Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-04715

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support regional NHS boards to tackle any backlogs of complaints.

Question reference: S6W-36555

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on the public inquiry into Sam Eljamel and NHS Tayside.

The Scottish Government recognises that many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and have waited a long time for answers. As I set out in my statement in February 2024, patients will be at the heart of this inquiry.

I am pleased that today I can confirm that following consultation with many former patients and their representatives by Lord Weir and his team, that I have agreed the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, and that the Inquiry is now ready to commence from today.

The final Terms of Reference will be made available on the Eljamel Inquiry website today. (https://www.eljamelinquiry.scot/).

Question reference: S6T-02457

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent NASUWT survey, which recorded that 49% of female teachers in Scotland had reported physical abuse or violence in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6O-04529

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme, including the most recent data for the number of registered persons with PVG certificates.

Question reference: S6W-35727

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what procedure is in place to ensure that any companies receiving Scottish Government contracts for cavity wall insulation are of the appropriate standard.

According to data obtained via the Public Contracts Scotland Contract Register, the Scottish Government currently has one active contract that includes the requirement to install cavity wall insulation. This is the Managing Agent for the Heat in Buildings Scotland National Scheme (HIBS), which oversees the delivery of the Warmer Homes Scotland programme (WHS).

The Managing Agent and all installation sub-contractors are required to have the skills outlined in the PAS 2030:2019 and PAS 2035:2019 standards (note: adherence with the new PAS 2035:2023 standard shall be required from 31 March 2025). These PAS standards ensure a consistent, high-quality approach to retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency, focusing on assessment, design, and installation practices.

At procurement phase, the suppliers were required to demonstrate that they had appropriately skilled staff and to provide a detailed implementation plan on how they would organise their team and resources in order to meet both the contract requirements and PAS 2035 standards. In addition to having the essential skills and experience, the supplier is required to continue to develop and improve their workforce - sharing knowledge and skills with their sub-contractors.

Each installation completed is also subject to multiple quality inspections with further independent audit inspections carried out on a sample of work at various stages of the WHS Customer Journey.

A link to the Contract Award Notice for the HIBS Managing Agent contract is provided for information.

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN481760

Question reference: S6W-35726

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what selection process it follows when issuing contracts to companies to install cavity wall insulation.

The Scottish Government's procurement activities are conducted in compliance with the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Regulated procurements are transparently advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) website, ensuring open access to potential suppliers. A link to PCS is provided below for information.

Selection and Award Criteria are outlined in the published Contract Notice and are detailed within the associated tender documentation depending on the specific nature of the procurement. This approach supports the public procurement principles of fairness, transparency and equal treatment.

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

Question reference: S6W-34789

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have stopped receiving the enhanced living award of adult disability payment in 2024-25, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many had been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (ii) more than two to three and (iii) more than three years.

As of 31 October 2024, 182,395 clients were in receipt of the enhanced daily living award of Adult Disability Payment.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken from by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). It also does not hold information on the employment status of clients as it is not necessary to collect information on a client’s employment to assess their application.

Adult Disability Payment provides financial support for adults with a disability or long-term health conditions and is available to applicants regardless of their employment status which is the same as Department for Work and Pensions’ Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Social Security Scotland routinely publishes statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload, broken down by daily living award level. However, it does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken down by both daily living award level and duration.

Social Security Scotland does not hold this information for clients who have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for one to two, and two to three years. Adult Disability Payment was introduced in March 2022; hence no clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for more than three years.

The latest Adult Disability Payment official statistics publication can be found at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics. The next release of Adult Disability Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of January 2025, is due to be published on 18 March 2025.

Question reference: S6W-34782

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently in receipt of adult disability payment, also broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many have been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (ii) more than two to three and (iii) more than three years.

As of 31 October 2024, there were 374,655 clients on the Adult Disability Payment Caseload.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken from by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). It also does not hold information on the employment status of clients as it is not necessary to collect information on a client’s employment to assess their application.

Adult Disability Payment provides financial support for adults with a disability or long-term health conditions and is available to applicants regardless of their employment status which is the same as Department for Work and Pensions’ Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

As of 31 October 2024, 129,460 clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for one to two years. 3,380 clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for two to three years, and no clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for more than three years. Adult Disability Payment was introduced in March 2022; hence no clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for more than three years.

The latest Adult Disability Payment official statistics publication can be found at:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics. The next release of Adult Disability Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of January 2025, is due to be published on 18 March 2025.

Question reference: S6W-34783

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have stopped receiving adult disability payment in 2024-25, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many had been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (ii) more than two to three and (iii) more than three years.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on clients leaving the Adult Disability Payment caseload. It also does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). It also does not hold information on the employment status of clients as it is not necessary to collect information on a client’s employment to assess their application.

Adult Disability Payment provides financial support for adults with a disability or long-term health conditions and is available to applicants regardless of their employment status which is the same as Department for Work and Pensions’ Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Social Security Scotland does not hold this information for clients who have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for one to two, and two to three years. Adult Disability Payment was introduced in March 2022; hence no clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for more than three years.

The latest Adult Disability Payment official statistics publication can be found at:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics. The next release of Adult Disability Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of January 2025, is due to be published on 18 March 2025.

Question reference: S6W-34786

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently in receipt of the enhanced living award of adult disability payment, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many have been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (ii) more than two to three and (iii) more than three years.

As of 31 October 2024, 182,395 clients were in receipt of the enhanced daily living award of Adult Disability Payment.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken from by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). It also does not hold information on the employment status of clients as it is not necessary to collect information on a client’s employment to assess their application.

Adult Disability Payment provides financial support for adults with a disability or long-term health conditions and is available to applicants regardless of their employment status which is the same as Department for Work and Pensions’ Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Social Security Scotland routinely publishes statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload, broken down by daily living award level. However, it does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken down by both daily living award level and duration.

Social Security Scotland does not hold this information for clients who have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for one to two, and two to three years. Adult Disability Payment was introduced in March 2022; hence no clients have been in receipt of Adult Disability Payment for more than three years.

The latest Adult Disability Payment official statistics publication can be found at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics. The next release of Adult Disability Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of January 2025, is due to be published on 18 March 2025.

Chamber and committees