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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 42862 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-10314

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many Social Security Scotland jobs in Dundee (a) have been created and (b) are expected to be created in (i) 2022-23 and (ii) 2023-24.

At June 2022 our latest published statistics show that Social Security Scotland had reached 3,061 employees with 1,050 these colleagues employed with Dundee as their office location.

By Autumn 2022 we expect Social Security Scotland to directly employ more than 3,500 people. We have made 2,000 offers of employment with new staff joining up until the end of 2022. We have 11 organised campaigns to launch with a Dundee specific location in 2022-23. We have/have not yet planned the specific Dundee campaigns for 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-10920

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many representatives of the mortgage lending industry it has met in 2022 to discuss the implications of the cost of living crisis for homeowners with mortgages on their property.

Scottish Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the financial services sector, including lenders, to discuss a range of matters including measures to support households and businesses.

The Deputy First Minister met with the financial services sector (the quarterly Financial Services Growth and Development Board (FISGAD)) on 30 August 2022. Details of the membership of the Board can be found at https://www.gov.scot/groups/financial-services-growth-and-development-board/

Officials also regularly engage with UK Finance (representative body for the banking and Finance Industry). Details of UK Finance membership can be found at https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/

Attendees at such meetings vary according to representatives' availability.

Question reference: S6W-10953

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what studies or assessments were made of the rent control system (a) previously in operation in Berlin, known as the Mietendeckel and (b) currently in operation in Ireland, ahead of its decision to include in the Programme for Government a proposal to freeze rents.

We are considering a wide range of information and evidence on rent controls, including a bespoke research briefing from experts in the field at the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence. This research included assessment and references to previous academic work on rent controls systems in both Berlin and Ireland. In addition, I met with members of Ireland’s Residential Tenancies Board on 9 August 2022. Consideration of international comparisons will help continue to inform our thinking as we progress policy development in this important area of work.

Question reference: S6W-10928

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will rename the forthcoming Scottish Biodiversity Strategy as Scotland's Nature Emergency Strategy, as reportedly proposed by several leading NGOs.

The Scottish Government Environment Strategy (2020) recognises the urgent need for action at all levels, in tackling the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Sadly, the evidence tells us that in common with the rest of the world, Scotland has not yet done enough to prevent the continuing decline in biodiversity. We recently consulted on our new biodiversity strategy, which sets out our ambition to halt nature loss by 2030 and reverse it by 2045. The consultation closed on 12 September and we are currently analysing responses.

Question reference: S6W-10686

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) unique households, (b) advice interactions, including advice provided to customers during telephone or email advice discussions and (c) low-income, potentially fuel-poor clients who were offered support Home Energy Scotland (i) has had capacity to support and (ii) has actually supported, in each year of its operation.

Please find data below for Home Energy Scotland advice interactions. Prior to 2013, fuel poverty was not a separate focus for advice services. Specific fuel poverty advice services figures are only available from 2013.

	2013-14	2013-14	2014-15	2014-15	2015-16	2015-16	2016-17	2016-17	2017-18	2017-18
	target	actual	target	actual	target	actual	target	actual	target	actual
Unique households	125,000	90,887	120,000	98,998	110,000	94,411	95,000	92,618	85000	93,962
Advice interactions	200,000	182,158	180,000	326,600	165,000	333,609	260,000	305,672	260,000	313,170
Low-income, potentially fuel poor clients offered support	55,000	49,404	55,000	45,932	55,000	43,148	55,000	33,322	35,000	31,598

	2018-19	2018-19	2019-20	2019-20	2020-21	2020-21	2021-22	2021-22	2022-23
	target	actual	target	actual	target	actual	target	actual	target
Unique households	87,500	89,018	87,500	92,681	77,000	90,468	120,000	114,392	132,000
Advice interactions	260,000	315,912	260,000	314,989	260,000	345,344	400,000	424,083	440,000
Low-income, potentially fuel poor clients offered support	35,000	30,920	35,000	38,737	35,000	46,369	36,000	42,092	44,000

Question reference: S6W-10902

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that trading licences are not granted to so-called “phoenix companies” set up by company directors to avoid paying existing debts.

The operation of company law is reserved to the UK Government. The Companies Act 2006 is the main legislation which governs the operation of companies within the UK including in Scotland. This includes the law relating to where trading certificates may be required in order for a company to trade.

The Insolvency Service, which is an executive agency of the UK Government and sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, includes information as to their role in dealing with 'phoenix companies' on their website. The role of the Insolvency Service includes investigating potential examples of director misconduct in the context of phoenix companies.

Phoenix companies and the role of the Insolvency Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Question reference: S6W-10899

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of the £400 energy bill discount.

The £400 Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide important relief for consumers. However, the Scottish Government believes that much more action is required at UK Government level to help mitigate the impact of the energy price crisis, especially for those most vulnerable. The First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister ahead of her statement in the House of Commons on 8 September, making it clear that the UK Government must target additional financial support to those most in need, over and above measures already announced. We will continue to argue this case.

Question reference: S6W-10911

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it would cost to retrofit every street light to include an electric vehicle charging point.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how much it estimates it would cost to retrofit every street light to include an electric vehicle charging point. Costs will be influenced by a range of factors including the location of and type of lamppost, the electric vehicle charge point technology itself as well as any associated installation and civils works. Retrofitting would also need to factor in the variable on-going cost of operation and maintenance.

Question reference: S6W-10915

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what measure it will monitor the efficacy of the Young Islanders Network.

In addition to reporting requirements associated with our delivery partner’s (Youth Scotland) Offer of Grant and their own associated progress monitoring and reporting, the National Islands Plan itself has governance structures, including the NIP Delivery Group (which includes representation from the YIN), the Islands Strategic Group and our requirement to produce an Annual Report on the implementation of the National Islands Plan to Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-10868

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include blood cancer-specific questions as part of the next Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey, and if this is the case, whether any data collected will be broken down by cancer type to facilitate comparison between blood cancers and solid tumour cancers.