Meeting of the Parliament, Continued

Portfolio Questions Social Justice Sue Webber S6O-04338 1. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the housing minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding what action is being taken to tackle homelessness in relation to care experienced individuals. Katy Clark S6O-04339 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to help local authorities move families with children out of temporary accommodation into suitable permanent homes. Clare Haughey S6O-04340 3. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the social justice secretary has had with the UK Government regarding the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign and potential compensation for women in Scotland. Ash Regan S6O-04341 4. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the social justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how it can improve financial literacy levels among children, in light of reports that it is a key driver of inequality, which affects attainment and perpetuates the cycle of generational poverty. Bill Kidd S6O-04342 5. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that current and future legislative processes further embed the principles and aims of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. John Mason S6O-04343 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its negotiations with the Department for Work and Pensions regarding the release of relevant data pertaining to the two-child benefit cap. Rachael Hamilton S6O-04344 7. To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the application of equalities legislation, what its position is on the provision of single-sex spaces in public sector buildings, including hospitals. Elena Whitham S6O-04345 8. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its national mission for tackling child poverty. followed by Scottish Government Debate: Scottish Income Tax Rate Resolution 2025-26 Shona Robison S6M-16531 Scottish Rate Resolution That the Parliament agrees that, for the purposes of section 11A of the Income Tax Act 2007 (which provides for Income Tax to be charged at Scottish rates on certain non-savings and non-dividend income of a Scottish taxpayer to be charged above the personal allowance), the Scottish rates and limits for the tax year 2025-26 are as follows— (a) a starter rate of 19%, charged on income up to a limit of £2,827, (b) the Scottish basic rate is 20%, charged on income above £2,827 and up to a limit of £14,921, (c) an intermediate rate of 21%, charged on income above £14,921 and up to a limit of £31,092, (d) a higher rate of 42%, charged on income above £31,092 and up to a limit of £62,430, (e) an advanced rate of 45%, charged on income above £62,430 and up to a limit of £125,140, and (f) a top rate of 48%, charged on income above £125,140. followed by Scottish Government Debate: Independent Review of Sentencing and Penal Policy Angela Constance S6M-16532 That the Parliament notes that Scotland has one of the highest proportions of prisoners in Western Europe; recognises the action that has been taken to establish a sustainable prison population and shift the balance between the use of custody and justice in the community, while protecting the public from harm; acknowledges the need for an independent review of sentencing and penal policy to consider how imprisonment and community interventions are used; further acknowledges the key role that the third sector can play in the effective delivery of justice services that reduce reoffending, and support rehabilitation and reintegration into society; agrees that there is a need for strong partnership working and co-ordination between third sector organisations, justice social work and the Scottish Prison Service to provide support and improve outcomes for those leaving prison, and believes that the Parliament has an important role to play in discussing the use of imprisonment and the best means for addressing offending behaviour, by both effective prevention and appropriate rehabilitation, and for reducing crime and keeping communities safe. Liam Kerr S6M-16532.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-652 in the name of Angela Constance, Independent Review of Sentencing and Penal Policy), leave out from "Scotland" to end and insert "as a result of, non-exhaustively, significant and long-standing pre-COVID-19 pandemic court backlogs, a high remand population and a failure to timeously build additional prison capacity, Scotland’s prison system is now struggling to house the number of prisoners incarcerated and sentenced as a result of independent decisions made by judges; further notes with disappointment that these capacity issues still persist, despite numerous Scottish Government policies, which were aimed at reducing the prison population, such as changes to automatic early release, which allows many offenders to leave prison after serving 40% of their sentence, a general presumption against short sentences, sentencing guidelines that treat under 25-year-olds differently and an increase in diversion from prosecution; raises concerns that, despite repeated warnings about the need for new prisons, HMP Highland and HMP Glasgow are both delayed and over budget, with the former rising from £52 million to £209 million, and the latter increasing from £100 million to £998 million; understands that reoffending rates were up 2.6% for the 2020-21 cohort; recognises that one-in-eight of those released as a result of emergency early release reoffended, and believes that the role of the independence of the judiciary should not be undermined by government, and that any review of penal and sentencing policy should always prioritise victims over offenders." Pauline McNeill S6M-16532.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-16532 in the name of Angela Constance (Independent Review of Sentencing and Penal Policy), leave out from "recognises" to end and insert "acknowledges that prisons remain severely overcrowded, with prisons operating above capacity even after the Scottish National Party (SNP) administration’s emergency early release of prisoners, impacting on the ability to rehabilitate offenders; is concerned by the high numbers of women in prisons; condemns the SNP administration’s failure to tackle high reoffending rates, which result in offenders returning to custody due to the lack of robust alternatives; agrees that the third sector can play a significant role in the effective delivery of justice services that reduce reoffending, and support reintegration into society; calls on the Scottish Government to urgently increase the availability of robust community payback orders, and invest in safe and secure GPS electronic monitoring to drive down the remand population and give more public confidence to non-custodial sentencing; further calls on the Scottish Government to expand access to throughcare services, which are essential in assisting offenders to reintegrate into society and to stop offending; believes that a review of sentencing and penal policy will not address the urgent crisis in Scotland’s justice system, and resolves that the SNP administration should take immediate action based on parameters set by the Parliament to address these concerns, rather than focus on a review that will not take the prompt action needed to fix the justice system and keep Scotland’s communities safe." followed by Decision Time