Emma Harper
Scottish National Party
C arers make an invaluable but often unrecognised contribution to society. The impact of Covid-19 has meant that carers are under more strain than ever, with even less free time. How is the Scottish Government ensuring that young carers, in particular, can access opportunities that are available to their peers during this difficult time?
Nicola Sturgeon
Scottish National Party
Young carers make an incredible difference to the lives of the people for whom they care. [
Interruption
.] I am sorry, Presiding Officer. I am being distracted by some chat in the background.
Young carers make an incredible difference day in, day out. I place on record my gratitude—and that of the Scottish Government—for their work and the contributions that they make not only during this carers week but every single week of the year.
At the weekend, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced additional funding that is intended to reach as many young carers as possible and to provide them with extra support during this time. Such funding is going to Young Scot and the time to live fund. It will allow young carers to access opportunities such as e-vouchers and subscription packages and will also provide small grants to help them to take breaks from caring.
Of course, that is on top of our existing young carer grant, which is a £305 payment for those aged 16 to 18 with significant caring responsibilities.
I want to emphasise my gratitude—and, I am sure, the gratitude of everybody across Scotland—for all the contributions that young carers make.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
