- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to homeowners who are dissatisfied with their property factor.
Answer
The Scottish Government will provide general advice to support homeowners, but it cannot provide legal advice and it cannot become involved in disputes between parties.
All registered property factors must adhere to the conditions set out in the statutory Code of Conduct (the Code) which sets minimum standards of practice. The Scottish Government prepared a revised Code in August 2021, which was designed to be clearer, to drive up standards, and to help homeowners to understand what they should reasonably expect from their property factor and how to hold them to account.
A homeowner who is dissatisfied with their property factor should make a complaint to their property factor. If the issue remains unresolved, the complaint can be taken to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) which can issue a legally binding property factor enforcement order, if appropriate. There is no fee to make an application to the Tribunal.
The Code highlights that homeowners have a choice in who they appoint and, ultimately, they can change their property factor if they remain dissatisfied with the service they are receiving.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, dated 15 February 2023, whether it will provide an update on the Supply Chain Development Programme, including further detail on (a) target sectors, (b) job-creation targets, (c) longevity for employment and (d) fair work criteria and objectives.
Answer
As noted in the response on 28 March 2023 to the Chair of the Just Transition Commission from the then Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, the Supply Chain Development Programme (SCDP) seeks to maximise the economic benefit from Scotland’s annual public sector procurement (£14.5 billion in FY 20/21). It works alongside portfolio policy teams and focusses on the manufacturing opportunities that will arise in the Net Zero transition.
Its current priorities remain as set out in the letter:
- Increasing Scottish manufacturing of heat pumps and other low carbon heating;
- Maximising Scottish manufactured components in new green and blue Hydrogen supply infrastructure and the products and vehicles that will use it; and
- Increasing value-added from Scottish timber in (largely offsite) construction.
The SCDP has not set specific job creation targets for these priorities. Its purpose is to make sure that procurement opportunities are made visible to Scottish supply chains, including manufacturers in Scotland with the skills, capacity and capability to bid for, win and deliver contracts.
Fair Work continues to be a key focus for the Scottish Government in delivering sustainable and inclusive economic growth and the SCDP operates within the context of Scotland’s existing sustainable public procurement legislation. The Scottish Government’s approach to sustainable public procurement is encapsulated in national legislation which includes a sustainable duty on contracting authorities to consider in their procurements, access for SMEs, Third Sector and Supported Businesses; delivery of economic, social and environmental impact; and promoting innovation. Legislation also includes explicit requirements on public bodies to consider how they can use procurement to drive wider community benefits including jobs and training. The legislation is underpinned by national policy and tools to encourage procurement to make the best use of public money.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers survey of June 2023, which reports that 61% of respondents are considering leaving the self-catering sector.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20107 on 8 August 2023. 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: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to extending the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme to include inter-island ferry travel, as reportedly called for in a motion passed by Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament at the July 2023 sitting in Orkney.
Answer
The Scottish Government published an Island Communities Impact Assessment of the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme on 14 December 2021 which concluded that ferry travel should not be included in the scheme, but that issues relating to ferry fares should be considered as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan and the Fair Fares Review, which are underway. The issue of ferry fares for young people is being actively considered as part of this work.
Although the new statutory Young Persons’ Free Bus Scheme is for bus travel only, we are continuing our existing Young Persons Concessionary Travel Scheme which provides 16-18 year old islanders four free ferry journeys to or from the mainland every year, as well as discounted rail travel.
Additionally, significant fare reductions have been implemented on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks, including a fares freeze until the end of March 2024.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 July 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of any lack of investment in tackling any staff shortages, in chronic pain services in secondary care, on GP practices and the number of GP referrals to secondary care.
Answer
The latest data published by Public Health Scotland (13 June 2023) suggests that referrals to a chronic pain clinic are now back to levels seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the quarter ending 31 March 2023, 5,049 patients were referred, an increase of 5.5% on the previous quarter, when 4,787 patients were referred. Referrals are up by 4.3% compared to a year earlier, when there were 4,839 during the quarter ending 31 March 2022. The number of direct encounters for GPs is typically between 1.5 million and 1.8 million per month, and analysis via statistical process chart demonstrates that there has been no change in activity outwith normal variation for the period of March 2021 to April 2023.
Through the ‘Framework for Pain Management Service Delivery – Implementation Plan’ we are promoting a more consistent approach to specialist services in each Health Board; we have invested in a new Pain Service Managers’ Network. This group is working through shared issues faced by specialist pain services such as resourcing and financial challenges and identifying opportunities to solve these through sharing of best practice and different ways of working. We have also established a national working group to make recommendations on how to reduce variation in the support that is provided in different local areas and improve how care for people with chronic pain is coordinated across community, primary and specialist services.
