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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: S6W-21426

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20844 by Paul McLennan on 13 September 2023, what the (a) purchase price and (b) grant offered was for each property in the applications received and approved (i) prior to and (ii) since the announcement on 19 July 2023, and whether it will also provide a breakdown of these figures by applications from (A) registered social landlords and (B) local authorities.

The following tables shows applications and homes formally approved prior to, and since 19 July, including grant offered split by registered social landlord and local authority in 2023-24. It should also be noted that discussions have taken place to support additional acquisitions with other providers but formal applications have either not yet been received or are in the process of being approved.

We have not been able to provide purchase price information at this stage as, although approved, many of the properties have not yet been purchased:

Date Range 1 April 2023 to 18 July 2023
Registered Social Landlord (RSL)	No. of Applications Received	No. of Homes Applied for	No. of Homes Approved	SG Grant Approved (£)	Average Grant Per home (£)
Abertay HA	2	2	2	80,000.00	40,000.00
Angus HA	1	1	1	20,800.00	20,800.00
Argyll Community HA	1	1	1	23,200.00	23,200.00
Cloch HA	1	6	6	300,000.00	50,000.00
Shettleston HA	1	1	1	117,760.55	117,760.55
Hillcrest Homes (Scotland) Ltd	1	4	4	260,988.00	65,247.00
Ochil View HA	1	8	8	320,000.00	40,000.00
Paragon HA	1	5	5	225,000.00	45,000.00
West of Scotland HA	1	1	1	95,888.00	95,888.00
RSL Total	10	29	29	1,443,636.55	49,780.56

Local Authority	No. of Applications Received	No. of Homes Applied For	No. of Homes Approved	SG Grant Approved (£)	Average Grant per Home (£)
Fife	1	25	25	1,250,000.00	50,000.00
Highland	4	4	4	194,150.00	48,537.50
North Lanarkshire	1	50	50	1,215,000.00	24,300.00
Stirling	1	30	30	1,740,000.00	58,000.00
LA Total	7	109	109	4,399,150.00	40,359.17

Total 1 April 2023 to 18 July 2023	17	138	138	5,842,786.60	42,339.03

19 July to 18 September 2023
RSL	No. of Applications Received	No. of Homes Applied For	No. of Homes Approved	SG Grant Approved (£)	Average Grant per Home (£)
Abertay HA	3	3	3	120,000.00	40,000.00
Barrhead HA	1	10	10	500,00.00	50,000.00
Blochairn HA	1	1	1	65,743.60	65,743.60
Knowes HA	1	4	4	200,000.00	50,000.00
Ore Valley HA	1	2	2	100,000.00	50,000.00
River Clyde Homes	1	20	20	350,000	17,500.00
Shettleston HA	1	1	1	66,610.00	66,610.00
The Highland Housing Alliance	1	4	4	351,751.00	87,937.75
Total RSL	10	45	45	1,754,104.60	38,980.10

Local Authority	No. of Applications Received	No. of Homes Applied For	No. of Homes Approved	SG Grant Approved (£)	Average Grant per Home (£)
Fife	1	25	25	1,250,000.00	50,000.00
Highland	22	23	23	1,305,550.00	56,763.04
Shetland	1	1	1	83,000.00	83,000.00
Total LA	24	49	49	2,638,550.00	53,847.96

Total 19 July 2023 to 18 September 2023	34	94	94	4,392,654.60	46,730.37

Question reference: S6W-21271

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications that have been received by Home Energy Scotland and assessed under the new eligibility criteria for the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme since 1 April 2023, are awaiting referral and being "held onto" until 2 October 2023.

Question reference: S6W-21625

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 27 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when legislation enabling local authorities to charge a premium of up to 100% on council tax for second homes will be laid; whether it is expected that the legislation will enable local authorities to implement and charge the premium from 1 April 2024, and what guidance it has provided to local authorities to ensure that they can make preparations to include the premiums when setting council tax rates for 2024-25 in advance of the relevant date prescribed in the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Question reference: S6W-20879

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to keep the New College Lanarkshire nurseries in Coatbridge and Cumbernauld open.

Question reference: S6W-20878

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with New College Lanarkshire regarding the reported proposed closure of its nurseries in Coatbridge and Cumbernauld.

It is for each individual college, and not the Scottish Government, to determine how best to secure its financial sustainability and therefore operational decisions reside within colleges themselves.

New College Lanarkshire has engaged with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) over its decision to close its nurseries, which will remain open until 31 December 2023. The SFC approved the College’s voluntary severance scheme in May 2023 for some of the affected staff, with the College planning redeployment for the other affected staff members.

Question reference: S6W-21295

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20647 by Jenni Minto on 12 September 2023, how much of the budget for the Young Patients Family Fund, and its predecessor, the Neonatal Expenses Fund, has been underspent in each year since 2018.

Question reference: S6W-20861

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that the £60 million for the National Acquisition Plan will be spent in full in 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-21191

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes completed under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme have been placed in council tax bands E to H in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-21015

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 20 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its 2021 Affordable Housing Supply Programme resource planning assumptions compare with (a) national budget allocations and (b) local expenditure to date.

We have published resource planning assumptions covering 2021-2026. When annual financial year expenditure is concluded and finalised we publish an annual out-turn report which illustrates actual spend compared to original resource planning assumptions at the start of the financial year. The report for 2022-23 is currently being finalised but the report for 2021-22 can be found here – Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report 2021-22 - ( www.gov.scot )

Question reference: S6W-20989

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20667 by Paul McLennan on 4 September 2023, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether its More Homes Division is subject to a recruitment cap; if so, when any such cap was put in place and when it is expected to end, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.

Workforce numbers are reviewed regularly to make sure the Scottish Government is delivering its policy priorities efficiently and effectively. Enhanced recruitment controls are in place to ensure best value for taxpayers’ money, however these operate at the level of the Scottish Government, and there is no specific recruitment cap set centrally with workforce decisions managed across directorates and their divisions.