- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the provision of additional financial support for housing decarbonisation.
Answer
The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the UK Government about heat decarbonisation. For example, we continue to press the UK Government to align delivery of the Energy Company Obligation and Great British Insulation Schemes with Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies.
While heat and energy efficiency are devolved, however, we need to see further and urgent action by the UK Government in reserved areas. These actions, which include market reforms designed to make electricity cheaper to use than gas, will be vital to ensure that the transition is fair and affordable.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS (a) boards, (b) frontline staff and (c) patients regarding the latest satisfaction survey.
Answer
Through our work on NHS renewal we are continuing to collect views through a series of engagements with a wide range of stakeholders. This builds on the feedback and understanding gained through the Health and Care Experience Survey and other channels. We are translating this into action and transformation through our ongoing work with NHS Boards, supporting staff to help deliver against the recently published Operational Improvement Plan, and building through the forthcoming population health framework and health and social care renewal framework
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with international firms operating in Scotland regarding expanding domestic supply chains.
Answer
The Scottish Government along with Scottish Development International and Enterprise Agencies are actively engaged with business and international firms operating in Scotland to expand the domestic supply chains. For instance, Scottish Enterprise works with more than 350 foreign owned businesses to support their growth which includes encouraging the benefits of engaging with local supply chain companies.
This is achieved by building on the strength of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, which supports technology development and skills across a wide range of manufacturing sectors, leveraging the knowledge and expertise of industry bodies, partners and Scotland’s academic institutions. This approach will enable our manufacturing sector to take advantage of emerging market opportunities, such as offshore wind, hydrogen and future industries in which Scotland has the potential to excel.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the 2025-26 social care budget will be used to support essential frontline services, as opposed to administrative overheads or bureaucracy.
Answer
The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration – exceeding our commitment to increase funding by 25% by almost £350 million.
However, While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is for local authorities and health boards to work with the Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide people with the appropriate support.
Decisions on how best to deliver services to local communities are ultimately for integration authorities and locally elected representatives to make.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the level of funding for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund to be adequate to meet its stated targets.
Answer
The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund has supported over 13,000 social homes since its launch, investing approximately £70 million in energy efficiency and clean heat projects.
While public funding and support will continue to play a big part in the clean heat transition for social housing, decarbonising Scotland’s buildings will require a mix of both public and private finance with the recent Green Heat Finance Taskforce Part 2 report exploring how to attract greater private investment. The Scottish Government will respond to the Taskforce report in the coming months.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an impact assessment on rent affordability, in light of any additional costs associated with greener heating compliance.
Answer
Our consultation last year on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) asked for views on proposals to require social landlords to improve fabric efficiency and install clean heating where it is technically feasible and cost-effective to do so.
We continue to discuss next steps for the proposed Standard with key stakeholders from the social housing sector. Before it is finalised and implemented, we will complete and publish final impact assessments which will include consideration of the associated costs.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support social housing providers in complying with greener heat regulations that they find unaffordable.
Answer
The social housing sector has been outperforming the housing stock overall in terms of EPC ratings in recent years. The Scottish House Condition Survey found 65% of Scotland’s social housing stock rated EPC band C or better. Scottish Government provides grant funding support to social landlords to implement clean heating systems and energy efficiency measures in their existing stock through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the number of young people in Scotland who are classified as not in education, employment or training (NEET), in light of reports suggesting that almost one in eight 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK are classified as being in this category.
Answer
No One Left Behind is the Scottish Government’s shared approach with Local Government and wider partners to delivering an all-age, place-based, person-centred model of employability support in Scotland. Services are delivered locally, ensuring individuals, including young people, receive tailored support to help them progress into sustainable employment.
Reaching people who are classed as economically inactive requires services to do things differently. Employability support must be tailored to an individual’s circumstances and recognise that progress towards employment might not be linear. That is why we are working collectively with Local Government, the wider public sector, and third sector partners to enhance the reach and awareness of the support we provide.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) provides an all-age career service in every local authority with an SDS Careers Adviser in every mainstream secondary school to highlight the wide range of career options available. Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Regional Groups, School Coordinators, and third sector organisations also play an important role in supporting young people’s transitions to work, including those for whom the barriers are greater.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is to attract a share of the reported $650 billion in nearshoring investment expected across the UK over the next three years.
Answer
As highlighted in the Programme for Government, growing the economy is a key strategic priority for the Scottish Government and this includes continuing to focus on attracting both foreign direct and large scale capital investment and why the Deputy First Minister is leading a programme of impactful investor engagement.
Our approach to growing the economy ensures Scotland provides the optimal business environment attractive to investors, maximising the benefits from any nearshoring and other investment opportunities.
Scotland has a strong track record of attracting inward investment, with the EY UK Annual Attractiveness Survey in July 2024 showing Scotland maintaining its position as the top performing part of the UK outside of London for the ninth year.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that non-harassment orders are effectively enforced in all circumstances, including when the offender has legal title to the shared home.
Answer
A non-harassment order is an order requiring the person against whom it is made requiring them to refrain from such conduct in relation to another person as may be specified in the order. A civil court can make a non-harassment order under section 8 or section 8A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. A criminal court can make a non-harassment order under section 234A of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 and, in domestic abuse cases, section 234A as modified by section 234AZA of that Act.
Breach of a non-harassment order is a criminal offence and alleged breaches can be reported to Police Scotland.
