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: S5W-25710

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what options it is considering to enable parents in full-time higher education to access the Scottish Child Payment.

To enable us to introduce the Scottish Child Payment quickly, it will be legislated for using regulation making powers in the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, to top-up reserved benefits.

As set out in a recent position paper (published on the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-child-payment-updated-position-paper ) this legal route places a number of constraints on what we are able to do at this time, including a requirement that recipients be entitled to reserved benefits. While some student parents studying in full-time higher education may be entitled to a reserved benefit, and therefore may be eligible for the Scottish Child Payment, where they are not we cannot legally make a payment.

Question reference: S5W-25568

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is offering to local authorities to help them provide support through the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Question reference: S5O-03684

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that families and communities have access to affordable homes.

Question reference: S5W-25716

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 21 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on how independence could impact on (a) the levels of child poverty and (b) social security benefits.

The Scottish Government produced a comprehensive plan for an independent Scotland in advance of the 2014 referendum, which set out the potential of independence to address child poverty more effectively and design an efficient and fair welfare system that meets the needs of those who depend on it, and treats them with dignity and respect.

This year’s Programme for Government announced our intention to undertake the necessary work to update the plans published for the 2014 referendum and ensure that people have the information they need to make informed choices over the future of the country.

Question reference: S5W-25659

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the call charges are in each local authority for people phoning to access the Scottish Welfare Fund.

As answered in PQ S5W 25593 on 18 October 2019, the Scottish Welfare Fund is a discretionary fund, managed and administered by all 32 Local Authorities, based on Scottish Government guidance. Local Authorities have responsibility for deciding how to deliver their service and practice varies across all Local Authorities.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-25593

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities offer a face-to-face service for Scottish Welfare Fund applicants.

Question reference: S5W-25730

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what plans Social Security Scotland has to prevent future benefits overpayments.

We know that overpayments in recurring benefits are often attributable to unreported changes of circumstances and we will work with stakeholders and experience panels to design letters that are clear, and accessible communication channels for reporting changes.

The Agency seeks to support our clients in helping them identify appropriate changes of circumstances in order to avoid overpayments occurring.

Social Security Scotland’s approach to preventing overpayments has been set out in the Error Control Strategy which can be found at
https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/what-we-do/finance-and-procurement .

Question reference: S5W-25526

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many finance roles within (a) Social Security Scotland and (b) the social security programme are yet to be recruited.

We publish information on vacancies within the Scottish Government, including the Social Security Programme and Social Security Scotland, on the following website: http://www.work-for-scotland.org/

We publish information on the Scottish Government workforce in the following quarterly workforce publication: https://www.gov.scot/publications/workforce-information/

In both Social Security Scotland and the Social Security Programme there is active management of vacancies to ensure sufficient resources for delivery.

Question reference: S5W-25000

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many families or individuals have used the Financial Health Check programme provided by Citizens Advice Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-24977

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase funding to Lothian and Scottish Borders police to help reduce the number of violent sex attacks reported in the area.