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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-31667

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Public Finance on 12 November 2024 that more than 164,000 homes have planning permission but have not yet been built, when it will publish the (a) methodology it used and (b) calculations it made to arrive at this figure.

The methodology involved analysing the most recently published Housing Land Audit schedules from local authorities across Scotland. The remaining capacity for each site noted as either consented or under construction was totalled. Where the distinction was made, this included Planning Permission in Principle.

This summary statistic gives a broad estimate of the remaining capacity across Scotland of identified housing land with planning consent. It provided contextual information for the development and publication of our Planning and the Housing Emergency Delivery Plan.

Question reference: S6W-31673

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Public Finance on 12 November 2024 that more than 164,000 homes have planning permission but have not yet been built, how many of these homes were granted planning permission (a) in the last (i) three years, (ii) three to five years, (iii) five to 10 years and (b) more than 10 years ago.

Question reference: S6W-31666

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Public Finance on 12 November 2024 that more than 164,000 homes have planning permission but have not yet been built, how many of these homes form part of (a) community growth areas and (b) strategic development sites.

Question reference: S6W-31449

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the process that is followed to include a building in its Cladding Remediation Programme (CRP) pilot scheme.

The Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme Pilot utilised a self-nomination process to identify buildings, of different tenures, that are potentially affected by unsafe cladding. Learning from the pilot supported the development of the Single Building Assessment (SBA) specification, published in June 2024, which will form the core of the standards being set by Ministers in anticipation of the forthcoming commencement of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024. The pilot has been instrumental in enabling the creation of these essential foundations for future programme delivery.

Entries on the pilot are being discharged. Where they meet the requirements set out at section 32 of the Act and don’t have a linked developer, the Scottish Government is taking forward assessment and, where necessary, remediation. Other entries will be discharged in accordance with whether or not they are a relevant building, as set out at section 32 of the Act, and whether they have a building owner, and/or linked developer, who we would reasonably ask to take forward assessment in line with the published SBA specification.

New entries are not being added to the pilot. Nevertheless, in any circumstances where the Scottish Government becomes aware of a building with potentially unsafe cladding, we will take appropriate action. This may include asking a building owner to take action or passing the building onto a linked-development for assessment and, where necessary, remediation. It is possible to engage with the Cladding Remediation Programme directly via email at CladdingRemediationProgramme@gov.scot. Pursuant to forthcoming commencement of the Act early next year, we will formally announce new arrangements for people to seek support with the assessment and remediation of in scope buildings.

Question reference: S6O-04060

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with the finance secretary regarding whether it will deliver its commitment to provide an additional £25 million to the culture sector in 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-31051

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for motor neurone disease (MND) care in the last 10 years.

The Scottish Government invested £2.2 million in 2015-2016 in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund, £700,000 of which was specifically allocated to specialist Motor Neurone Disease (MND) nursing care following a successful campaign from Gordon Aikman and his 'Fightback Challenge'. This was mainstreamed to Territorial NHS Boards in 2017 while taking account of NHS pay awards. This funding has more than doubled nationally the number of Motor Neurone Disease Clinical Nurse Specialists employed within the NHS.

The Scottish Government has provided an additional £101,000 to MND Scotland since 2014, specifically in relation to the care of those with MND, and excluding any research costs.

Question reference: S6W-31052

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for motor neurone disease (MND) funding in the coming years.

The Scottish Government continues to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution, as a result of unprecedented economic pressures following the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Despite the financial constraints, the Scottish Government continues to focus on building a more inclusive Scotland for all, including investing in MND services and support that will help our communities during these difficult times.

The new Scottish Budget will be presented to Parliament on Wednesday 4 December 2024. This will detail Scottish Ministers' spend proposals for the year ahead. Funding for future years will be subject to the Scottish budget process, however the Scottish Government remains committed to supporting MND services across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-31049

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with MND Scotland about funding research on motor neurone disease (MND).

Within the Scottish Government, funding for Health and Care Research comes under the policy remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO)

Officials from CSO met with representatives from MND Scotland on 9th February 2023 to discuss the possibility of co-funding a Clinical Academic Fellowship. Funding arrangements were agreed and a joint call for applications launched on 1 August 2023

Details of the funded fellowship are available on the CSO website

CAF/24/13 - Identifying early theragnostic targets for MND

Ms Kristine Roberts - University of Aberdeen

CAF2413abstract.pdf (scot.nhs.uk)

Question reference: S6W-31050

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for motor neurone disease (MND) research in the last 10 years.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports open competitive grant and fellowship schemes for applied health research in Scotland across a wide remit that is inclusive of consideration of applications for research relating to motor neuron disease (MND). Applications submitted to these schemes are assessed through independent expert peer-review with funding recommendations made by independent expert committees.

CSO have funded 4 Fellowships in MND in the last 10 years. 2 of these were funded in collaboration with MND Scotland and one was in collaboration with MND Scotland and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The total CSO investment into these 4 fellowships was £672,000.

Question reference: S6O-03987

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what early discussion it has had with COSLA regarding the detail of the financial settlement that it has received from the UK Government's Budget.