Welcome to this virtual meeting of the Scottish Parliament. The first item of business is portfolio questions on communities and local government. If members wish to ask a supplementary question,...

1. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities in their response to Covid-19. (S5O-04533)

2. To ask the Scottish Government what further support local authorities can provide to communities and community organisations to continue to protect the most vulnerable and older people during...

3. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to empower local authorities to make decisions that will strengthen their communities as they move on following the Covid-19 pandemic....

5. To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it is providing to strengthen communities in light of the challenges that many face as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. (S5O-04537)

4. To ask the Scottish Government what its response has been to reports that many community facilities run by charitable trusts are on the verge of collapse due to reduced income caused by the...

6. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the cost of the Covid-19 response and recovery measures for local government on the delivery of other council...

7. To ask the Scottish Government what it considers an acceptable length of time for negotiations on planning conditions to conclude. (S5O-04539)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent an increase in homelessness as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. (S5O-04540)

Good afternoon. The next item of business today is portfolio question time on social security and older people. Our first question is from Keith Brown.

1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the race equality framework. (S5O-04541)

2. To ask the Scottish Government how children in low-income households in the Cowdenbeath constituency are being supported by the social security system. (S5O-04542)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what the revised delivery date for carers allowance is and when the transfer of cases will take place. (S5O-04543)

4. To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Dundee City Council regarding how its welfare policies address the reported widening of the Scottish index of multiple...

5. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting young people in the Glasgow Cathcart constituency with the costs of starting a new job. (S5O-04545)

6. To ask the Scottish Government what role ministers have played in ensuring that the human rights of older people are being protected during the Covid-19 pandemic. (S5O-04546)

7. To ask the Scottish Government how its welfare policies address poverty and malnutrition in older people. (S5O-04547)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the minister for older people has had with the health secretary regarding allowing more visitors and increasing social interaction for older...

I remind members that questions 2, 5 and 6 are grouped together. If a member wishes to ask a supplementary question, they should indicate that by typing “R” in the chat box while the...

1. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had regarding reported concerns relating to the underfunding of the City of Edinburgh Council. (S5O-04549)

2. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland” figures. (S5O-04550)

6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to publishing an alternative to the annual “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland” report. (S5O-04554)

5. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the level of deficit recorded by the latest “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland” figures. (S5O-04553)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis the finance secretary has made of the financial sustainability of Scotland’s universities and colleges. (S5O-04551)

4. To ask the Scottish Government how it will use its tax-raising powers to generate additional income in the coming year. (S5O-04552)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has allocated to help protect and lift families out of food poverty and extreme poverty. (S5O-04555)

8. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to protect public spending in the north-east. (S5O-04556)