Question ref. S5W-17127
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 8 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09168 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 22 May 2017, to what extent the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 applies to private companies.
Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 June 2018
As set out in my answer to S5W-09168, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 ('the Act') covers private companies if they are wholly-owned by a public authority listed in schedule 1 of the Act.
The Act can also be extended to organisations, including private companies, undertaking 'functions of a public nature'. Private companies brought within scope of the Act include private prison contractors and providers of secure accommodation for children. A draft order extending the Act to Registered Social Landlords is currently under consideration.
Question ref. S5W-17320
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 18 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the delivery of more affordable housing.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 19 June 2018
Today, I will announce the positive outcome of the Mid-Market Rent (MMR) Invitation, a further innovative initiative designed to expand the supply of affordable homes through long term loan investment.
£47.5m of Scottish Government loan funding is being provided to the Placemaking and Regeneration Group, Places for People for a proposal which will deliver 1,000 affordable mid-market rent homes and attract Institutional Investment to deliver a total funding package of around £150m into the Scottish Economy.
Places for People have set up a residential real estate fund which will own and deliver mid-market rent homes, supporting people on low and modest incomes to access high quality rented accommodation at affordable rent levels.
The Fund has been established as a Scottish Limited Partnership, managed by PfP Capital, the Financial Conduct Authority authorised fund management business for Places for People. A number of safeguards have been put in place to ensure that there is absolute transparency on who investors are and how the Fund will operate.
This is one of a number of Scottish Government supported schemes that will continue to expand the delivery of affordable mid-market rent housing, where required, to ensure that those on low to moderate incomes have access to high quality homes at affordable rent levels.
We will continue to work with local authorities to deliver such housing through innovative funding models that can attract significant levels of private investment, and support grant funded mid-market rent housing delivered through housing associations and their subsidiaries.
Question ref. S5W-16906
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 29 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04448 by Kevin Stewart on 15 November 2016, whether it will outline the average Housing Association Grant (HAG) subsidy levels approved for housing association new development tender approval activity in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the last three years, broken down by type of tenure.
Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2018
The following table sets out the average Housing Association Grant (HAG) subsidy levels approved for housing association new development tender approval activity in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the last three years, broken down by type of tenure:
Grant per unit
Edinburgh | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
HA Rent | £59,066 | £59,063 | £62,836 |
HA Low Cost Home Ownership | £29,558 | £47,174 | £31,821 |
Other Rent (Mid Market Rent) | £33,070 | £39,882 | £36,138 |
Glasgow | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
HA Rent | £66,221 | £63,031 | £74,659 |
HA Low Cost Home Ownership | n/a | n/a | £67,556 |
Other Rent (Mid Market Rent) | £33,713 | £49,367 | £31,240 |
Information for 2017-18 is not available yet and will be published within the Affordable Housing Supply Programme Outturn Report 2017-18 later in the year.
Question ref. S5W-16922
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 29 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06577 by Kevin Stewart on 2 February 2017, what the average (a) Housing Association Grant (HAG) and (b) non-HAG subsidy level per unit was expressed as a percentage of total costs for housing association new development tender approval activity in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) Glasgow in each of the last three years.
Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2018
The following table sets out the average Housing Association Grant (HAG) and non (HAG) subsidy level expressed as a percentage of total costs for housing association new development tender approval activity in Edinburgh and Glasgow in each of the last three years:
Grant percentages
Edinburgh | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
HA Rent | 48.36% | 46.36% | 49.89% |
HA Low Cost Home Ownership | 20.00% | 28.49% | 19.60% |
Other Rent (Mid Market Rent) | 26.72% | 30.72% | 27.29% |
Glasgow | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
HA Rent | 56.43% | 63.79% | 58.82% |
HA Low Cost Home Ownership | n/a | n/a | 43.30% |
Other Rent (Mid Market Rent) | 29.00% | 39.6% | 28.68% |
Question ref. S5W-16205
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 26 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide meals to children outwith school term times.
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 10 May 2018
Local authorities have the flexibility to provide meals and activities for children during school holidays where they think this is needed. We know that some local authorities such as East Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire are already doing good work to support children in their areas.
