- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes assessed to be at high risk from fire as part of a home fire safety visit have had a fire and smoke alarm system installed that is compliant with the new standard as a result of the £1 million funding provided through the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in the period 2018-20.
Answer
To protect the most vulnerable, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will fit interlinked alarms into owner-occupied homes where the individuals or households are assessed as high risk through their Home Fire Safety Visit assessment process. As of 20 October 2021, SFRS have installed 9,363 linked smoke alarms, 3,506 linked heat alarms and 1,733 CO alarms. This is a total of 3,482 homes assisted to comply with the new standard.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what loan support it offers homeowners for the purpose of installing a fire and smoke alarm system that is compliant with the new standard.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not provide loans to home owners for the purpose of installing fire alarms that are compliant with the new standard. Local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide assistance to home owners, in connection with work on private homes, including assistance by way of loans. Local authorities are best placed to determine what types of assistance are provided in their area, subject to local resources and priorities.
We recognise that some owners will have more difficulty, particularly with the option to fit alarms themselves, and we have provided £0.5 million additional funding for Care and Repair Scotland to provide help installing alarms for older and disabled home owners. We have also provided £1 million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to provide alarms for owners who are considered most vulnerable to the risk of fire.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence requirements it will set for self-catering premises owners seeking to register their property for non-domestic rates to demonstrate that the let is (a) available for 140 days and (b) actually let for 70 days in a financial year, in order to remain on the valuation roll; how these requirements will be enforced, and how enforcement will be funded.
Answer
The Scottish Government accepted recommendation 22 of the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates, which proposed a condition to tackle a known tax avoidance measure that all owners or occupiers of self-catering properties must provide evidence of 70 days of actual letting per year in order to qualify as non-domestic.
The Scottish Budget 2021-22 stated: “Due to COVID-19, the implementation of the requirement that self-catering properties be let for 70 days or more in order to be classed as non-domestic, as recommended by the independent Barclay Review of non-domestic rates, was initially delayed and will now be in place for 2021-22.” The Scottish Government will shortly lay secondary legislation with the Scottish Parliament to deliver this change although how the changes will be administered is a matter for independent Local Assessors.
The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for Scottish Assessors, including requests for information pertaining to the non-domestic property. Assessors may request information from a proprietor, tenant or occupier of a property as well as any other relevant person for the purposes of valuation and a response is required by legislation to be returned within 28 days. These information provision obligations are applied to all non-domestic properties, including self-catering properties. As set out in the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act, failure to respond within that period may result in a civil penalty.
In 2020-21 and 2021-22, Assessors received additional resources to support the implementation of the Barclay Review.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much non-domestic rates income has been forgone in 2021-22 where Small Business Bonus Scheme rates relief has been claimed for self-catering units broken down by (a) 100%, (b) 25% and (c) 0% (where they were not eligible due to having a number of properties with a combined rateable value of £35,000) of income forgone, also broken down by (i) assessor and (ii) local authority.
Answer
The following tables presents the estimated value of Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief as at 1 June 2021, awarded to self-catering properties, broken down by assessor and local authority, for properties receiving 100% SBBS, 25% SBBS, and other percentages of SBBS (e.g. when combined with other reliefs). These tables include all self-catering properties in receipt of SBBS relief. The Scottish Government cannot reliably estimate the cumulative rateable value for each ratepayer and can therefore not state the number of self-catering units with a combined rateable value of £35,000 in receipt of the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief. However, ratepayers with a combined rateable value of £35,000 may still be eligible for SBBS relief where the individual property has a rateable value up to £18,000.
