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-06861

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it is providing to homeless people in light of comments by Homeless Project Scotland that people are "struggling to cope with life" amid the reported cost of living crisis.

We have introduced a range of targeted measures to support people experiencing homelessness who are affected by the rising costs of living. We have committed £52.5 million since 2018-19 to support local authorities to implement rapid rehousing approaches, including Housing First. We are allocating £79 million in 2022-23 for Discretionary Housing Payments to support those struggling to meet housing costs.

As part of a wider package of funding to tackle the cost of living crisis, in 2022-23 we have committed a further £10 million to continue our Fuel Insecurity Fund, which has been helping households with energy costs since late 2020.

No-one should go hungry or have to rely on charitable food provision. That is why we published a consultation on a plan to end the need for food banks. We will continue to work with partners to strengthen cash-first responses to hardship to ensure people have sufficient income to meet their needs and reduce the need for food banks. In line with this approach, we provided local authorities with £25 million of flexible funding from our Winter Support Fund to tackle financial insecurity over the winter.

For those experiencing the most acute forms of homelessness, we have provided over £690,000 of funding to support the introduction and operation of rapid rehousing welcome centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We have also made over £51,500 of flexible emergency funding available to third sector homelessness organisations for personalised budgets.

Question reference: S6W-06833

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many children’s hearing meetings have been held in each year since 1999.

In 2002, the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) adopted a new system for the management of Children’s Hearings data. Prior to 2002, information on Children’s Hearings was not recorded in the same way – only substantive decisions were recorded, and the data would therefore not be comparable. SCRA can be contacted for further detail on this if required. The number of children’s hearings held in each year since 2002-2003 are:

Year	Number of Children’s Hearings held
2002-03	32,758
2003-04	35,493
2004-05	36,472
2005-06	38,734
2006-07	41,891
2007-08	42,302
2008-09	42,866
2009-10	43,614
2010-11	41,825
2011-12	40,708
2012-13	38,316
2013-14	36,200
2014-15	36,904
2015-16	34,896
2016-17	34,106
2017-18	32,553
2018-19	31,653
2019-20	30,363
2020-21	16,248

Question reference: S6W-06904

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider developing and funding a rolling programme of island restoration, invasive species management and biosecurity across Scotland’s islands in order to build resilience in the seabird populations, in light of them reportedly being internationally important but in decline.

The Scottish Government is aware of the impact that invasive species can have on seabird populations. We are developing the Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy, which aims to optimise the conservation prospects of seabirds in Scotland through effective management of existing and emerging threats. We plan to consult on the Strategy in summer 2022.

The Scottish Government sits on the working group for the RSPB led UK Seabird Island Biosecurity Programme. This programme follows on from the Biosecurity for LIFE programme where invasive rats that were negatively impacting seabird populations were successfully removed from the Shiant isles. Through the working group RSPB are identifying funding opportunities for the programme.

Question reference: S6W-06925

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the concerns raised by the Tron Area Business Group to the Policy and Sustainability Committee of the City to Edinburgh Council on 22 February 2022, what support it is providing to businesses and local authorities in urban areas to respond to antisocial and/or violent behaviour against staff and property in city centres.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that police and local authorities, who lead on tackling antisocial behaviour, continue to have the powers and resources they require. We understand there have been problems in the Tron area and that Police Scotland is working with partners to minimise antisocial behaviour and crime.

The Scottish Parliament passed the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-Restricted Products) (Scotland) Act 2021. This came into force on 24 August 2021 and created a new specific statutory offence of threatening, abusing or assaulting a retail worker, adding to the offences that can already be used to prosecute those who abuse retail workers. Everyone should be able to work without fear of abuse and the criminal law should be used to deal with attacks.

Local authorities have the financial freedom to operate independently, with the vast majority of their funding provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of local authorities to manage their budgets and to allocate resources on the basis of local needs and priorities, including responding to antisocial behaviour.

Support has been provided to businesses through a £6 million City Centre Recovery Fund, to boost footfall and visitors to our city centres, the Scotland Loves Local fund and support for Business Improvement Districts. Since the start of the pandemic, businesses have benefitted from £4.5bn in support from the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-06838

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many care and repair schemes are in operation in each local authority.

Care and Repair services operate throughout Scotland to offer independent advice and assistance to help homeowners repair, improve or adapt their homes so that they can live in comfort and safety in their own community. As of 1 March there were 27 care and repair offices in Scotland covering all local authority areas except West Lothian, with all providing help to vulnerable older and disabled people to install fire alarms under the government financed scheme.

Question reference: S6W-06834

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reform the children’s hearing system, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Scottish Government is committed to keeping The Promise. As outlined in the 2021-22 Programme for Government, we are working with The Promise and other partners to redesign the Children’s Hearings System. Sheriff David Mackie has been appointed as Chair of the Hearings System Working Group which has been established to develop more detailed recommendations in the coming year. There will also be reforms to the Children’s Hearings System through children’s care and justice legislation to be introduced in this Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-06845

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much each local authority has allocated in kinship care payments in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-06658

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date universal free meals in primary schools will be fully implemented and what the timetable is for achieving this.

Universal free school lunches are now available for all children in primaries 1 to 5 during school term-time and we remain committed to further expanding universal free school lunch provision, to include all children in primary and special schools, during the remainder of this parliamentary term.

Our budget for 2022-23 includes a £30 million capital allocation for initial investment in school kitchens ahead of the roll-out of free school lunches to all primary school children later in this parliamentary term.

We will continue to work with our partners in local authorities to plan for the expansion of free school lunch provision over the next academic year. This work will ensure the expansion can be delivered equitably across all schools, in all areas, whilst maintaining high quality lunch provision for all children.

Question reference: S6O-00888

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding is being provided to restore and enhance rural health services.

Question reference: S6O-00889

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done by sportscotland and Creative Scotland to provide opportunities for children and young people.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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