The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7W-02337

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much, by (a) percentage and (b) value, of the increase in funding allocated to the Registered Social Landlord Adaptations Programme in its Budget for 2026-27 is new investment, and how much has been provided through reductions, transfers or reprofiling of expenditure elsewhere in the Scottish Budget.

The Scottish Government has protected the Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) Adaptations Programme budget, maintaining this at £20.9 million for 2026-27. This reflects our ongoing commitment to support social landlords to deliver necessary adaptations for older tenants and disabled tenants to ensure they can live safely and independently in their own home for as long as they choose to do so.

Demand for this programme is high, due to the increased need for adaptations to support people to live safely and independently at home, maintaining the significant increase to this budget for a second year reflects this.

All funding available to the Scottish Government is allocated through the annual budget process. It is not possible to attribute a specific funding source to a particular budget line.

Question reference: S7O-00165

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether, when briefed by officials on the full business case for the Monklands Replacement Project in March 2026, the then Minister for Public Health considered the £2.1 billion proposal to be at risk of rejection.

Question reference: S7W-02188

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 26 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the findings of the Scottish Land Commission report, Tax and the Reuse of Scotland's Long-Term Derelict Land, how many of the 466 long-term derelict urban sites identified in the report have received support through the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme; how much funding has been allocated to those sites, and how many have subsequently been brought back into productive use.

We do not routinely hold this information in the format requested. However, the following table notes all projects supported through VDLIP since its launch, the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey code if available, how much VDLIP funding has been allocated and where applicable, land that has been brought back into productive use.

