Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-01137

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether burning waste is good for the environment.

Question reference: S6F-01132

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is celebrating Scottish Bus Week.

Question reference: S6F-01128

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01127

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-08488

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether new minimum energy efficiency standards will be set at the level of fabric efficiency necessary in conjunction with heat distribution system.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy (7 October 2021), committed to introducing primary legislation in the current session of the Scottish Parliament that would set a regulatory framework for heat and energy efficiency, as a key action to meeting Scotland’s statutory climate change targets.

This year, the Scottish Government will commission independent research which will specify what fabric energy efficiency levels are necessary in existing homes for the cost effective installation of different zero direct emission heating sources, in different archetypes of domestic properties. The outcomes from this research will inform our proposals for energy efficiency regulations, ahead of a public consultation in the coming year.

Improvements to Building Regulations from October this year, (which apply to new buildings and new building work), will improve fabric standards to reduce space heating demand. They will also deliver new heating systems which operate at lower temperatures, compatible with the efficient operation of zero direct emissions heating sources.

Question reference: S6W-08487

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its reform of EPC ratings for fabric efficiency standard will use an energy demand metric in kWh/m2/yr, based on the energy demand for space heating and cooling only.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) provide an assessment of the modelled energy performance of buildings. The Scottish Government recognises that the information presented on EPCs needs to be reformed in line with the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee. We consulted last year on reforming EPCs to introduce a new metric for energy efficiency. This is intended to ensure that the EPC metrics align with our net zero target.

Following our consultation, we are commissioning research to understand the implications of several options for the new energy efficiency metric. These options include an energy demand metric which would be based on the dwelling’s space heating and cooling demand. As set out in our consultation, we intend that EPCs will present the new energy efficiency metric alongside the current running cost and carbon emissions metrics.

Question reference: S6W-08489

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether fabric efficiency regulations will require compliance at specified points in the building lifecycle, including (a) sale, (b) re-let, (c) major renovation, (d) conversion and (e) extension.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy (7 October 2021), committed to introducing primary legislation in the current session of the Scottish Parliament that would set a regulatory framework for heat and energy efficiency, as a key action to meeting Scotland’s statutory climate change targets.

This strategy proposes to introduce minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented, owner-occupied and social housing. Regulations are proposed to be introduced that will require all properties to meet a minimum standard equivalent to EPC C by 2033.

Subject to consultation, the Scottish Government is proposing that compliance with the standard may be required at a variety of trigger points, including following the completion of a sale and after the change of a tenancy (for private rented sector properties), where installation of energy efficiency measures is technically-feasible and cost-effective.

The Scottish Government will consult publicly on these proposals within the coming year.

Buildings which are the subject of a conversion, as defined under building regulations, are already required to meet current building standards, to the extent this is reasonably practicable.

Question reference: S6W-08466

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what training and support has been given to (a) clinicians, (b) nurses and (c) healthcare support workers, under the neurological care and support strategy, to increase and broaden knowledge and specialisms to ensure that adequate treatment and care is provided.

We recognise the importance of increasing knowledge to ensure that adequate treatment and care is provided for people with neurological conditions.

Over 5 years of implementing the Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25 we will allocate £4.5 million in total to improve the care of people with neurological conditions. To date, £2.2 million funding has been awarded to 37 innovative projects across the statutory and third sectors, which seek to improve neurological care and support services. A significant number of these have involved providing support and training to healthcare professionals.

Activity delivered directly by Scottish Government includes a jointly-organised Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) webinar with Healthcare Improvement Scotland in August 2021 on how the principles of good ACP can be adapted for neurological conditions. The webinar was attended by over 250 individuals, the majority clinical staff, including nurses, allied healthcare professionals and healthcare support workers.

We established a Redesign Project Group in January 2021, as a subgroup of the Scottish Government’s National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions. The group developed and published guidance for healthcare professionals working in neurology on the appropriate use of video, telephone and face to face outpatient appointments. This was accompanied by a webinar for healthcare professionals.

Question reference: S6W-08449

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it can take to improve outcomes for women with asthma, in light of analysis from Asthma + Lung UK showing that women are almost twice as likely to die from an asthma attack than men.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living with respiratory conditions, including asthma, receives the best possible care and treatment to enable them to live longer, healthier, and independent lives.

In March last year we published the first Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland, that sets out our priorities and commitments for driving improvement in prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support for people living with respiratory conditions such as asthma. One of the priorities for year one of the Plan is improving access to meaningful respiratory data. This will enable us to understand where people’s needs are not being met and inform service improvements, allowing us to better explore any areas of concern.

Asthma + Lung UK were involved in the development of the Plan and are members of our national advisory committee, the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee, that has been established to oversee the Plan implementation. We are working closely with them and other key stakeholders, including clinicians and our newly formed Lived Experience Network, to develop an implementation programme.

Women’s health is a key priority for this government. Our Women’s Health Plan, published in August 2021, underpins actions to address health inequalities by raising awareness around women’s health, to improve access to health care for women across their life course and to reduce inequalities in health outcomes for girls and women.

Question reference: S6W-08447

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it records the number of (a) children and (b) children diagnosed with autism, who have been referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter annually, in light of reports of an increasing number of supervision orders being issued for autistic children in 2021.

The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) is responsible for the recording of data relating to children and young people in the Children’s Hearings System. Official Statistics, published annually, are available on the SCRA website https://www.scra.gov.uk/ , and include the number of children referred to SCRA each year, and the number of children on a compulsory supervision order.

Chamber and committees