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-11527

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10687 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, and in light of the lack of updated data sources for some of the indicators, whether it requires (a) local authorities and (b) housing market partnership areas to procure primary data to support the housing need and demand assessment process, and if this is the case, how any such primary data is used in the housing need and demand assessment tool.

Local authorities or housing market partnerships are not required to procure primary data in order to meet the requirements of a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA). The HNDA process provides flexibility to incorporate a variety of types of housing need where there is robust local information and evidenced policy drivers. It is for each local authority or housing market partnership to consider relevant sources of information and whether procuring primary data is appropriate to their circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-11526

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10687 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, and in light of the lack of updated data sources for some of the indicators, when the housing need and demand assessment process tool and its methodology were last reviewed, and when they were last subject to independent assurance.

10 November 2022

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Scottish Labour Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10687 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, and in

Housing Need and Demand Assessments (HNDA) were introduced in 2008 as part of the broader Local Housing Strategy process. The process was reviewed in 2014 and updated with revised guidance and an Excel-based Tool. The Guidance and Tool are kept under review and are refreshed regularly in line with the release of updated Household Projections by National Records of Scotland.

In 2020, the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence undertook ‘An illustrative pilot of the HNDA Tool in the context of Northern Ireland’ the report from this exercise concluded that “the Scottish Government’s HNDA tool is an analytical model that is underpinned by a clear rationale. Its potential as a means to facilitate scenario planning and promote inter-organisational collaboration means its application in the context of Northern Ireland has much to commend it”.

Question reference: S6W-11531

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many adult children living with their parents would currently be counted as part of the parental household, under the housing need and demand assessment methodology.

Existing need within the Housing Need and Demand Assessment process (HNDA) can be informed by a number of factors. As local authorities are responsible for undertaking the HNDA, they are responsible for selecting what they consider to be the most appropriate count of existing need for their area.

Households where adult children live with parents are captured in the household projections prepared by National Records of Scotland (NRS). Household projections are based on past trends and any trend, upwards or downwards, in the incidence of adult children living with parents, will, along with many other factors that drive change in household numbers, be captured and projected forwards.

Question reference: S6W-11535

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Centre for Housing Market Analysis conducted an Equality Impact Assessment as part of its 2019 refresh of the housing needs and demand assessment process.

It is the responsibility of local authorities through their Local Housing Strategy (LHS) to determine the appropriate housing required in their area, informed by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA).The HNDA is a policy neutral evidence-base which helps inform LHS outcomes and priorities for future housing and related service delivery, including specialist provision, to meet the needs of a range of equalities groups. All local authorities are required to carry out an Equalities Impact Assessment when developing a LHS.

Question reference: S6W-12044

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-01551

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to highlight the risks of drink spiking as the Christmas party season approaches.

Question reference: S6O-01553

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prevent motorcycle thefts, in light of reports of rising motorcycle theft numbers.

Question reference: S6O-01562

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring adequate support provision is available for staff and pupils in schools.

Question reference: S6O-01561

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to keep teachers and pupils safe while at school.

Question reference: S6O-01540

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to independent theatres in Scotland.