Lead applicant	Project title	Total Grant Awarded	Site Codes	Project Status	Outcome
City of Edinburgh	Western Villages Granton	£619,661	EC01 Granton Harbour Plot? EC12 West Harbour Road EC37 Granton Harbour 2 EC79 West Granton Rd EC84 West Harbour Rd 2 EC88 West Shore Rd 5 EC88 Waterfront Broadway	COMPLETE	444 houses complete on site.
Clyde Gateway URC	Dalmarnock Riverside Park	£750,000	704 Dalmarnock Riverside	COMPLETE	New community park opened in November 2022.
East Dunbartonshire Council	Kirkintilloch Community Sport Complex	£1,061,075	4.Br7 Work Area	COMPLETE	New sports centre opened in 2024.
East Renfrewshire Council	Levern Water Revival	£1,084,661	3822 Prestwick Street / Levern Bridge Road	COMPLETE	Natural river channel restored to the Levern Water, alongside the creation of a riverside greenspace and path network.
Falkirk Council	Lionthorn Bing Greenspace Project	£582,808	Not available	COMPLETE	Vibrant community greenspace complete.
Glasgow City Council	Transforming Avenue End Road Greenspace	£417,812	Not available	COMPLETE	Established active travel route while protecting the water voles and their habitat.
South Lanarkshire Council	Clyde Cycle Park	£296,000	8445346 Site 22	COMPLETE	Project came to fruition in 2021.
South Lanarkshire Council	ONECarluke Community Growing	£84,150	8376142 ADJ High Mill	COMPLETE	Outdoor learning and growing space
Clyde Gateway	D2 GRIDS	£664,000	8445275 Shawfield 1 8445285 Shawfield 2 8445286 Shawfield 3 8445301 Shawfield 4 8445322 Shawfield Road Rutherglen	COMPLETE	VDLIP works complete to allow installation of 5GDHC heating and cooling systems
East Dunbartonshire Council	Twechar Canal Regeneration Project	£614,925	8.BR1 Canal Side Site	COMPLETE	The outdoor centre part of this project is complete
Glasgow City Council	Hamiltonhill Green Infrastructure Project	£924,911	Not available	COMPLETE	New green infrastructure in place
Glasgow City Council	Ruchazie Greening and Growing project	£670,000	3976 Ruchazie P.S. 4001 St Philip'S P.S.	COMPLETE	Community growing and outdoor community space on site
North Ayrshire Council	Annickbank Innovation Campus, Irvine Enterprise Area	£400,000	539 Annickbank	COMPLETE	New two-storey office pavilion complete
North Lanarkshire Council	Glenmanor Greenspace	£230,911	Not available	COMPLETE	Community asset featuring new paths, outdoor learning spaces and place areas in situ
City of Edinburgh Council	Granton Gasholder	£1,224,410	WEWG3A Waterfront Broadway	COMPLETE	This public park opened in 2025
Clyde Gateway	Shawfield Phase 2 - Remediation	£200,000	8445183 Greggs Site 8445263 Site 1	COMPLETE	Onsite works complete for further developmen
Fife Council	Ravenscraig Skills Hub	£491,582	KAC001 Ravenscraig Gardens East Lodge	COMPLETE	New Skills Hub now operational
Glasgow City Council	Community Net Zero Hub	£182,276	Not available	COMPLETE	Southside Tool Library and new workspace called the Bothy now operational
Glasgow City Council	Govan Graving Docks	£2,368,794	2580 Clyde Dry Docks	COMPLETE	Riverside Park opened in March 2026
Glasgow City Council	Greening Royston	£797,121	3138 20-38 Tharsis Street	COMPLETE	New community garden on site
Highland Council	Cromlet Invergordon	£400,000	Not available	COMPLETE	35 Houses complete to date with additional houses under construction
Highland Council	Longman Park	£2,150,000	319 INV113 Gateway Resort Site	COMPLETE	Ph1 and 2 of modular houses completed
Perth and Kinross Council	Millhaugh - Phase 1	£93,808	1010 Sawmill	COMPLETE	Community asset now open to public.
West Dunbartonshire Council	Residential development at Pappert Bonhill	£1,250,000	Not available	COMPLETE	26 houses constructed
Glasgow City Council	Belle Gro'@ The Meat Market	£450,474	3456 Meat Market (N)	ONGOING
City of Edinburgh Council	Greendykes North affordable housing	£623,713	Not available	ONGOING
Inverclyde	HSCP Community Learning	£990,000	8460350 H McNeil Baths	ONGOING
Clackmannanshire Council	Clacks Community – Growing a new Future	£500,000	ALLOA026 Forthbank ALLOA052 Forthbank Yard	ONGOING
West Dunbartonshire Council	Community Food Growing – Former Bonhill PS	£100,000	8410348 Bonhill PS	ONGOING
Glasgow City Council	Cadder Woods Community Greenspace	£772,700	297 Rear Of 34-50 Vaila Street 298 S Of 6 Vaila Pl.	ONGOING
Glasgow City Council	North Maryhill TRA Green Infrastructure	£1,450,000	270 North Of Shiskine Drive. 3618 2-80 Barrisdale Road. 3722 1-57 Barrisdale Road. 3954 2-64 Lyndale Rd. 3955 831-1201 Kilmun Street. 3956 84 - 214 Kilmun Street. 3957 Knowetap Street/ South Of Railway.	ONGOING
Midlothian Council	All Through Community Learning Campus Shawfair	£3,667,000	VR88 Monktonhall	ONGOING
North Ayrshire Council	The King’s Arms Irvine	£600,000	Not available	ONGOING
City of Edinburgh Council	Powderhall Housing-Led Regeneration	£1,400,000	EC102 Former Powderhall Waste Transfer Station	ONGOING
Clyde Gateway	Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Completion	£500,000	8441094 Cuningar Loop	ONGOING
Dumfries and Galloway Council	Annan Harbour Regeneration - Phase 1	£1,343,683	H400000004 Ministers Merse	ONGOING
Dundee City Council	Placemaking Lochee (DFM Budget Project)	£695,000	2183 Bright Sreet	ONGOING
East Dunbartonshire Council	Lennoxtown Community Greenspace Project	£472,952	5.BR3 Well Lane	ONGOING
Glasgow City Council	Milton Discovery Wood	£655,200	308 North of 118-154 Liddesdale Road	ONGOING
Glasgow City Council	Tureen Street School Conversion	£1,978,441	4371 Tureen St School	ONGOING
North Ayrshire Council	Kyle Road Phase 2 Development	£892,990	Not available	ONGOING
Renfrewshire Council	Ferguslie Green Line – Belltrees	£650,436	Not available	ONGOING
		£35,301,494

Question reference: S7W-02262

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it plans to put in place to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of More Homes Scotland, including any plans for independent scrutiny of its impact on housing supply, affordability and homelessness.

As More Homes Scotland is currently being established, arrangements for monitoring and evaluating its performance remain under development. Appropriate governance, accountability and scrutiny arrangements will assess the agency’s effectiveness and impact, including its contribution to increasing housing supply, delivering affordable homes and addressing homelessness.

The agency will be delivered in phases over this Parliamentary Session, beginning with organisational set-up, governance and operational capability in 2027-28. As delivery expands, robust performance and reporting measures will support ongoing assessment of outcomes.

Question reference: S7W-02242

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific actions it has taken since 2019 to increase benefit take-up, including Pension Credit, among older people.

Since 2019, we have taken a range of actions to increase benefit take-up among older people. This includes promoting Pension Age Disability Payment through advertising campaigns and working with advice services, local authorities, health services and third sector organisations to raise awareness of entitlements through trusted local channels. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to the vast majority of eligible people, reducing barriers to accessing support.

