Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30466

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the introduction of the proposed The Promise Bill.

The Scottish Government is committed to keep The Promise by 2030 and has recently set out further detail on activity underway in our Promise Implementation Plan Update 2024.

This includes a continued commitment to introduce a Promise Bill by the end of this parliamentary session, dependent on wider pressures on the Parliamentary legislative calendar. The Scottish Government continue to work with partners, including The Promise Scotland and COSLA, to identify areas where a legislative direction may support delivery of The Promise. There are a number of public consultations underway which, where appropriate, will inform any legislative change required. This is supported by a programme of engagement and participation with the care experienced community which is being led by Who Cares? Scotland and Barnardo’s.

Question reference: S6W-29999

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on what date (a) it currently anticipates that CMAL will deliver the Glen Sannox to CalMac, (b) the operator currently anticipates that it will begin delivery to operational sea trials of the vessel and (c) it currently anticipates that the Glen Sannox will enter service on the Troon-Brodick route.

In his most recent letter to the NZET committee on 12 September, the interim Chief Executive of Ferguson Marine indicated that the handover date for MV Glen Sannox of 30 September 2024 was delayed by around two weeks. Following successful Builder’s LNG sea trials the vessel is on track for delivery by mid-October 2024.

Following delivery there will be a period of familiarisation needed by the operator, usually around 6-8 weeks, to conduct further owner’s sea and berthing trials and conduct final operational readiness preparations before she is ready to enter service.

CalMac anticipate the vessel entering service on the Troon-Brodick route around the end of November based on current planning assumptions.

Question reference: S6W-29962

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many buildings in Scotland that have significant evacuation challenges, such as hospitals and care settings, have been identified as having unsafe cladding.

As set out in question S6W-29963 which was answered on 24 September 2024, there are 107 entries in the pilot phase of the Cladding Remediation Programme. Entries in the pilot can comprise a single block or building, or a development, or part of a development consisting of multiple blocks or buildings.

Only a Single Building Assessment meeting the Scottish Standards can identify what cladding if any, a building has and further identify whether the cladding is unsafe.

Developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government. Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

In terms of the health service, there are no hospitals in Scotland with significant evacuation challenges and unsafe cladding.

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: S6O-03794

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to NHS Ayrshire and Arran, in light of reports that the health board requires over £85 million to cover the cost of backdated repairs.

Question reference: S6W-29965

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many individual domestic properties have been identified as having a sleeping risk, in relation to any risk assessment.

We have not identified buildings with a specific sleeping risk, however buildings on the pilot are residential.

The Single Building Assessment (SBA) must result in a report on any risk to human life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by the building’s external wall cladding system and what work (if any) is needed to eliminate or mitigate that risk.

There are 107 entries in the pilot phase of the Cladding Remediation Programme. Entries in the pilot can comprise a single block or building, or a development, or part of a development consisting of multiple blocks or buildings. Pilot assessments have been undertaken for 30 of the pilot entries. A pilot assessment includes any assessment carried out prior to the publication of the SBA specification on the 21 June 2024.

These numbers relate to known pilot assessments only as developers, home owners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government and therefore the true numbers may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available

Question reference: S6W-29970

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties there are with unsafe cladding in each Scottish Parliament constituency.

There are 107 entries in the pilot of the Cladding Remediation Programme.

Pilot assessments have been undertaken for 30 of the entries. A pilot assessment includes those carried out prior to the publication of the Single Building Assessment (SBA) specification on 21 June 2024. This number relates to known pilot assessments only; developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government.

Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

At present, data is not held at constituency level relating to the number of properties with unsafe cladding.

Question reference: S6W-29969

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that all unsafe cladding in Scotland will be removed or remediated.

Question reference: S6W-29966

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many individual properties in Scotland have had unsafe cladding completely removed since 2017.

There are 107 entries in the pilot of the Cladding Remediation Programme.

Pilot assessments have been undertaken for 30 of the entries. A pilot assessment includes those carried out prior to the publication of the Single Building Assessment (SBA) specification on 21 June 2024. This number relates to known pilot assessments only; developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government. Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

Works to mitigate or remediate risks have started for five of the entries. Works in this context refers to any action taken to address known cladding-related risks, including Urgent Interim Measures. This number relates to known works on a pilot entry only; developers or other organisations could have carried out works without informing the Scottish Government. Again, this means the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

Works to remediate risks have not been completed for any of the entries. Although work on the external wall cladding system has been undertaken on one building, an SBA – carried out to the standard to be specified by Scottish Ministers under section 32 of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 – is required to ensure that all works required have been identified and completed ahead of the remediation being designated as complete.

Question reference: S6W-29964

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many individual domestic properties in Scotland have been identified as having unsafe cladding.

There are 107 entries in the pilot phase of the Cladding Remediation Programme. Entries in the pilot can comprise a single block or building, or a development, or part of a development consisting of multiple blocks or buildings.

Only a Single Building Assessment meeting the Scottish Standards can identify what cladding if any, a building has and further identify whether the cladding is unsafe.

Developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government. Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

Question reference: S6W-29967

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated for remediating unsafe cladding on buildings in each year since 2017.

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