Table 1: Value (£ thousands) of SBBS relief awarded to self-catering properties by assessor area and SBBS rate, as at 1 June 2021
Valuation Joint Board | SBBS awarded at 25% | SBBS awarded at 100% | Other SBBS percentages | Total |
Ayrshire | 2 | 853 | 0 | 855 |
Central | 12 | 605 | - | 617 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 4 | 1,084 | - | 1,089 |
Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute | 41 | 2,070 | - | 2,111 |
Fife | 7 | 785 | 1 | 793 |
Glasgow | 8 | 304 | - | 311 |
Grampian | 20 | 1,212 | 1 | 1,233 |
Highland & Western Isles | 76 | 6,174 | 1 | 6,251 |
Lanarkshire | 2 | 88 | - | 91 |
Lothian | 77 | 3,460 | 7 | 3,544 |
Orkney & Shetland | - | 497 | - | 497 |
Renfrewshire | - | 19 | - | 19 |
Scottish Borders | 3 | 793 | - | 796 |
Tayside | 18 | 1,507 | - | 1,525 |
Scotland | 271 | 19,452 | 10 | 19,733 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2021; local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2021.
Figures rounded to the nearest £1,000. Actual zeros are represented as “-“, while figures greater than zero but lower than 500 are represented as “0”.
Table 2: Value (£ thousands) of SBBS awarded to self-catering properties by local authority and SBBS rate, as at 1 June 2021
Local authority | SBBS awarded at 25% | SBBS awarded at 100% | Other SBBS percentages | Total |
Aberdeen City | - | 19 | - | 19 |
Aberdeenshire | 9 | 754 | 1 | 764 |
Angus | 3 | 249 | - | 251 |
Argyll & Bute | 39 | 2,000 | - | 2,039 |
City of Edinburgh | 76 | 3,016 | 7 | 3,099 |
Clackmannanshire | - | 31 | - | 31 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 4 | 1,084 | - | 1,089 |
Dundee City | - | 92 | - | 92 |
East Ayrshire | - | 41 | - | 41 |
East Dunbartonshire | - | 12 | - | 12 |
East Lothian | 1 | 311 | - | 312 |
East Renfrewshire | - | 5 | - | 5 |
Falkirk | - | 78 | - | 78 |
Fife | 7 | 785 | 1 | 793 |
Glasgow City | 8 | 304 | - | 311 |
Highland | 74 | 5,501 | 1 | 5,576 |
Inverclyde | - | 11 | - | 11 |
Midlothian | - | 62 | - | 62 |
Moray | 11 | 439 | - | 450 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 2 | 673 | - | 675 |
North Ayrshire | 2 | 566 | 0 | 567 |
North Lanarkshire | - | 30 | - | 30 |
Orkney Islands | - | 328 | - | 328 |
Perth & Kinross | 15 | 1,167 | - | 1,182 |
Renfrewshire | - | 4 | - | 4 |
Scottish Borders | 3 | 793 | - | 796 |
Shetland Islands | - | 169 | - | 169 |
South Ayrshire | - | 246 | - | 246 |
South Lanarkshire | 2 | 58 | - | 61 |
Stirling | 12 | 496 | - | 508 |
West Dunbartonshire | 2 | 59 | - | 60 |
West Lothian | - | 71 | - | 71 |
Scotland | 271 | 19,452 | 10 | 19,733 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2021; local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2021.
Figures rounded to the nearest £1,000. Actual zeros are represented as “-“, while figures greater than zero but lower than 500 are represented as “0”.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many self-catering (a) units on the non-domestic rates roll and (b) unit owners received Small Business Bonus Scheme rates relief in 2021-22 at (i) 100%, (ii) 25% and (iii) 0% (where they were not eligible due to having a number of properties with a combined rateable value of £35,000), also broken down by (A) assessor and (B) local authority.
Answer
The following table presents the estimated number of self-catering units receiving Small Business Bonus Scheme(SBBS) relief as at 1 June 2021, broken down by assessor and local authority, for properties (unit owners cannot be reliably identified from the information held) receiving 100% SBBS, 25% SBBS, and other percentages of SBBS (e.g. when combined with other reliefs). These tables include all self-catering properties in receipt of SBBS relief. The Scottish Government cannot reliably estimate the cumulative rateable value for each ratepayer and can therefore not state the number of self-catering units with a combined rateable value of £35,000 in receipt of the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief. However, ratepayers with a combined rateable value of £35,000 may still be eligible for SBBS relief where the individual property has a rateable value up to £18,000.