We also invest in free welfare, debt and income maximisation advice services, including support for Citizens Advice Scotland's Money Talk Team, which supported over 12,000 older people in 2025-26 and helped secure over £5.3 million in financial gains.

Reserved benefits, including Pension Credit remains the responsibility of the UK Government, and the Scottish Government has no formal role in the administration of these payments. While Scotland has the highest take-up rate of Pension Credit in Britain, through our next Benefit Take-Up Strategy, we will continue to tackle barriers to take-up and explore opportunities to raise awareness of this payment to people in Scotland. We continue to urge the UK Government to follow Scotland’s lead by introducing its own Benefit Take-Up Strategy.

Question reference: S7W-02194

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available over winter to people who are not eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment as a result of reaching State Pension age after the qualifying week in September.

Eligibility for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) is determined in respect of the qualifying week in September as set out in regulations. Individuals who reach State Pension age after that week are not eligible for that year's payment.

Separately, there is support available through our Winter Heating Payment (WHP) for those in receipt of a qualifying low-income benefit; people who reach State Pension age following the PAWHP qualifying week may be eligible for WHP, for which the qualifying week is the first full week in November.

Support is also available through the Warm Home Discount, and we continue to invest in the Scottish Welfare Fund to help people facing financial crisis through the Crisis Grant and support people to establish independent living through the Community Care Grant.

Question reference: S7W-02193

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many people will not be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in winter 2026-27 because they will reach State Pension age after the qualifying week in September 2026.

To meet the eligibility conditions relating to age for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, someone must have been born on or before 27 June 1960, for winter 2026-27. People born after this date but before 27 September 1960 would have been eligible under the previous State Pension age, by turning 66 before the end of the qualifying week which ends 27 September 2026. The Scottish Government does not hold details of the number of people who would previously have been eligible. However, National Records of Scotland publish forecasts of the number of people expected to be 66 years old at the mid-point of each year, which could help illustrate an approximate number of people turning 66 between the June and September time-period. These forecast scan be found here https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/projected-population-of-scotland-2024-based/.

Question reference: S7W-02197

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, for what reason BS 8414 continues to form part of both domestic and non-domestic technical handbooks in Scotland, and whether it considers that removing this from the handbooks would provide greater clarity and certainty for those involved in the design, construction and control of buildings.

BS 8414 testing and BR 135 assessments were removed as an alternative compliance route for buildings covered by the combustible cladding ban in 2022. BS 8414 remains available for buildings outside the ban’s scope.

In response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, a wider review of fire safety standards is underway, informed by recent evidence, UK Government research on BS 8414 and developments in fire performance testing.

Question reference: S7W-02198

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a small proportion of total responses to the Scottish building regulations: fire safety review and compliance - call for evidence expressed support for BS 8414 (large-scale testing).

Question reference: S7W-02199

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the pace of assessment and remediation in Scotland, in light of reports that the number of completed Single Building Assessments funded by it has remained at 16 since September 2025.

The latest data for the position to the end of March 2016 demonstrated that there were 16 Government funded SBAs completed and 1 developer led SBA completed.

The Scottish Government are seeking to accelerate progress in a number of ways.

Those in receipt of grant funding are required to initiate the SBA within a required time frame, and we will only provide final funding upon receipt of a completed SBA.

Since the SBA is a relatively new standard, we have run workshops with the industry on how the SBA works in practice and to identify any challenges in application. We have also engaged directly with factors to better understand barriers to commissioning assessments and to support a more consistent and timely approach across the private sector. This engagement is helping to identify practical solutions to issues affecting delivery and inform ongoing improvements to programme guidance and support.

We have commissioned Local Delivery Plans from Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords whose buildings currently comprise over 75% of the programme. These plans provide greater visibility of assessment timelines and key milestones enabling us to monitor progress more closely, engage where delays arise and hold delivery partners to account for delivery.

The same data release demonstrated that 149 Government-funded SBAs and 21 developer-led SBAs were underway. As SBAs involve detailed assessment of complex buildings, they can take time to complete; however, the significant number currently underway demonstrates progress. Importantly, where an SBA identifies urgent life-safety concerns, action to mitigate risk can be taken immediately and does not depend on the assessment being fully completed.

The next data release, covering the position to the end of June, will be published on 15 September. For the first time, this will include information on the number of completed SBAs that have been submitted to the Scottish Government for review and compliance checking against the published SBA standard, providing a more complete picture of assessment progress.

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Question reference: S7W-02337

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