- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) owner-occupied and (b) private-rented domestic properties have achieved an increase in their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating as a result of intervention by (i) area-based energy-efficiency schemes, (ii) Energy Efficiency Scotland pilots, (iii) Warmer Homes Scotland and (iv) the Home Energy Scotland Loan Scheme, also broken down by the EPC band level achieved.
Answer
Area based schemes
Details of the total number of energy efficiency measures delivered through Area Based Schemes are published on the Scottish Government website .These are provided for each local authority by year of delivery. We do not currently collect or collate information from councils about pre and post EPC ratings.
Energy Efficient Scotland (EES) Pilots
The transition phase of EES pilots is currently underway and due for completion in March 2020. Evaluation of these projects will be carried out by the University of Edinburgh, with publication planned for spring 2020. This phase aims to help over 1,600 homes install energy efficient measures with a focus on supporting the self-funded market.
Warmer Homes Scotland
The total number of completed properties that achieved a SAP increase in the EPC rating as a result of intervention by Warmer Homes Scotland up to the end of March 2019 was 13,743. This represents a total of 89% of all completed properties.
Post SAP Band | 15-16 Budget Year | 16-17 Budget Year | 17-18 Budget Year | 18-19 Budget Year | Grand Total |
Owner-occupied | 1,081 | 3,816 | 3,550 | 3,477 | 11,924 |
B | 1 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 34 |
C | 328 | 1415 | 1275 | 1322 | 4,340 |
D | 532 | 1642 | 1585 | 1525 | 5,284 |
E | 166 | 506 | 466 | 464 | 1,602 |
F | 44 | 208 | 175 | 134 | 561 |
G | 10 | 39 | 36 | 18 | 103 |
Rented (private) | 191 | 839 | 666 | 123 | 1,819 |
A | | | 1 | | 1 |
B | | 2 | 4 | | 6 |
C | 76 | 331 | 268 | 12 | 687 |
D | 79 | 305 | 246 | 52 | 682 |
E | 17 | 104 | 72 | 26 | 219 |
F | 14 | 75 | 63 | 22 | 174 |
G | 5 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 50 |
Grand Total | 1,272 | 4,655 | 4.216 | 3,600 | 13,743 |
Home Energy Scotland Loan Scheme
Since its launch in May 2017, there have been 3,076 loan applications paid out under the Home Energy Scotland loan scheme; comprising 2,805 owner occupied and 271 private rented sector applications. The information on EPC band achieved is not held centrally and is a matter for the Energy Savings Trust as keepers of the EPC register. This data has been requested and is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 61066).
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what delivery and practical quality control mechanisms will be available from April 2021 to engage and support (a) self-funding owner-occupiers and (b) contractors to help accelerate the take-up of energy-efficiency schemes and low-carbon heat installations, and how it will use the lessons learned from the Energy Efficient Scotland Transition Programme to support this.
Answer
Mechanisms available to both owner-occupiers and contractors are outlined in the Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map . Since the publication of the route map, recommendations from the Quality Assurance short life working group have been published in March 2019 and findings from the social evaluation of the first phase of LHEES pilots have also now been published.
In addition, a short life working group on assessment was established and has drawn up a set of interim proposals that will be tested via the owner occupiers consultation in December.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what scrutiny there has been of its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme.
Answer
The first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme is subject to the same internal controls and scrutiny as other similar schemes and will be evaluated in due course. The Scottish Government is engaging with a range of stakeholders to develop the new scheme, including mortgage lenders, UK Finance and Homes for Scotland.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government on what date its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme will start.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s new First Time Buyer’s Scheme will be launched by the end of the year.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme differs from previous equity share schemes.
Answer
The new first-time buyers scheme will provide first time buyers with up to £25,000 towards the deposit for a property to support people to buy a home that meets their needs. The scheme is open to all first-time buyers in Scotland.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of BS 8414 test methodology for combustible materials on buildings.
Answer
Public comments on the review of the BS 8414 test methodology for assessing the fire performance of external wall cladding systems were sought earlier this year.
These comments are now being considered by the relevant British Standards Institution committee, which is both expert and independent of government.
In retaining this option to test cladding systems, we have followed the recommendations of our review panel of fire experts.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2019
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is helping councils to prepare for Brexit.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2019
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 13 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24279 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, how the £24 million to support rapid rehousing implementation is being allocated, and whether the allocations will be made public.
Answer
I announced on the 17 July that the £24 million to support Rapid Rehousing implementation will be distributed as £8 million in 2019-2020, £8 million in 2020-2021 and £8 million in 2021-2022. This was posted on the official Scottish Government website.
Also on the 17 July, in a joint letter with Councillor Witham, COSLA, I confirmed the funding distribution to local authorities of the initial £8 million for 2019-2020. Please see the following table. As agreed with Council Leaders, this was calculated on the basis of a three year average of homelessness assessments for the period 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
The Scottish Government is in discussions with COSLA to develop and agree an approach to distribute the remaining £8 million for 2020-2021 and £8 million for 2021-2022. This will be announced in due course.
Local authority | Funding Allocation Rounded |
Aberdeen City | £311,000 |
Aberdeenshire | £261,000 |
Angus | £172,000 |
Argyll & Bute | £95,000 |
Clackmannanshire | £103,000 |
Dumfries & Galloway | £143,000 |
Dundee City | £300,000 |
East Ayrshire | £119,000 |
East Dunbartonshire | £120,000 |
East Lothian | £160,000 |
East Renfrewshire | £76,000 |
Edinburgh, City of | £1,005,000 |
Eilean Siar | £34,000 |
Falkirk | £211,000 |
Fife | £524,000 |
Glasgow City | £1,322,000 |
Highland | £280,000 |
Inverclyde | £53,000 |
Midlothian | £141,000 |
Moray | £97,000 |
North Ayrshire | £187,000 |
North Lanarkshire | £389,000 |
Orkney Islands | £22,000 |
Perth & Kinross | £203,000 |
Renfrewshire | £186,000 |
Scottish Borders | £153,000 |
Shetland Islands | £31,000 |
South Ayrshire | £173,000 |
South Lanarkshire | £461,000 |
Stirling | £101,000 |
West Dunbartonshire | £265,000 |
West Lothian | £302,000 |
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 12 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24275 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, whether the meeting with Glasgow City Council took place as scheduled on 2 August 2019 and, if so, whether it will provide the information that was requested.
Answer
The first voluntary review meeting between officials from Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council took place as scheduled on 2 August 2019. The next meeting took place on Friday 30 August.
As outlined in my reply to question S5W-24275 the review is not a Scottish Government intervention and findings will be reported to the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.
The remit of the review is to identify areas for improvement and it will be for the review team, taking account of its initial findings and subsequent actions, to determine the process to be followed including what information is required for the purposes of the review.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 12 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24281 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, in light of the meeting with Glasgow City Council that took place, whether the findings of the voluntary review by the council will be made public, and what duty there will be on the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership to act on the findings.
Answer
Two meetings have now taken place between Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership and Scottish Government officials to progress on addressing the failure to accommodate. These meetings took place on 2 and 30 August 2019.
The purpose of the review, which the Council has agreed to undertake with Scottish Government, is to identify improvements that will assist Glasgow City Council in meeting its legislative duty to homeless households. As this is a voluntary review being undertaken in partnership between the Health and Social Care Partnership and the Scottish Government, there is no duty to act on its findings and the decision, including making the findings public will be that for the Partnership. However, like all local authorities, Glasgow has a duty to provide temporary accommodation to all homeless households.
