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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: S6T-00553

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prepare for refugees arriving in Scotland as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Question reference: S6W-06121

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Motability Operations in connection with the transfer of the disability benefits scheme to Scotland.

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government met Motability Operations Limited on 21 October 2021 to discuss the Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme in Scotland and the role of Motability as an accredited provider for the Scheme.

Scottish Government officials meet with Motability Operations Limited regularly to discuss matters related to the implementation of the Scheme.

The Scottish Government’s Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme delivers a similar service to the current Motability scheme to people in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06120

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland that Motability Operations is profiting from disabled people.

I met with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) on 25 January 2022. We share with MACS a concern to ensure the best service possible to disabled people and value for money for taxpayers. The Government has noted that Motability has committed to utilise their surplus profits for good causes, including a rebate to clients and future investment in greener vehicles. That is the right thing to do and we would urge Motability to ensure all those profits are used to benefit the public.

On disability benefits in Scotland, whilst Motability is currently the only provider accredited under the Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme, we plan to begin work to re-open further accreditation rounds towards the end of this year. This will ensure we are doing all we can to encourage value and promote choice.

Question reference: S6W-05795

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the six-week time limit within which applicants must complete both parts of the Child Disability Payment application process.

Social Security Scotland routinely monitors applications received and the time between when part 1 and part 2 of applications are submitted.

Information on applications received is published as part of routine Official Statistics publications on Child Disability Payment. The second high level statistics covering the period from 26 July to 21 November 2021 were recently published on 18 January 2022 and are available at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/child-disability-payment-pilot-high-level-statistics-to-21-november-2021 . The next set of Child Disability Payment statistics are due to be published in February 2022. This will cover the period from 26 July 2021 to 31 December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-05793

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, of the applications that have been received for Child Disability Payment that did not progress to part 2, how many had exceeded the six-week time limit to do so.

Question reference: S6W-05472

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to putting guidance in place to ensure that there are suitable access arrangements at COVID-19 vaccination centres for people with unseen impairments.

The Scottish Government meets with health boards on a regular basis to discuss the vaccination programme. Ensuring it is as accessible as possible for everyone is a key priority. As individual requirements are different, anyone who has concerns about access arrangements should contact their local health board to discuss any additional support needs they have so that adjustments can be made to accommodate them.

The NHS Inform website provides a breakdown of support available by local health board, including help finding transport to your vaccination appointment.

Question reference: S6W-05794

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 28 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons are for setting a time limit of six weeks within which applicants must complete both parts of the Child Disability Payment application process.

The purpose of setting a six week period is to balance the need to ensure that decisions can be dealt with as quickly as possible, with providing applicant’s sufficient time to seek supporting information, or to request help from Social Security Scotland to obtain this information. It also means that there is an up-to-date record of the individual’s care and mobility needs, which Social Security Scotland might not otherwise have if the application is not completed until a much later date.

It is clear on the application form, in our communications and guidance that if an applicant has any difficulty completing the application within the six week period, they should tell Social Security Scotland. If the applicant has good reason for not meeting the deadline, Social Security Scotland can extend this time period for up to 52 weeks. If Social Security Scotland does not accept the reasons for the late completion, the individual has the right to request a re-determination in relation to the start date of assistance.

Question reference: S6W-05660

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 26 January 2022

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.

Question reference: S6W-05383

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the £20 million it has invested in social security advocacy.

The Scottish Government intends to allocate up to £5.1m per annum to cover the costs of the advocacy provision over a four year period. All of the funding is provided for the establishment and operation of the new service. However, this is a demand-led service and until it has been operational over a period of time it will not be possible to develop a detailed breakdown of when funding will be drawn down.

To ensure continuous improvement of the service, and to inform the next procurement exercise, we will monitor demand and review expenditure over the contract period. Subsequently, the contract value will be updated in the Public Contracts Register ahead of any extension or retendering for this contract.

Question reference: S6W-05664

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish monitoring data on the Scotspirit Holiday Voucher Scheme.

This information is not currently available. Our Charity partners were given a deadline of 17 January to return their reports on ScotSpirit Activity processed up until the end of the year (2021). We are still waiting for a few partners to return their data and this is being actively followed up.

I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib 63108)