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: S6W-20607

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it tracks the participation of children aged 10 to 15 in cultural activities, including theatre, drama, music and sport.

Question reference: S6W-20493

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist local authorities in installing (a) solar panels on local authority buildings and (b) electric vehicle charging points in local authority parking facilities.

(a)The Scottish Government supports the installation of solar panels on public sector buildings through the Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation scheme which provides several funding routes for public sector organisations to decarbonise their buildings.

(b) The Scottish Government has invested over £65m in the ChargePlace Scotland network that provides over 2,500 public charge points, many of which are located in local authority parking facilities. Through the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, Transport Scotland is supporting Scotland’s local authorities to work together to establish and deliver electric vehicle charging strategies and infrastructure expansion plans.

Question reference: S6W-20338

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reported new ministerial working group on child poverty, to be led by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, will consider and make recommendations before the end of 2023 regarding increasing the level of the Scottish Child Payment for parents under 25.

Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical missions of this government.

The Tackling Child Poverty Ministerial Oversight Group, which I will convene, will provide Ministerial-level oversight and assurance of the delivery of the actions set out in Best Start, Bright Futures.

Scottish Child Payment is already delivering targeted support directly to our priority family groups, as set out in our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. This payment is not available anywhere else in the UK – and it is available because this Government is prioritising lifting children out of poverty, despite our constrained resources.

Due to Scottish Government policies an estimated 90,000 fewer children are expected to live in relative and absolute poverty this year.

Question reference: S6W-20336

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of the reported greater levels of effectiveness of ground-source heat pumps compared with air-source heat pumps.

The suitability of Zero Direct Emission Heating Systems is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example: the age of the property, its location, available space, and any energy efficiency improvements that have already been installed or are required to support the efficient operation of a zero direct emissions system.

Home Energy Scotland (HES), administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government, is a domestic advice service that acts as a single point of access for free, bespoke, impartial advice on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support in Scotland. HES provides in-depth support to householders on low and zero emissions heating technologies, other domestic renewables and more complex energy efficiency improvements.

Later this year we will publish our Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy, outlining how we will work with stakeholders to increase public awareness and understanding of the need to transition to renewable heating, the different technological options available to achieve this and how to access existing advice and support.

Question reference: S6W-20396

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its housing policies aid and promote downsizing in the social and private sectors.

Housing to 2040 sets out a vision for what the Scottish Government wants homes and communities to look and feel like for the people in Scotland. We set out an ambitious vision that by 2040 everyone living in Scotland would have access to a safe, warm, affordable, high quality and energy efficient home that meets their needs in the place they want to be.

The 2014 Housing (Scotland) Act introduced a provision for 'tenants of houses which are held by a social landlord and which the social landlord selecting its tenants considers to be under-occupied' as one of the reasonable preference groups social housing landlords must take into account when allocating tenancies. This supports social landlords to make best use of their housing stock and giving priority to social rented sector tenants who are under-occupying their home is one way of doing this, by encouraging downsizing and releasing larger homes for households who need them.

We recognise that downsizing is a personal choice, and that people may find it difficult to leave a property that has been their home for some time. Scottish Government guidance to social landlords encourages them to take a proactive approach to support tenants to consider whether their current home meets their needs and to consider whether a move might help them live independently for longer.

The private rented sector can provide tenants with greater flexibility in terms of size and location, and enable a tenant to rent a property which meets their needs and circumstances and downsize when appropriate. Where a tenant is eligible for Local Housing Allowance (LHA), the LHA rate and the amount of support they receive depends on their individual circumstances. This may influence the size of property they can afford to rent.

Question reference: S6W-20353

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions it has had with representatives from the care sector, in light of reports that care homes are closing at a rate of one per week.

Question reference: S6W-20833

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-20832

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with delivering the Bute House Agreement commitment to ensure that community housing trusts are adequately funded so that they can support the delivery of enhanced rural home building plans.

I am pleased to announce a package of support, co-funded with Nationwide Foundation, of up to £960,000 over the next three years. It will support the staff capacity and expertise within Communities Housing Trust and South of Scotland Community Housing to bring forward the projects in their pipeline to delivery.

This commitment will form part of the Remote, Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan that will be published in the Autumn.

Question reference: S6W-20588

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 24 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided directly, as well as to each local authority, to cover the costs relating to the provision of the new right, from August 2023, to early learning and childcare funding where entry to primary school is deferred.

In 2023-24, we will be investing around £1 billion through local government in funding 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC).

We have carried out detailed analysis of the cost of delivering 1140 and worked with COSLA and local government through the ELC Finance Working Group to understand what a sustainable settlement would look like.

The settlement takes account of changes to the eligible population and also makes significant allowance for high rates of inflation in costs, as well as reflecting increased pay costs and creating capacity to deliver policy priorities including deferrals.

Question reference: S6W-20501

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the next bidding rounds for the Energy Transition Fund will be announced.