Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-05980

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify how the new fire and smoke alarm standards will apply to people who live in (a) independent living flats, (b) sheltered housing complexes that employ an on-site warden and (c) other forms of sheltered housing.

Question reference: S6W-05901

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) affordable and (b) social rent homes have been (i) acquired and (ii) built in Stirling since 2017, and how much funding it provided for this purpose.

The following table details affordable unit completions in Stirling since 1 st April 2017 to 30 th September 2021 by (i) new build and (ii) off the shelf.

	Financial Year					Total Homes
	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22*
New Build	53	82	10	49	35	229
Off the Shelf	18	16	63	182	11	290
Rehabilitation	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Homes	71	98	73	231	46	519
* up to end of September (Q2)

The Scottish Government publishes annual Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) Outturn Reports. These Outturn Reports provide details of completed housing units by tenure and contain details of all Resource Planning Assumptions by local authority area, as well as actual outturn expenditure. You can access the Outturn Reports for 2017-18 to 2020-21 from this link - More homes: Affordable Housing Supply Programme - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This web page also includes a link to the published Resource Planning Assumptions for 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-05869

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on strengthened fire alarm standards on 19 January 2022, whether it will provide detailed clarification of what the implications will be for homeowners who have not complied with the new legislation on interlinked fire alarms by 1 February 2022.

The legislation provides flexibility for people to fit the necessary alarms in due course if they are unable to do so by the February 2022 deadline. The rules place a legal duty on local authorities, not homeowners, to ensure homes are fitted with the correct alarms. A joint SG/ COSLA statement was published on

‎ 21 January, which confirmed that local authorities will be taking a proportionate and measured approach to compliance taking individual circumstances into account as well as reflecting the evolving situation with the Covid 19 pandemic.

No one will be criminalised if they need more time and there are no penalties for non-compliance. However, we would encourage everyone to install these alarms at their earliest opportunity as they can help to save lives.

Question reference: S6W-05884

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has asked under-22s who are eligible for the Young Persons’ (Under-22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme not to apply to the scheme at this time, except for those for whom bus travel is essential.

We initially asked that only those with an essential need to travel by bus should apply due to the high rates of COVID-19 cases. This was intended to help minimise pressure on local councils, also impacted by the current situation with the pandemic, which are responsible for processing applications and responding to enquiries. With restrictions now easing, we are now in a position to encourage all young people to apply.

Question reference: S6W-05882

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) young people and (b) parents should judge what is essential travel for the purposes of using the Young Persons’ (Under-22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-05883

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will actively promote the Young Persons’ (Under-22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme, further to the initial limited launch in January 2022.

Question reference: S6W-05981

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what bearing the conclusions of the Endometriosis UK report, Analysis of Endometriosis Service Provision in Scotland, in January 2022, will have on the timescale for action to improve the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.

We welcome the 4 key recommendations in the report from Endometriosis UK and work is already underway to implement each of these.

Diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis must improve and that is why the Scottish Government has made it a priority in the Women’s Health Plan. We are committed to improving access for women to appropriate support, diagnosis and the best treatment for endometriosis.

The first meeting of the Women’s Health Plan Implementation Programme Board took place on the 25 January and will ensure progress of the Women’s Health Plan is achieved at pace and implemented effectively. The Scottish Government will also publish a Women’s Health implementation plan by Spring this year, which will set out more detail around how the actions will be implemented. The report from Endometriosis UK will help inform our implementation plan.

Question reference: S6W-05826

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has asked under-22s who are eligible for the new free bus travel scheme not to apply to the scheme at this time or travel by bus, except for those for whom bus travel is essential, in light of there being no such restrictions on travel for other adults.

We initially asked that only those with an essential need to travel by bus should apply due to the high rates of COVID-19 cases. This was intended to help minimise pressure on local councils, also impacted by the current situation with the pandemic, which are responsible for processing applications and responding to enquiries. With restrictions now easing, we are now in a position to encourage all young people to apply.

Question reference: S6W-05887

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what level of uptake it is aiming to achieve for the Young Persons’ (Under-22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme, and by what date.

Up to 930,000 young people will be eligible to travel for free under the scheme and we are absolutely determined to ensure that everyone who is eligible for and wants a free bus pass gets one. I appreciate that we still have a long way to go to reach all 930,000 eligible young people but now that covid restrictions are easing, we are encouraging all young people and parents to apply for their cards. To assist with take up, we plan to launch an extensive marketing campaign in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-05886

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the YoungScot card cannot be used by young people to demonstrate eligibility for the Young Persons’ (Under-22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme.

Chamber and committees