Table 1: Number of self-catering properties receiving SBBS as at 1 June 2021, by percentage of SBBS and assessor area.
Valuation Joint Board | Self-catering properties | Not receiving SBBS | SBBS awarded at 100% | SBBS awarded at 25% | Other SBBS percentages | Total SBBS recipients |
Ayrshire | 836 | 110 | 720 | 10 | 0 | 730 |
Central | 618 | 60 | 530 | 30 | - | 560 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1,395 | 150 | 1,220 | 20 | - | 1,240 |
Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute | 2,359 | 470 | 1,770 | 120 | - | 1,890 |
Fife | 703 | 70 | 610 | 20 | 0 | 640 |
Glasgow | 197 | 40 | 150 | 10 | - | 160 |
Grampian | 1,153 | 100 | 1,020 | 30 | 0 | 1,050 |
Highland & Western Isles | 5,609 | 530 | 4,910 | 170 | 0 | 5,080 |
Lanarkshire | 123 | 10 | 100 | 10 | - | 110 |
Lothian | 1,842 | 620 | 1,150 | 70 | 0 | 1,220 |
Orkney & Shetland | 695 | 60 | 640 | - | - | 640 |
Renfrewshire | 77 | 50 | 30 | - | - | 30 |
Scottish Borders | 812 | 90 | 710 | 20 | - | 720 |
Tayside | 1,440 | 210 | 1,190 | 40 | - | 1,230 |
Scotland | 17,859 | 2,560 | 14,740 | 550 | 10 | 15,300 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2021; local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2021.
Figures may not sum due to rounding. Some figures are rounded to the nearest 10 for data protection reasons. Rounded figures greater than 0, but lower than 5, are displayed as “0”, while actual zero figures are displayed as “-“.
Table 2: Number of self-catering properties receiving SBBS as at 1 June 2021, by percentage of SBBS and local authority.
Local authority | Self-catering properties | Not receiving SBBS | SBBS awarded at 25% | SBBS awarded at 100% | Other SBBS percentages | Total SBBS recipients |
Aberdeen City | 25 | 20 | 10 | - | - | 10 |
Aberdeenshire | 663 | 60 | 590 | 10 | 0 | 600 |
Angus | 253 | 40 | 210 | 0 | - | 210 |
Argyll & Bute | 2,280 | 460 | 1,710 | 120 | - | 1,820 |
City of Edinburgh | 1,487 | 580 | 840 | 70 | 0 | 910 |
Clackmannanshire | 33 | 10 | 30 | - | - | 30 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1,395 | 150 | 1,220 | 20 | - | 1,240 |
Dundee City | 89 | 10 | 80 | - | - | 80 |
East Ayrshire | 36 | 10 | 30 | - | - | 30 |
East Dunbartonshire | 11 | - | 10 | - | - | 10 |
East Lothian | 241 | 30 | 210 | 0 | - | 220 |
East Renfrewshire | 11 | 0 | 10 | - | - | 10 |
Falkirk | 92 | 10 | 90 | - | - | 90 |
Fife | 703 | 70 | 610 | 20 | 0 | 640 |
Glasgow City | 197 | 40 | 150 | 10 | - | 160 |
Highland | 4,892 | 480 | 4,250 | 170 | 0 | 4,420 |
Inverclyde | 16 | 0 | 10 | - | - | 10 |
Midlothian | 55 | 10 | 50 | - | - | 50 |
Moray | 465 | 30 | 420 | 20 | - | 440 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 717 | 50 | 660 | 10 | - | 670 |
North Ayrshire | 498 | 20 | 470 | 10 | 0 | 470 |
North Lanarkshire | 37 | 0 | 30 | - | - | 30 |
Orkney Islands | 430 | 20 | 410 | - | - | 410 |
Perth & Kinross | 1,098 | 160 | 900 | 40 | - | 940 |
Renfrewshire | 50 | 40 | 10 | - | - | 10 |
Scottish Borders | 812 | 90 | 710 | 20 | - | 720 |
Shetland Islands | 265 | 40 | 230 | - | - | 230 |
South Ayrshire | 302 | 80 | 230 | - | - | 230 |
South Lanarkshire | 86 | 10 | 60 | 10 | - | 80 |
Stirling | 493 | 50 | 410 | 30 | - | 450 |
West Dunbartonshire | 68 | 10 | 60 | 0 | - | 60 |
West Lothian | 59 | 10 | 50 | - | - | 50 |
Scotland | 17,859 | 2,560 | 14,740 | 550 | 10 | 15,300 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2021; local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2021.