Additionally, we have carried out a review of the Scottish National Residential Pain Management Programme to help remobilise the service impacted during the pandemic, improve the quality of referrals from local Health Boards, and continue to explore how to widen access to highly specialist care from across Scotland. Funding for this service from the Scottish Government is over £600,000 this financial year 2023-24.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals have been made by (a) parents, (b) reporters and (c) safeguarders, regarding the decision of a Children’s Panel, in each of the last five calendar years, and how many of those were (i) refused, (ii) sent back to the Children’s Panel to reach a new decision and (iii) cases in which the sheriff made their own determination.
Answer
This is a matter for the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. Information regarding the outcome of appeals is included in their annual statistics which can be found here: Official Statistics - SCRA .
Page 29 of the Statistical Analysis for 2022-23 includes the following table on appeals:
Appeal Outcomes | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
Hearing’s decision justified | 273 | 202 | 251 | 189 |
Hearing’s decision justified but change of circumstances | 11 | 14 | 18 | 10 |
Hearing’s decision not justified | 288 | 237 | 235 | 200 |
Appeal Abandoned | 120 | 64 | 64 | 51 |
Number of appeals concluded/abandoned | 692 | 517 | 568 | 450 |
Number of children with appeals concluded/abandoned | 558 | 397 | 435 | 346 |
Specific information about the source of appeals is not published by SCRA, and is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposed Housing Bill will make any provisions regarding property factors.
Answer
We remain committed to bringing forward housing legislation to deliver the new deal for tenants and homelessness prevention duties. The majority of the measures being considered for inclusion in the legislation have already been subject to consultation, and we continue to engage directly with stakeholders as more detailed work progresses.
The Government’s legislative programme for the coming parliamentary year will be announced in the autumn Programme for Government in the normal way.
Specifically on the regulatory regime for property factors, the Code of Conduct (the Code) is key to encouraging transparency and setting minimum standards of practice for registered property factors to comply with. Following a full public consultation, a revised Code was introduced in August 2021. The changes ensured that the Code remains up to date and responds to concerns raised by homeowners.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many businesses it estimates will close as a consequence of short-term let licensing.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested, however, my letter to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee of 28 June 2023 provided an update on the health of the tourism sector drawn from indications taken from a number of reliable sources. This points to the outlook for Scotland’s tourism sector continuing to improve, with overseas visitor numbers almost recovering to pre-pandemic levels and accommodation occupancy rates increasing over the last year. While the macroeconomic environment is challenging, with the tourism sector being more greatly impacted than other sectors by staff shortages and the cost crisis that is reducing business confidence, there are also promising indications for recovery.
We want to see a thriving short-term let and self-catering sector in Scotland. I am therefore sorry to note that 766 self-catering businesses (around 4% of those registered to pay non-domestic rates) responded to the ASSC 48-hour poll in June indicating they were considering whether to leave the sector rather than apply for a short-term let licence. This regulation is leading the way in the UK, providing assurance to guests and visitors coming to Scotland that all short-term lets must now meet safety standards to operate. Responsible businesses are likely to already comply with the licensing conditions, many of which are existing legal requirements, and therefore a combination of wider factors are probably influencing numbers deciding to leave as well as invest in this sector. We will continue to work with stakeholders and monitor trends, as part of actions linked to our Scotland’s Outlook 2030 Strategy. We’ve also separately committed to provide implementation updates on licensing and, in 2024, will update the short-term let regulation business regulatory impact assessment.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to amend legislation covering the operation of property factors.
Answer
The Scottish Government revised the Code of Conduct for Property Factors in August 2021 to make it clearer, to drive up standards and to improve transparency and consistency.
There is evidence that the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 is working as intended. However. officials will be taking a wider look at the operation of the property factor sector to see what more can be done to promote an ongoing improvement in standards in line with the requirements currently set out in legislation.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 July 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 8 August 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care on 27 April 2023, whether the two recently made permanent psychologist posts, providing specialist support for teenagers and young adults in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Grampian, have the remit of providing support for young cancer patients across the whole of Scotland, or whether they provide support only for young cancer patients within those NHS boards, and, if it is the case that the two posts provide support across the whole of Scotland, what the total number is of young people that have access to their support.
Answer
The Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) works with local Health Boards to ensure specialist age-appropriate care is delivered to children and young people with cancer across Scotland.
This includes the delivery of a national Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) weekly meeting, where all young people should be presented at least once to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach to their treatment and care. This meeting includes a discussion of psychosocial needs, and the TYA specialist Clinical Psychologists are core members of the MDT.
The Grampian service supports around 15 referrals per year. This includes some patients from other Health Boards. The Greater Glasgow & Clyde service reviews around 96 referrals per year. 42% of the outpatients in the 2020-22 service report resided outside of the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board area.