- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00422 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 June 2026, for what reason Social Security Scotland's Annual Report and Accounts 2025 states that ‘‘debt recovery is limited to voluntary repayment arrangements".
Answer
As set out in the answer to question S7W-00422 on 3 June 2026, Social Security Scotland has the legal powers to undertake enforced deductions and pursue civil recovery where appropriate.
At the time the referenced report was published, recovery activity had been focused on voluntary overpayments because it is always preferable to agree arrangements for repaying with individuals if possible. However, as of January 2026 Social Security Scotland has now expanded its use of available recovery powers in relation to existing and newly accrued debts, including by developing options for enforced recovery and commencing civil recovery through the courts.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 13 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the Play Park Renewal Programme, and how much has been allocated to Dumfries and Galloway Council through this programme since 2021.
Answer
Answer expected on 13 July 2026
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 13 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing financial support to congregations, in light of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which allowed churches to reclaim VAT on repairs and renovations.
Answer
Answer expected on 13 July 2026
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many Child Winter Heating Payments were paid out in April 2026.
Answer
The Scottish Government is delivering the strongest package of winter support in the UK. Child Winter Heating Payment is an automatic payment unique to Scotland that helps families and carers of disabled children under 19 with winter heating costs. It is paid to those who receive the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.
Official statistics published on 19 May 2026 shows that as of 31 March 2026, over 44,000 Child Winter Heating Payments were made to eligible clients, with the vast majority paid automatically in December 2025. The information requested for April 2026 is not yet published.
Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Heating Benefits: Statistics for Winter 2025/2026 - Social Security Scotland.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many Pension Age Winter Heating Payments were paid out in April 2026.
Answer
The Scottish Government is delivering the strongest package of winter support in the UK.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is an automatic annual payment that helps people of State Pension age with winter heating costs.
Official statistics published on 19 May 2026 shows that as of 31 March 2026 over 1.055 million Pension Age Winter Heating Payments were made to eligible clients, with the vast majority paid automatically in December 2025.The information requested for April 2026 is not yet published.
People could apply for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment if they believed they were eligible but had not received a payment by 31 March 2026. Social Security Scotland may therefore make payments after that date where applications are received, awarded or accepted late in certain circumstances.
Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Heating Benefit Statistics.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a review of its planned award review system for Adult Disability Payment.
Answer
The Scottish Government has assessed whether the current disability benefit award review process is working as intended and if any changes may be required as part of our Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan.
Alongside our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement as set out in the social security principles, further enhancements are being made to the review process. These enhancements will include improvements to the scheduled review form, which will strengthen the gathering of relevant information at award review.
We will design these enhancements with disabled people and stakeholders to facilitate fair and robust decision-making and ensure that the values of dignity, fairness and respect are embedded throughout.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many Winter Heating Payments were paid out in April 2026.
Answer
The Scottish Government is delivering the strongest package of winter support in the UK.
Winter Heating Payment replaced the UK Government's Cold Weather Payment in February 2023. The payment is made automatically and provides stable and reliable support to help low-income households with winter heating costs, regardless of the temperature.
Official statistics published on 19 May 2026 shows that as of 31 March 2026, over 472,000 Winter Heating Payments were made to eligible clients, with the vast majority paid automatically in December 2025. The information requested for April 2026 is not yet published.
Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Heating Benefit Statistics.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many people currently work for Social Security Scotland, broken down by corporate function area.
Answer
Social Security Scotland regularly publishes statistics relating to its staffing, although it does not routinely publish a breakdown of its staff by corporate function.
The most recent workforce statistics, published on 19 March 2026, show overall staffing levels of 4,140 full-time equivalent staff in December 2025 but do not include a breakdown by corporate function.
Staff work flexibly across all benefits and are deployed to meet demand.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether any provisions of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025 are yet to be commenced.
Answer
Seven provisions of the Act are now in force. Implementation planning continues on the remaining 16 sections, working closely with key partners such as Social Security Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure the necessary technical and operational arrangements are in place to deliver the efficiencies and improved services to clients that will be achieved under the provisions. A consultation period will close on 10 June for section 18 (Information for Audit), which allows Ministers to request information to estimate the levels and the monetary value of fraud and error in the system, with regulations to follow shortly thereafter.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 8 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what improvements to the (a) A75 and (b) A77 it plans to undertake over the next five years.
Answer
The outcome of the initial design and assessment work to identify a preferred route option for the bypassing of Springholm and Crocketford is expected to conclude in 2027.
The Infrastructure Delivery Plan, published in January 2026, notes the need to advance the development of the supporting Outline Business Case for further improvements to both road corridors. This work is in line with the requirements of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance and the Scottish Public Finance Manual requirements when considering new capital investment.
This work will also consolidate and expand the ambitions set out In Recommendation 40 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review, beyond the Springholm/Crocketford project.
Transport Scotland is currently updating the evidence base and engaging with local stakeholders with the aim of identifying potential priority areas for improvement on both the A75 and A77.
In addition, for the A75, £8.5 million was invested in 2025-26 in maintaining and operating the route. With nine major road resurfacing schemes planned for the A75 in 2026-27. While in 2025-26,£6.5 million was similarly invested in maintaining and operating the A77, with10 major road resurfacing schemes planned for the A77 in 2026-27.
