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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-13119

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12689 by John Swinney on 8 December 2022, how many repossessed dwellings that had been receiving an exemption from council tax subsequently ceased to receive that exemption in each month of 2022, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-13117

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12689 by John Swinney on 8 December 2022, how many new repossessed dwellings have received an exemption from council tax in each month of 2022, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-13118

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12689 by John Swinney on 8 December 2022, how many repossessed dwellings have received an exemption from council tax in each month of 2022, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-13021

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of current rates of inflation for the construction industry on the non-domestic rates revaluation of public sector properties, based on rebuild costs.

The valuation of non-domestic properties is a matter for Scottish assessors who are independent of central and local government. The tone date for the 2023 revaluation was 1 April 2022, therefore values for the revaluation will be based on the economic circumstances and evidence available at this date. The current rates of inflation do not have a bearing on values for the 2023 revaluation.

The Scottish Budget 2023-24 was published on 15 December 2022 and confirmed that the poundage will be frozen at 49.8p. A Revaluation Transitional Relief will also be introduced to cap increases in rates bills for those seeing the most significant increases in their rateable values as a result of the revaluation, ensuring that the gross bills of an estimated 84,000 properties will be lower in 2023-24 than they otherwise would have been.

Draft values for the 2023 revaluation were published on 30 November 2022, and final values will come into force on 1 April 2023. A revaluation summary report is expected to be published in 2023-24 once final values for the revaluation have been made available.

Question reference: S6W-13065

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) remit, (b) lifespan, (c) terms of reference and (d) work programme is for the joint working group on local government finance; how frequently it will meet, and whether (i) agendas, (ii) minutes and (iii) papers will be published.

As set out in the answer to S6W-12943 on 20 December 2022, the Joint Working Group, which includes COSLA and the Scottish Green Party commenced it work, initially focussing on targeted changes to Council Tax to reflect the current circumstances created by the cost crisis. The group will also consider approaches to longer term reform, utilising the development of effective deliberative engagement, on sources of Local Government funding and Council Tax. I will ensure that Parliament is kept appraised of this work at suitable junctures.

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: S6T-01061

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement by COSLA expressing Council Leaders' extreme disappointment with the proposed budget settlement for local government and its presentation lacking consistency with a partnership approach, and their invitation to the Deputy First Minister to attend a special meeting.

Question reference: S6W-11609

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its publication, High rise inventory 2021: summary report, of the (a) 38 buildings in which aluminium composite material (ACM) panels were identified and (b) 23 buildings with Category 3 ACM panels, how many are owned by (i) registered social landlords, (ii) private owners or landlords, (iii) multiple private owners or landlords and (iv) a mix of registered social and private owners and landlords.

The High Rise Inventory provides information on the construction and fire safety of high rise domestic buildings. It was completed by Local Authority Building Standards departments for all relevant buildings, with data provided or verified to the best of the respondents’ knowledge at the time of completing the inventory. It should be viewed as a snapshot in time. The summary report was based on information held in the Inventory in February 2020.

On the basis of the information provided all of the 38 buildings, in which aluminium composite material were identified, and the 23 buildings with Category 3 aluminium composite panels are classified as owned by private landlords.

Question reference: S6W-12764

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10463 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, how many proposed (a) homes and (b) projects included in affordable housing supply programme grant applications that it has received have been (i) below and (ii) above benchmark, also broken down by baseline benchmark type, in (A) August, (B) September, (C) October and (D) November 2022.

The following table shows number of homes and projects that have been submitted for approval in August, September, October and November 2022, broken down by baseline benchmark type and whether above, at, or below benchmark. To note that the table includes some projects still under active appraisal:

City and Urban

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	11	10	13	15	49
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	226	226	321	502	1,275
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	7	5	10	11	33
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	156	155	258	243	812
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark		1	2	2	5
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark		24	53	54	131
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark	4	4	1	2	11
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark	70	47	10	205	332

Other Rural

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	1	4	1	3	9
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	28	99	1	63	191
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark		2	1	3	6
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark		23	1	55	79
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark	1	1			2
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark	28	20			48
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark		1		1	2
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark		56		8	64

West Highland, Island Authorities & Remote/ Rural Argyll

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark					0
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark					0

Question reference: S6W-12763

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10464 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, how many proposed (a) homes and (b) projects included in affordable housing supply programme grant applications that it has agreed to have been (i) below and (ii) above benchmark, also broken down by baseline benchmark type, in (A) August, (B) September, (C) October and (D) November 2022.

The following table shows the number of homes and projects that have been approved in August, September, October and November 2022, broken down by baseline benchmark type and whether above, at, or below benchmark:

City and Urban

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	11	10	13	11	45
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	226	226	321	353	1,126
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark	7	5	10	7	29
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark	156	155	258	94	663
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark		1	2	2	5
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark		24	53	54	131
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark	4	4	1	2	11
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark	70	47	10	205	332

Other Rural

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	1	2	1	3	7
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	28	76	1	63	168
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark			1	3	4
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark			1	55	56
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark	1	1			2
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark	28	20			48
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark		1		1	2
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark		56		8	64

West Highland, Island Authorities & Remote/ Rural Argyll

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark					0
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark					0

Question reference: S6W-12690

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the scope is of the Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme review; who is delivering the review; which organisations (a) have been and (b) will be consulted; on what date the review was first commissioned; whether it has commissioned new research or modelling to support the review; what the stages of the review are; how many (i) staff and (ii) full-time equivalents are working on the review, and when it expects to implement its findings.

A review of the Home Owners Support Fund (HOSF), of which Mortgage to Shared Equity is part, was commissioned in February 2022.

The review is wide ranging and will consider all aspects of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) and Mortgage to Shared Equity (MTSE) eligibility criteria including local authority property valuation thresholds and capital and equity limits.The work is being led by two full-time equivalent Scottish Government officials with support from other officials, including analysts, as required.

The main stages of the review include: identification of issues; information gathering and modelling; developing recommendations and implementation. Independent user research has been conducted with a number of key stakeholders, to identify areas of concern and gather information in relation to aspects of the process that are working well. This involved recent applicants to HOSF, registered social landlords and accredited Money Advisers from organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux, local authority Debt Advice services and law centres. Further consultation with stakeholders is ongoing and user testing is planned for later stages of the work.

The review will conclude in the spring of next year with implementation of any policy changes to take place thereafter.