.In addition, one special school in Striling was built or refurbished in 2007-08 (Castelview), and another one (Student Support) was refurbished in 2010-11.For context, in 2024 there were 23 schools in Clackmannanshire and 46 schools in Stirling.Across all years, only schools where the total cost of the works (build or refurbishment) was £500,000 or more for primary schools or £1 million or more for secondary and special schools are included.

Answer · Jenni Minto · 29 Dec 2025

The requested information is shown in the following table:Table 1: Total number of free prescriptions provided in the Clackmannanshire and Stirling local authority area for financial year 2024-25.Council AreaNumber of Paid ItemsClackmannanshire1,008,884Stirling2,183,649Source: Public Health Scotland: Prescribing Information System

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville · 18 Dec 2025

Social Security Scotland regularly publishes information on the number of people who receive Carers Allowance Supplement as part of its official statistics releases, which happen twice a year.These publications include Excel tables showing how many people were paid in each local authority area.The most recent statistics were published on 12 August 2025, covering payments made in June 2025. These statistics can be found at: Carer Support Payment and Carer's Allowance Supplement August 2025 - Social Security Scotland.Figures for the December 2025 payment, broken down by local authority will be published on 10 February 2026.