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-15255

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, of the households that have claimed social security benefits in the last 12 months, how many had a (a) woman and (b) man as the lead claimant.

Social Security Scotland does not routinely produce information on households claiming social security benefits.

Information on the characteristics of applicants, including gender, is published as part of Official Statistics publications on Social Security Scotland client diversity and equalities analysis.

These statistics were most recently published in September 2021 and are available at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/social-security-scotland-client-diversity-and-equalities-analysis-to-may-2021 .

There is currently work being undertaken to produce an update to this publication, which will be published by the end of summer 2023. This will cover the period from June 2021 to October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-14653

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 28 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will launch the consultation on the Adult Disability Payment Review.

The consultation on the eligibility criteria for the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment opened on 31 January 2023 and will close on 25 April 2023.

The consultation can be accessed via https://consult.gov.scot/social-security/adult-disability-payment-review .

People can also engage with the consultation through a series of consultation events during February and March 2023.

Registration for consultation events can be accessed via https://www.tickettailor.com/events/adpreviewevents .

Question reference: S6W-14665

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last assessed the extra costs associated with disability.

The Cost of Living National Performance indicator is disaggregated by disability on the National Performance Framework Data Explorer. It was last updated on 3 Feb 2023 with the 2018-21 data, showing that disabled people spent 34% of their income on housing, fuel and food compared to 23% of income among non-disabled people. As this data precedes the cost of living crisis, Scottish Government published an analytical report on the available cost of living evidence on 2 November 2022. The report includes a summary of available evidence on disabled people’s costs. We know that disabled people often incur additional living costs and are disproportionally affected by the cost crisis, with evidence of higher prices for energy bills, food, and fuel costs. The Scottish Government provides a range of disability benefits to help disabled people and those with long-term conditions. Disability benefits are designed to provide financial support to disabled people to mitigate the additional costs of living with a disability or health condition. The Scottish Government is uprating disability assistance by 10.1% in April 2023, in line with the September CPI inflation rate. We are currently working with Disabled People’s Organisations and their members to develop a new Disability Equality Strategy in 2023. The cost crisis and disability poverty have been identified as key areas of focus in this strategy.

Question reference: S6W-14560

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council about the reported 1,111 Ukrainians who are due to disembark MS Ambition by 31 March 2023.

Scottish Government officials and Glasgow City Council have been engaging regularly since November 2022 to undertake a Joint Assurance Review to ensure exit planning for the disembarkation of the MS Ambition remains on track.

The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been meeting with guests to help them make an informed decision about their next accommodation and where possible, we are seeking to move a displaced people according to their needs. This has been supplemented by ongoing and regular discussions between the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, regional local authorities, and CoSLA, where host and accommodation matches for MS Ambition-based Ukrainians are identified as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Question reference: S6W-14561

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of available accommodation in Glasgow and the surrounding areas to relocate the reported 1,111 Ukrainians still onboard MS Ambition by 31 March 2023.

Analysis has been undertaken to estimate how many guests on MS Ambition will likely be matched into longer term accommodation based on the availability of hosted and Responsible Social Landlord properties in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Analysis into the availability of accommodation for guests disembarking MS Ambition remains ongoing and is being revised as new data becomes available via the monitoring of the disembarkation process.

Question reference: S6W-14559

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to house the reported 1,111 Ukrainians currently onboard MS Ambition after 31 March 2023.

Since November 2022, Scottish Government officials and Glasgow City Council engage regularly to undertake a Joint Assurance Review to ensure exit planning for the exit of the MS Ambition remains on track.

Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been meeting with guests to help them make an informed decision about their next accommodation and where possible, we are seeking to move a displaced people according to their needs. The lack of suitable properties in Glasgow however means that it is unlikely that everyone on board MS Ambition will be able to be accommodated in Glasgow.

Should guests be unable to secure alternative accommodation or not accept an offer of accommodation from the Scottish Government matching team or Glasgow City Council, they will be allocated alternative welcome accommodation before 31 March 2023.

Question reference: S6O-01925

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many free bicycles it has issued to children in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-14042

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will give to welfare rights services, such as that run by Epilepsy Scotland, to protect them against the current cost of living crisis.

The Scottish Government recognises the critical role of advice services, often delivered by our diverse third sector and providing lifeline services to the most vulnerable communities during the cost crisis. We are directly investing around £12.5 million this year in free income maximisation, welfare and debt advice services delivered by third sector partners.

We recognise the impact that rising operating costs are having across society, including on charities and voluntary organisations, and we are committed to doing everything within our powers to support the third sector.

However, our ability to fulfil our devolved responsibilities and the support we would wish to provide remains a significant challenge due to the limitations on our parliament and the UK Government’s economic mismanagement.

Question reference: S6W-13822

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 26 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its planned review, including any consultation, of the mobility criteria in relation to Adult Disability Payment.

The Scottish Government began stage one of the review of Adult Disability Payment in 2022, by engaging with academics and people with lived experience.

We have engaged with disabled people through our experience panels and with stakeholders to inform the parameters of the review. Stage one of the review will soon seek a broad range of views on the eligibility criteria for the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment as part of a public consultation.

The consultation will open shortly and will run for 3 months. People will have the opportunity to engage with the consultation through a series of consultation events in the coming months.

The results of the consultation will be independently analysed and we will publish the analysis of the consultation and the responses received, where the respondent has given us permission to do so.

The findings will be used to inform Stage Two, the independent review of Adult Disability Payment beginning later in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-13767

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Met Office in relation to the Winter Heating Payment.