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-25413

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many households have (a) installed interlinked fire alarms since 1 February 2022 and (b) interlinked fire alarms installed in total; how much it has spent on financial support for the installation of interlinked fire alarms since1 February 2022, and when the 2022 Scottish House Condition Survey will be available.

The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) was published on 29 February 2024. In 2022 the Scottish House Condition Survey asked the following new question on fire alarms: Has the dwelling satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire? Responses were recorded as a yes or no answer, and in order to be recorded as ‘yes’ a dwelling must have interlinked fire alarms installed meeting a number of criteria.

In 2022 around 1.91 million homes in Scotland (75%) have fully compliant interlinked fire alarms, while 25% (around 638,000) were recorded as not having satisfactory equipment for detecting and warning in the event of fire.

While all dwellings meeting the fire alarm criteria have interlinked fire alarms, there may be some dwellings recorded as having insufficient fire detection equipment that do have interlinked fire alarms but failed the fire alarm criteria due to other factors such as insufficient number of alarms, improperly powered alarms, or improper locations of alarms. However, due to the yes/no mode of question this number cannot be quantified from 2022 SHCS data.

From 2023 the SHCS question on fire alarms will provide details as to why a dwelling’s equipment for detecting a fire is unsatisfactory which will allow analysis in this area from 2025.

The Scottish Government provided a total of £2.1 million between Care & Repair and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to support those in greatest need or at greatest risk of fire, to meet the new standard. No new funds have been allocated to these schemes since 2022.

Question reference: S6W-25779

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its review of the statutory basis for community learning and development, including how it aims to strengthen provision and provide greater financial protection for its delivery.

An independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) was launched in December 2023 and is expected to conclude in June 2024. This review aims to assess the impact of CLD on learners across Scotland and is likely to consider the regulatory framework alongside other aspects of the current approach to CLD, taking the original commitment further and providing valuable insights for the future.

Question reference: S6W-25534

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the cost of the proposed Winchburgh train station development.

As the member is aware, the Scottish Government supports a new station in Winchburgh, it is our understanding of the station proposal that it is and always has been a developer-led station, as outlined in the original Winchburgh Developments Ltd Masterplan for the wider development.

Transport Scotland reviewed both the design and construction cost proposals from Network Rail for a new station at Winchburgh and proactively suggested amendments to these proposals, which would see any new station delivered significantly more efficiently.

Question reference: S6W-25755

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to Aberdeen City Council to assist the local authority's investigatory works in relation to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

As primarily a building maintenance issue it is the responsibility of building owners to maintain their properties. Local authorities manage their own budgets and allocate financial resources on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and jointly agreed national and local priorities. The Cross Sector Working Group and its Housing and Management sub-groups have representation from across multiple public and private sectors and provide forums for stakeholders such as Aberdeen City Council to help facilitate engagement, develop connections (including with construction industry bodies), raise awareness, share information and discuss good practice.

Question reference: S6W-25502

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 2020 opinion of the Court of Session regarding the respective rights of the landowner of a common grazing and the crofters in relation to the use of the land, whether it plans to take action to ensure that crofters can (a) carry out peatland restoration on common grazings and (b) have ownership of any carbon credits associated with such peatland restoration, and, if so, what processes it would need to follow to implement any legislative changes required to achieve this, particularly in relation to sections 19A and 50B of the Crofting (Scotland) Act 1993 as amended by the Crofting Reform etc. Act 2007.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that crofters can benefit from investment in projects such as peatland restoration and woodland creation, particularly when carried out on common grazing land, much of which we know is underutilised.

The Crofting Bill Team and stakeholder group are considering a number of proposals that will hopefully make it easier for crofters to use their common grazings for purposes other than agriculture, including peatland restoration. One of the proposals would make provision for crofter-led projects and landlord collaborations / joint ventures, for carbon sequestration, habitat restoration and biodiversity enhancement.

We are committed to taking forward the Crofting Bill before the end of the current parliamentary term.

Question reference: S6W-25781

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of community-based youth services beyond the immediate recovery period from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-25742

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on any trends in student debt borrowing patterns and repayment rates, including in relation to missed payments and the collection rate of payments.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Student Loan Company (SLC) collects and publishes data on student loan outlays, repayments, and borrower activity for Scottish SLC customers each year.

This includes information on the total student Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) loan [1] outlay each financial year, the average loan balance of borrowers, borrower repayment status, repayment amounts, and average repayment amount by repayment method. All of which can be found in the Student Loans for Higher Education in Scotland: Financial Year 2022-23 publication.

SLC does not publish information on missed payments, nor on the collection rate of repayments.

[1] Loans for which the required repayments are based on the borrower’s income.

Question reference: S6W-25552

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a weighted evaluation of any (a) environmental and (b) economic benefits of the proposed Winchburgh railway station compared with other regional railway stations that have been completed in the last five years, such as Reston, East Linton and Robroyston.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the findings of the Economic Impact Assessment paper the Developer commissioned, by SYSTRA.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25534 on 9 March 2024. 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-26057

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-25970

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, would result in any grocery stores liable for the surtax paying the highest business rate poundage in the UK.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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