- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report, Older People’s Economic Wellbeing Index: Scotland 2024–25, by Independent Age, which found that almost one in four (24%) older people with a health condition are not aware of Pension Age Disability Payment or its predecessor, Attendance Allowance, how it will raise awareness of the financial support available to older disabled people.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone takes up the support to which they are entitled and has worked closely with stakeholders in designing Pension Age Disability Payment and promoting take-up.
This includes ensuring that people can apply in the way that suits them best, including online, by phone, through paper form or in person through our Local Delivery service, and an extensive marketing campaign, including through social media, paid advertising and engaging directly with people in their communities. This summer Social Security Scotland will carry out a further marketing campaign to reach older people who may be eligible for support.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 1 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Older People’s Economic Wellbeing Index: Scotland 2024–25, by Independent Age, which found that almost one third (32%) of older people with a health condition have skipped meals because of costs and that 58% of people with a health condition or disability are more likely to have reduced their social interactions because of financial difficulties.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action contains a dedicated strand focused on activity we are undertaking to ensure people are financially secure and supported as they age. The framework and actions within it are discussed at the Older People Strategic Action Forum, of which Independent Age are a valued member.
The Scottish Government provides funding of £2.2 million, through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, to older people’s organisations and age equality projects. This funding is delivering a range of initiatives that tackles poverty among older people. A copy of the fund’s progress report can be found here Oct 23-Mar 24_E&HR Progress Report and provides details on initiatives we are delivering with this funding.
We are also tackling social isolation and loneliness by providing £3.8m over three years to 53 community projects across Scotland through the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund that is creating opportunities for people to connect. Disabled people and older people (75+) are two of the priority groups targeted by the Fund.. A copy of the fund’s progress can be found here SIAL-2023-26-year-2-progress-report-2.pdf
As you may know, on 9 June the UK Government announced an intention to expand eligibility to the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) in England and Wales to pensioners with an individual income of £35,000 or less per year. Following careful consideration of the options available, the Scottish Government has decided to mirror the approach taken by the UK Government for our Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP). From this winter onwards, PAWHP will be a payment of £203.40 per pensioner household with no individual aged 80 or over, or £305.10 per pensioner households with an individual aged 80 or over. This means pensioners in Scotland will be better off compared to those in the rest of the UK.
There is other support in Scotland, through the Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) Passport, that aims to increase independence and participation of older and disabled people. This includes Free Personal Care, access to a disabled person’s bus pass and a companion pass and although receipt of PADP does not provide automatic entitlement to a Blue Badge, eligible disabled people can apply through their local authority.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the removal of dangerous building cladding, in light of the recent publications by Scotland’s Cladding Remediation Programme.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2025
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated value is of the contribution that disabled people make to the Scottish economy annually.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2025
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37429 by Jim Fairlie on 12 May 2025, how many (a) canaries, (b) budgerigars, (c) other finches, (d) pigeons and (e) parrots are included in the 142,450 captive birds of other species that have been registered on the Scottish Kept Bird Register.
Answer
The number of birds registered on the Scottish Kept Bird Register has increased since the numbers provided in the answer to question S6W-37429 on 12 May 2025. The number of birds registered on the Scottish Kept Bird Register has increased to 15,621,470 as at 28 May 2025. It is not possible to provide the requested breakdown of categories exactly into (a) canaries, (b) budgerigars, (c) other finches, (d) pigeons and (e) parrots. The categories of birds available for a more detailed breakdown from the register are: avian zoo collections (BIAZA Registered); aviary birds; birds of prey; ducks; emus; geese; guinea fowl; other birds; ostriches; partridges; pheasants; pigeons; psittacines; quails; rheas; and turkeys.
Excluding species classified as poultry or birds of prey the register currently holds records of 61,046 aviary birds, 3,570 other birds, 1,289 psittacines and 77,140 pigeons.
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: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37428 by Jim Fairlie on 12 May 2025, and in light of reported errors within the February 2025 version of the general licence to arrange a fair, market, show, exhibition or other gathering involving the collecting together of birds in Scotland (EXD 178 (AI) (S)), whether it sought legal advice whilst drafting the general licence, and, if not, for what reason it chose not to do so.
Answer
Scottish Government sought legal advice whilst drafting the general licence.
The licence is made under article 4(1) of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Scotland) Order 2007 and issued by a veterinary inspector. It permits the collection of birds at fairs, markets, shows, exhibitions or other gatherings subject to the conditions set out in the Schedule. A veterinary inspector shall only grant a licence if a veterinary risk assessment has been carried out, in accordance with article 4(2) of that Order, and the veterinary inspector is satisfied that the gathering and the transit of birds to and from the gathering would not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of avian influenza virus (in particular of virus of the subtype H5N1). These licences are regularly reviewed to reflect the changing risk from avian influenza. General licence changes will also take into consideration feedback from industry and members of the public.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to part 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Bill, when the homelessness prevention pilots will commence.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of Child Winter Heating Payments reportedly increased by 115% during the winter of 2024-25, compared with 2020-21.
Answer
The latest published Official Statistics for Child Winter Heating Payment show the number of payments issued increased from 18,365 for winter 2020-2021 to 39,590 for winter 2024-2025.
Of the winter 2024-2025 payments issued by 8 April 2025, 93% were for children or young people eligible through Child Disability Payment, with the remaining 7% for those eligible through Adult Disability Payment. Published statistics for Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment show there has been an increase in the respective caseloads over time, which will have contributed to an increase in those receiving Child Winter Heating Payment.
Entitlement to Child Winter Heating Payment was expanded in November 2021 to include anyone up to the age of 19 in receipt of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment.
In addition to this, since winter 2022 it has also paid to young people up to the age of 19 in receipt of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.
Social Security Scotland pays Child Winter Heating Payments automatically to eligible children and young people, so most families do not need to apply.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 12 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to make the Scottish Kept Birds Register publicly searchable, and, if not, for what reason.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to make the Scottish Kept Birds Register publicly searchable.
The Scottish Kept Bird Register is a mandatory register for bird keepers in Scotland under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024. It was established to allow Scottish Government and its deliver body, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, to send vital biosecurity information to bird keepers to minimise the risk of the spread of notifiable avian diseases, particularly highly pathogenic avian influenza. The register also supports mandatory surveillance activities during disease outbreaks. The information has also been used to help support public health response in the offer of vaccinations to poultry keepers.
In accordance with Data Protection Act 2018 a commitment was made to those registering, in the Scottish Kept Bird Register Privacy Notice, as to how the data collected would be used. This can be summarised as to determine the size and location of the kept bird population in Scotland, for communication and disease control activities during notifiable avian disease outbreaks, and for promoting bird welfare and public health.
To make this data public would be in breach of the Data Protection Act of 2018, as the Scottish Government would be unable to control the uses to which the data was being put. The Scottish Government is legally required to make arrangements to ensure that the data collected is retained securely and protected from data breach. This is in common with registers for other animals and livestock across Scotland held by Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 12 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have registered under the Scottish Kept Bird Register, and whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of (a) poultry, (b) birds of prey and (c) other captive birds.
Answer
As of 8 May 2025, there are 10,786 bird keepers registered on the Scottish Kept Bird Register. In total, they have registered 15,539,346 birds. 15,393,511 of these birds are classified as poultry (which are defined as birds kept for the production of meat or eggs for consumption, or other products, or for restocking and breeding programmes). This category includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, gamebirds and geese. 3,383 of the registered birds are birds of prey and 142, 450 are captive birds of other species.
