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-24458

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people in Scotland (a) are currently in receipt of and (b) have made an application since 1 April 2020 for, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit in relation to a diagnosis of the prescribed disease, pneumoconiosis, and, of these, how many would not receive this benefit as new applicants in the event that the recommendations in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis), are implemented by the UK Government.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is currently being delivered by the UK Government in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government through an agency agreement. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) do not publish data on total IIDB awards for specific prescribed diseases. According to DWP data, between 1 April 2020 and 1 April 2023, 363 people made an application for IIDB in relation to pneumoconiosis in Scotland. There were 306 awards processed for pneumoconiosis in Scotland in this time period.

The Scottish Government cannot comment on how many people would be impacted if these recommendations were accepted by the UK Government at this stage. We continue to work with the DWP to understand the implications of any future changes to legislation.

Question reference: S6W-24460

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be required to accept any amendments, as they apply in Scotland, to the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations 1985, in accordance with the report, Industrial Injuries Scheme Benefits in Scotland: Agency Agreement, in the event that the UK Government accepts the recommendations in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis), and whether this will require the Scottish Ministers to lay a Scottish statutory instrument in order to do so.

The Industrial Injuries Scheme (IIS) continues to be delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) though an agency agreement. The agreement requires alignment between the way in which IIS is delivered in Scotland and its delivery in the rest of the UK and therefore any changes to the UK legislation to be reflected in relevant Scottish legislation. This would typically require a Scottish statutory instrument.

Question reference: S6W-24459

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, regarding the impact in Scotland, to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis), and what the potential implications are for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit applicants in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-24461

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans for Employment Injury Assistance include (a) accepting or (b) rejecting the recommendations, as they apply in Scotland, in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis).

The Scottish Government is committed to undertaking a public consultation on Employment Injury Assistance (EIA) shortly. As set out in the response to S6W-24459 on 23 January 2023 we continue to engage with UK Government on their response to IIAC’s report. 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 .

Question reference: S6W-24405

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline, has not been announced to the Parliament and referenced in its Budget 2024-25.

In light of extreme pressures on housing systems, we have recently confirmed plans to bring forward a 2024 review, with a focus on the timeline for delivery of 110,000 affordable homes. To effectively meet housing need and support affordable housing priorities across different areas we want to support all tenures while still prioritising social rented homes.

The review’s metrics are under development and outcomes will be shared with Parliament when available.

Question reference: S6W-24408

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly brought forward the date of its review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.

Question reference: S6W-24409

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations will have a role in contributing to the reported forthcoming review of its target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.

Question reference: S6W-24407

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline, could result in the timeline being extended, and, if so, what options would be considered for the length of any such extension.

Question reference: S6W-24406

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the scope is of its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.

Question reference: S6W-24138

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Affordable Housing Supply Programme is fit for purpose, in light of its reported plans to halve the budget in real terms.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme is fit for purpose. The UK Government did not inflation-proof their Capital Budget which has resulted in nearly a 10% real terms fall in our UK capital funding between 2023-24 and 2027-28. That means that we cannot deliver on all our capital projects. One of the most difficult choices we have taken is to reduce the funding for our Affordable Housing Supply Programme.