We have committed £1 million over the next two years to provide new practical support for children experiencing food insecurity during school holidays.
Question ref. S5O-01953
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 21 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the renewable energy industry.
Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 28 March 2018
The ambitious targets set out in our new Energy Strategy show how seriously we take our commitment to supporting and growing Scotland’s renewable energy potential.
We have pioneered unique legislative changes and made funding available to support the growth of offshore wind and marine renewables in Scottish waters. We have made crystal clear our view that onshore wind and other low cost renewable technologies will continue to play a major role in powering Scotland’s low carbon future. And our £60 million Low Carbon Innovation Funding call is currently inviting bids from projects which will advance our renewable heat and transport ambitions. We have also provided £35 million through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, or CARES, to support 600 operational community and locally owned projects.
Low Carbon and Renewable energy already supports almost 50,000 jobs across Scotland, and generates a turnover £11 billion. The sector is not without its challenges, but we remain determined to work with our stakeholders to overcome these, and to continue its increasing contribution to sustainable economic growth.
Question ref. S5W-15036
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 5 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all patients diagnosed with bowel cancer are tested for Lynch syndrome, in light of evidence suggesting that the condition can dramatically increase a person’s chance of developing bowel cancer by up to 80%.
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2018
It is current protocol for all NHS Scotland Health Boards to ensure appropriate referral and testing for Lynch syndrome, for all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer before the age of 60.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have recommended extending referral and testing for Lynch syndrome to all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The impacts of this recommendation are currently being reviewed by NHS Scotland’s Molecular Pathology Consortium (MPC).
Question ref. S5W-14786
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 21 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what proposals the Scottish Law Commission has for future law reform projects.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 22 February 2018
I have agreed with the Scottish Law Commission its Tenth Programme of Law Reform, which covers the work to be undertaken by the Commission for the five year period from 2018 until the end of 2022. The Programme was presented to Parliament today and is also being published today. The Programme is also available online from the Scottish Law Commission website.
The projects which will be undertaken under the Tenth Programme have been selected following consultation by the Commission. The Programme includes existing projects which began under the Ninth Programme, such as work on contracts law, heritable securities and aspects of leases. A joint project with the Law Commission on surrogacy will also be undertaken. In addition, the Commission expects to undertake new projects which will cover the homicide, aspects of family law and some aspects of the law on damages for personal injury.
I welcome this Programme, which represents a varied and relevant set of proposals, and look forward to receiving reports from the Commission in due course. We will continue to work with the Commission over ways of taking forward the proposals in those reports, and will continue with the system introduced last year of providing initial responses to reports within 3 months of publication.
The Scottish Law Commission also has a general remit to keep the law of Scotland under review for the purpose of promoting reform and development of the law. In addition to the Programme of Law Reform agreed with Ministers, the Commission also receives from Ministers references on specific issues and provides other advice on specific areas of the law.
Question ref. S5W-14470
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 7 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister plans to publish a new edition of the Scottish Ministerial Code.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 8 February 2018
The 2018 edition of the Scottish Ministerial Code will be published today. The Code, which was last revised in August 2016, provides a code of conduct and guidance on procedures for members of the Scottish Government and Junior Scottish Ministers. A copy of the 2018 edition of the Code may be found on the Scottish Government’s website at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781788515757. As well as some minor updates, the Code has been amended in line with the January 2018 edition of the UK Ministerial Code: in particular, there are explicit references to: inappropriate, bullying or harassing behaviour; the requirement on Ministers to report meetings to their Private Offices, including meetings held overseas; and the role of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. In addition, a new paragraph 4.25 reflects the provisions of the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016.
Question ref. S5O-01772
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Date lodged: 31 January 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how the finance secretary will ensure that the Budget supports local businesses.
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 February 2018
The Budget delivers the most attractive system of business rates in the UK, a new £150 million Building Scotland Fund and investment of over £4 billion of infrastructure. We will be allocating £600 million of investment in our R100 programme to extend superfast broadband access to every home and business across Scotland. And the budget provides a 64 per cent uplift in funding for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work portfolio, including £2.4 billion for our enterprise and skills bodies.
These major investments will underpin our focus on innovation, infrastructure and investment, internationalisation and inclusive growth.