Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6O-02504

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent statistics showing that the number of children in Dumfries and Galloway living in temporary accommodation rose by 67% between 2022 and 2023.

Question reference: S6O-02503

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the 2021 SNP manifesto commitment to expand on the community link worker programme.

Question reference: S6O-02511

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further information regarding the Minimum Income Guarantee Expert Group.

Question reference: S6O-02505

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its Programme for Government 2023-24 will have on the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Question reference: S6W-21056

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the decarbonisation of rail services.

I can confirm that excellent progress is being made with the Scottish Government’s rolling programme of electrification. The Glasgow to Barrhead line will see electric services operating on the route from December 2023. Indeed Network Rail and its contractors have recently successfully completed a six week programme of key installation work to facilitate the electrification works and changes at various stations along the line of route. I would like to thank passengers for their patience during these works.

I can also confirm that I have now approved full funding for the delivery of the East Kilbride Enhancement Project. This will deliver electrification of the route, a relocated station at Hairmyres, a new accessible station at East Kilbride, accessibility works at other stations and a 1.4km extension of the Hairmyres double track section to enhance operational resilience and flexibility of service on the route. This project represents a further £139.8m commitment from this Government which will contribute to our wider net zero objectives and will enable the introduction of electric services on the route from December 2025.

Both of these projects were priorities of our Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan which was published in July 2020. In line with commitments for review within the Action Plan a refresh will be published later this year reflecting current progress and the expected budgetary position.

Question reference: S6W-20763

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether personal emergency evacuation plans are in place for all residents of tower blocks in Scotland whose ability to self-evacuate may be compromised, such as people with reduced mobility or cognition, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Following the Grenfell Phase 1 Report recommendations, the Scottish Government made the decision not to implement a requirement for personal emergency evacuation plans and instead produced the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings . Additionally, in February 2020, to assist those with responsibilities for providing personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs), the Scottish Government produced the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing Specialised Housing and Similar Premises .

This guidance explains how a person-centred approach can be effective and contains information on the use of PEEPs in appropriate settings. The guidance also provides links to the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for the Evacuation of Disabled Persons from Buildings .

Question reference: S6W-20731

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many third sector partners are providing community link worker programmes within Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland in the current financial year, and what the names are of any such providers, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-20536

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last undertook a review of the college estate, and what the conclusions were.

The SFC last undertook a review of the college estate in late 2017 through the College Sector Estate Conditions Survey. This identified that approximately one-third of the college estate required significant backlog maintenance, either through major repair or replacement of core elements of colleges’ estate. As a result, the college sector was allocated additional funding in 2018-19 to help fund very high priority maintenance needs.

The college sector capital funding allocation for 2023-24 increased by over 10% with £31.2m being allocated for backlog and lifecycle maintenance. The SFC offered greater flexibility by combining the two funding allocations. Additionally, the SFC has targeted £4.7m of capital maintenance funding to support the highest priority needs such as significant known and emerging health and safety issues, including making buildings wind and watertight.

Question reference: S6W-20733

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20290 and S6W-20295 by Paul McLennan on 17 August 2023, at what point in the conveyancing process the local area team would be able to agree grant funding for an acquisition under the national acquisition plan.

Question reference: S6W-20732

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20290 and S6W-20295 by Paul McLennan on 17 August 2023, how quickly it expects area team offices to (a) handle applications and (b) agree grant funding for acquisitions under the national acquisition plan.