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-12854

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that (a) housing associations and (b) private landlords properly address any concerns and complaints from residents regarding mould outbreaks.

We are committed to tackling disrepair in housing and driving a culture in which good maintenance is given a high priority.

Social landlords are required to have a clear complaints process and where a tenant is dissatisfied with the response of their housing provider, they are able to escalate their complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for monitoring social landlords’ progress towards the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS), which they are required to meet, as part of the SHR’s role to monitor and report on social landlords’ achievement of the Scottish Social Housing Charter. SHR wrote to all Social Landlords on 1 December 2022 on the importance of having appropriate, proactive systems to identify and deal with any reported cases of mould and damp timeously and effectively.

For private landlords, they are obliged to meet the Repairing Standard and Tolerable Standard. If, after a landlord has been notified of a problem, it is not attended to satisfactorily, then tenants have the right to refer the matter to the Housing and Property Chamber First Tier Tribunal for Scotland, who can require landlords to take remedial action. Local authorities also have powers to inspect properties in relation to the repairing standard and rights to make an application to the Tribunal in respect of this were introduced through the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014.

In the New Deal for Tenants consultation, published in December 2021, we asked for opinions on how best to ensure that landlords undertake repairs in a timely fashion. We are carefully considering what measures are necessary to ensure that private rented homes are in good condition and that tenants’ concerns are quickly resolved.

We have also committed to developing a new cross tenure Housing Standard for Scotland during this Parliamentary term.

Question reference: S6W-12971

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04787 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 December 2021, how many children and young people in each local authority area have received a free (a) laptop, (b) tablet and (c) Chromebook, in light of its commitment to deliver devices with free internet connection to 700,000 P1 to S6 pupils within 100 days of the May 2021 election.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all school aged children have access to a device by the end of this parliament. Given the scale and complexity of this programme of work, the 100 days commitment was to commence planning rather than deliver the devices.

In 2020-21, we provided £25 million of funding to local authorities across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion, resulting in over 72,000 pupils receiving a device to support their learning.

The answer to question S6W-04787, shows the number of devices distributed via that funding, as reported by individual local authorities.

Local authorities have also invested in devices from their own budgets. Information from them indicates that up to 280,000 devices have already been distributed to learners across Scotland (including the 72,000 funded by the Scottish Government).

We continue to work closely with local authorities to deliver on the commitment moving forward.

Question reference: S6W-12856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the appointment of a Women's Health Champion, and when the role holder will commence their duties.

Question reference: S6W-12855

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it has not yet appointed a Women’s Health Champion, despite a plan earlier in 2022 to appoint one “this summer”, what process was followed for the recruitment and appointment; how many prospective candidates were approached, and whether any candidates turned the opportunity down.

Question reference: S6W-13077

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the Scottish SPCA's animal welfare charity, Pet Aid, in light of reports of a significant increase in people struggling to care for an animal due to the cost of living crisis.

Question reference: S6O-01730

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that children and young people in families experiencing poverty are supported throughout the Christmas holiday period.

Question reference: S6W-12773

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the consultation on the recommendations of the 2016 Sludge Review, into the spreading of sewage sludge on land, will take place.

The legislative changes recommended by the completed Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework (IAF) regulations.

The proposed changes are designed to strengthen SEPA powers to ensure effective management practices are implemented and followed by operators within the industry.

A consultation on the proposed IAF regulations is due to be published early next year and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Question reference: S6W-12772

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work in implementing the recommendations of the 2016 Sludge Review into the spreading of sewage sludge on land.

Recommended actions from the Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland which have already been completed include publication last year of the James Hutton Institute report on the impacts on human health and the environment arising from the spreading of sewage sludge to land, and implementation of the remedial actions that were recommended to be taken by Scottish Water.

The legislative changes recommended by the review are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework regulations. A consultation on proposed regulations is due to be published in 2023 and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Question reference: S6W-12643

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether additional NHS boards may need to be placed into Stage 4 of NHS Scotland’s National Performance Framework for Governance, Leadership and Culture, in light of the escalation in NHS Forth Valley announced on 23 November 2022.

The decision to escalate or de-escalate an NHS Board is based on a combination of evidence. Escalation addresses complex issues and an element of judgement will always be required. In order to support robust decision-making in this sphere, the Scottish Government regularly convenes the National Planning and Performance Oversight Group which considers a range of data and intelligence relating to the delivery of health and social care across Scotland and the performance of our health boards. Should there be a requirement to escalate any additional NHS Boards, for any reason, I will update Parliament in the first instance.

Question reference: S6W-12774

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the consultation on the recommendations of the 2016 Sludge Review, into the spreading of sewage sludge on land, is not delayed again.

The legislative changes recommended by the completed Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland (‘The Sludge Review’), are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework (IAF) regulations.

Progress on developing the planned IAF regulations was delayed due to Covid-19 and other priority work such as Brexit. This work has now been reprioritised and has recommenced. A consultation on proposed IAF regulations is due to be published early next year and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Other recommended actions from the Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland which have already been completed include publication last year of the James Hutton Institute report on the impacts on human health and the environment arising from the spreading of sewage sludge to land, and implementation of the remedial actions that were recommended to be taken by Scottish Water.