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-10330

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what number of thrombectomies should a 24/7 service be able to perform, how this capacity will be achieved, and in what timescale.

We estimate that a fully functioning 24/7, Scotland-wide thrombectomy service could deliver around 800 thrombectomies per year.

Through the Thrombectomy Advisory Group (TAG), work is currently underway to establish the optimal approach to increasing the out-of-hours availability of thrombectomies, the resources required to do so and the appropriate timescales for safely increasing capacity.

As the thrombectomy service develops we will continue to work closely with NHS colleagues and stakeholders to consider how to improve the service to ensure that safe and high quality interventions are provided to patients.

Question reference: S6W-10345

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of those in Scotland who signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme are waiting for guests to move in.

Under current arrangements, applications to sponsor or host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are made to the UK Government, and processed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Home Office.

The UK Government published data relating to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, but has not published data on numbers of available hosts or sponsors. Published data is available at: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Scottish Government will be releasing data on matching progress for super sponsor visa holders in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-10243

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) enquiries about and (b) applications for the Home Owners' Support Fund it has received in each of the last six years, broken down by the (i) Mortgage to Rent and (ii) Mortgage to Shared Equity schemes, and, of those applications that were received, how many were (A) successful and (B) ineligible.

The Scottish Government does not collect information on enquiries relating to the Home Owners Support Fund (HOSF). The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) and Mortgage to Shared Equity (MTSE) schemes are delivered as part of the HOSF programme. Each application is assessed on a case by case basis to determine which scheme best meets the applicant’s needs. During the last six years there have been no cases eligible for MTSE, due to the circumstances of applicants not meeting the eligibility criteria, in particular applicants with complex debts.

The following table shows the number of applications received during each of the last six years, the number of applications successfully completed and the number of cases closed due to ineligibility. Mortgage to Rent is a voluntary scheme and participation from applicants, lenders, trustees and social landlords is required for a case to succeed.

Mortgage to Rent Applications*
Year	Received	Successful	Ineligible
2016-17	113	65	20
2017-18	91	39	17
2018-19	106	32	30
2019-20	79	28	16
2020-21	20	8	7
2021-22	36	9	10

*Figures for received, successful and ineligible do not necessarily refer to the same cases.

We have received significantly fewer applications during the last two financial years. Regulations were introduced by the Scottish Government that protected homeowners in financial difficulty from repossession at the height of the pandemic. n addition, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and mortgage lenders also put in place temporary measures to assist homeowners facing difficulties in managing their mortgage repayments. From March 2020 to March 2021, mortgage lenders offered payment deferrals of up to six months and whilst those temporary measures have now expired, the FCA continues to work with lenders to help improve and strengthen arrears management and mortgage lenders must demonstrate that they have done everything required to make repossession a matter of last resort.

Question reference: S6W-10245

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Home Owners’ Support Fund, what the average processing time has been for (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications in each of the last six years, and how many applications in each of the last six years took (i) less than one year (ii) one to two years (iii) two to three years and (iv) more than three years to process.

The Scottish Government does not collect data in relation to the turnaround of unsuccessful applications. The following table shows the average processing time in months for successful applications during each of the last six years.

Year	Average Processing Time (Months)
2016-17	5
2017-18	6
2018-19	9
2019-20	11
2020-21	15
2021-22	20

The Home Owners Support Fund is a voluntary scheme and the full co-operation and participation of applicants, social landlords, lenders, solicitors and surveyors is necessary for the smooth and efficient delivery of the scheme. The pandemic made it more difficult to progress cases, particularly as social landlords were unable to visit properties for repairs assessments.

The following table shows the number of successful applications and the timescales, during each of the last six years.

	Number of Successful Applications Processed in
Year	< 1 Year	1-2 years	2-3	> 3 years
2016-17	65	0	0	0
2017-18	39	0	0	0
2018-19	29	3	0	0
2019-20	21	7	0	0
2020-21	1	7	0	0
2021-22	0	6	3	0

Question reference: S6W-10177

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether CalMac Ferries Ltd awarded any performance payments to staff at executive level in any years in which it also received any financial penalties by Transport Scotland, broken down by year.

Pay and performance is a matter for CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL). Scottish Ministers have no role to play in any pay negotiations. The information on performance payments to senior staff is reported and available in the David MacBrayne Limited accounts.

Years where performance deductions have been made to the CHFS Contract were set out in my answer to question S6W-10178 on 7 September 2022. 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 .

Question reference: S6W-10180

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what the total amount has been of any performance payments given to executive level staff at CalMac Ferries Ltd, broken down by each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-10356

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the £200 fixed penalty fine for the offence of fly-tipping.

The Scottish Government recently consulted on proposals for our new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, including measures to strengthen enforcement measures.

The Scottish Government aims to deliver a strong and consistent enforcement model across Scotland that is fit for purpose, promotes positive behaviours and acts as a proportionate deterrent and effectively stops people from littering and flytipping

We will publish the final Strategy later this year, taking account of consultation responses.

Question reference: S6W-10278

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has attempted to recoup money from any bus operators that were in receipt of COVID-19 recovery funding but have since been unable to deliver services and, if this is the case, whether it will provide details, broken down by bus operator.

COVID-19 recovery funding is provided via the Network Support Grant Plus and paid as a pence per kilometre rate for each kilometre actually run. Funding is provided by advance payment on forecasts and then payment is adjusted after the scheme ends in October to ensure the final payment reflects actual services operated. This will include recovery of any funding paid to operators for services that did not operate. The scheme has not yet ended so no reconciliation or payment recovery from operators has yet taken place.

Question reference: S6W-10195

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Scottish Ministers have ever had meetings with Uber and, if this is the case, what the purpose of any such meetings was, whether any notes were taken at the meetings, and, if this is the case, whether it will place copies of any such notes in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Question reference: S6W-10262

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last updated the HOSFGN/002: Property Thresholds Guidance for the Home Owners' Support Fund.