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-20481

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken any research into regulated markets for the reduction of harm and the safe control of substances.

The Scottish Government, in preparation for it's Paper " A caring compassionate and Human Rights Informed Drug Policy for Scotland" published on July 7th 2023, researched a wide range of sources and consulted with a number of international partners to learn what other models of drug policy exist and what the evidence is for their efficacy. This included administrations who have fully or partially regulated their markets for drugs. We will continue to learn from best practice around the world to ensure Scottish Government Policies are based on the best evidence available.

Question reference: S6W-20681

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy that was announced in its Programme for Government.

Ultimately, the costs of the strategy will be determined by the actions which are included when the strategy is finalised. These will require to be assessed and agreed within the context of the 2024-25 Published Budget process.

To support development of the strategy we have spent more than £70k on research and engagement since the announcement was made; and have provided grant funding to the Association for Real Change (ARC) Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20679

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19481 by Neil Gray on 18 July 2023, which confirms that an advisory group has not yet been established, what its position is on whether the Scottish Ministers are in breach of section 29 of the Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020, in light of the Act being passed in January 2020, the Scottish National Investment Bank having been operational in lending public money, and the Act stating that the "Scottish Ministers must establish and maintain an advisory group to provide them with advice on the Bank’s objects, conduct and performance."

Under Section 29 of the Scottish National Investment Bank Scottish Ministers must establish and maintain an advisory group. Now that the Bank is fully established, and has a growing portfolio of investments work is underway to create the advisory group.

As part of the work currently underway Scottish Government officials are finalising decisions on the membership of the group and how often this group will meet.

Question reference: S6W-20623

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 August 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many repossessions the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service has recorded in each quarter since April 2018.

Repossession involves the retaking of property when a borrower is in breach or default of a mortgage or loan secured on the property.
‎

The first table shows the number of repossessions registered by the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services since April 2018, split by residential and non-residential and unoccupied property.

		Initiated cases		Disposed cases
Year	Quarter	Non-residential or unoccupied property	Residential property	Non-residential or unoccupied property	Residential property
2018	Apr - Jun	11	416	6	417
	Jul - Sep	14	437	12	381
	Oct - Dec	6	381	10	382
2019	Jan - Mar	7	597	3	405
	Apr - Jun	12	699	3	564
	Jul - Sep	9	511	6	512
	Oct - Dec	8	407	6	396
2020	Jan - Mar	16	542	4	357
	Apr - Jun	1	18	0	8
	Jul - Sep	5	6	17	22
	Oct - Dec	3	13	2	28
2021	Jan - Mar	5	40	4	61
	Apr - Jun	3	85	4	128
	Jul - Sep	5	281	3	205
	Oct - Dec	8	307	2	260
2022	Jan - Mar	13	485	13	356
	Apr - Jun	10	313	5	382
	Jul - Sep	10	370	7	325
	Oct - Dec	10	305	7	334
2023	Jan - Mar	8	326	5	302
	Apr - Jun	11	347	11	304

The second table details the residential repossessions cases disposed by the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services since April 2018, split by disposal type.

			Disposal Type
Year	Quarter	Total residential disposals	Absolvitor	Allowed or granted 1	For pursuer defended	For pursuer Undefended	Decree by default	Summary decree	Dismissed 2
2018	Apr - Jun	417	1	0	34	200	8	1	173
	Jul - Sep	381	1	3	30	197	6	5	139
	Oct - Dec	382	1	1	21	219	11	8	121
2019	Jan - Mar	405	1	1	32	246	5	8	112
	Apr - Jun	564	2	1	25	318	30	20	168
	Jul - Sep	512	1	4	18	296	8	9	176
	Oct - Dec	396	1	3	34	194	8	8	148
2020	Jan - Mar	357	1	5	32	161	4	7	147
	Apr - Jun	8	0	0	0	1	0	0	7
	Jul - Sep	22	1	0	1	3	0	0	17
	Oct - Dec	28	1	0	1	9	0	1	16
2021	Jan - Mar	61	1	0	10	9	0	1	40
	Apr - Jun	128	3	1	8	54	0	1	61
	Jul - Sep	205	0	1	16	88	3	11	86
	Oct - Dec	260	1	1	15	136	2	7	98
2022	Jan - Mar	356	0	0	18	196	4	9	129
	Apr - Jun	382	2	3	15	203	0	5	154
	Jul - Sep	325	5	1	10	176	1	3	129
	Oct - Dec	334	2	2	15	171	2	8	134
2023	Jan - Mar	302	1	4	17	147	2	13	118
	Apr - Jun	304	1	3	19	135	1	7	138

Notes

1. Includes any disposals of 'decree for pursuer'

2. Includes any disposals of 'decree for defender'

Question reference: S6W-20589

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways parents and carers have been involved directly and indirectly in the work of the Early Learning and Childcare: Deferral Working Group, since it was established.

The Deferral Working Group was established to guide and assist evaluation of the pilot approach and assist preparation and planning for full implementation of the associated legislation in August 2023.

Interviews were undertaken with 30 parents as part of the pilot evaluation and the findings from the evaluation were shared with the working group.

Results from a parent survey about deferrals conducted by Glasgow City Council was shared with the working group.

Give Them Time, a group who campaigned for the additional year of funded ELC for children who defer, attended the working group in July 2021 to share the views of parents they work with and these views were also fed in through officials at further meetings.

Question reference: S6W-20616

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19825 by Natalie Don on 27 July 2023, when it anticipates it will be able to provide clarity regarding the sum outstanding on the anticipated £500 million in the fund, and how it anticipates the remaining allocation will be spent.

The Scottish Government remains resolute in its commitment to Keep the Promise and the implementation plan published last year sets out our actions and commitments to help care experienced children, young people and their families. The Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) is a key element of these commitments.

We recently published the WFWF Year 1 evaluation interim report, which we are using to inform decisions on the best use of the outstanding WFWF. Our plans for the remaining allocation will be provided in due course.

Question reference: S6W-20409

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use the opportunity of the UCI World Cycling Championships in Glasgow to announce capital funding for the Scottish Event Campus expansion.

As set out in the answer to question S6W-17996 on 30 May 2023, due to budgetary pressures we are unable to provide a capital funding package to support the SEC’s proposed expansion package. To date there have also been no further approaches nor discussion with the SEC management team on this issue since it was raised with the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture in April 2022. However, we continue to engage with the SEC and others on how the national event strategy review can build on the industry’s success, and deliver on government priorities. 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-20397

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme for renewable systems, including energy storage systems and district heating scheme connections, in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) system type and (b) local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-20398

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many households have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding for renewable systems, including energy storage systems and district heating scheme connections, in each of the last five years, broken down by system type.

Question reference: S6W-20401

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme for energy efficiency measures in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.