Figures may not sum due to rounding. Some figures are rounded to the nearest 10 for data protection reasons. Rounded figures greater than 0, but lower than 5, are displayed as “0”, while actual zero figures are displayed as “-“.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many self-catering units have been registered on the non-domestic rates roll on 30 September in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) assessor and (b) local authority.
Answer
The following tables presents the number of self-catering properties on the Valuation Roll as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 (30 September data is not available), broken down by assessor and local authority.
Table 1: Number of self-catering properties as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, by assessor area.
Valuation Joint Board | 01 October 2017 | 01 October 2018 | 01 October 2019 | 01 October 2020 | 01 October 2021 |
Ayrshire | 640 | 721 | 764 | 792 | 828 |
Central | 456 | 510 | 575 | 625 | 651 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1,179 | 1,255 | 1,311 | 1,381 | 1,414 |
Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute | 1,896 | 2,015 | 2,103 | 2,323 | 2,419 |
Fife | 519 | 550 | 587 | 663 | 745 |
Glasgow | 152 | 216 | 201 | 198 | 198 |
Grampian | 867 | 983 | 1,065 | 1,088 | 1,230 |
Highland & Western Isles | 4,443 | 4,736 | 5,181 | 5,513 | 5,814 |
Lanarkshire | 76 | 110 | 117 | 126 | 128 |
Lothian | 1,591 | 1,800 | 2,020 | 1,978 | 1,831 |
Orkney & Shetland | 632 | 689 | 726 | 696 | 714 |
Renfrewshire | 36 | 48 | 64 | 59 | 76 |
Scottish Borders | 604 | 644 | 707 | 756 | 849 |
Tayside | 1,086 | 1,197 | 1,322 | 1,421 | 1,485 |
Scotland | 14,177 | 15,474 | 16,743 | 17,619 | 18,382 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Figures may not sum due to rounding. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Figures greater than 0, but lower than 5, are displayed as “0”, while actual zero figures are displayed as “-“.
Table 2: Number of self-catering properties as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, by local authority.
Local authority | 01 October 2017 | 01 October 2018 | 01 October 2019 | 01 October 2020 | 01 October 2021 |
Aberdeen City | 32 | 32 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
Aberdeenshire | 505 | 551 | 612 | 627 | 699 |
Angus | 171 | 202 | 223 | 248 | 264 |
Argyll & Bute | 1,840 | 1,947 | 2,026 | 2,243 | 2,338 |
City of Edinburgh | 1,327 | 1,505 | 1,688 | 1,629 | 1,473 |
Clackmannanshire | 24 | 25 | 31 | 35 | 35 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1,179 | 1,255 | 1,311 | 1,381 | 1,414 |
Dundee City | 27 | 45 | 66 | 84 | 97 |
East Ayrshire | 19 | 25 | 27 | 30 | 39 |
East Dunbartonshire | 5 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
East Lothian | 190 | 216 | 233 | 240 | 246 |
East Renfrewshire | 4 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Falkirk | 24 | 42 | 62 | 85 | 99 |
Fife | 519 | 550 | 587 | 663 | 745 |
Glasgow City | 152 | 216 | 201 | 198 | 198 |
Highland | 3,930 | 4,151 | 4,503 | 4,801 | 5,053 |
Inverclyde | 14 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 16 |
Midlothian | 35 | 35 | 49 | 50 | 54 |
Moray | 330 | 400 | 427 | 436 | 506 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 513 | 585 | 678 | 712 | 761 |
North Ayrshire | 417 | 456 | 475 | 485 | 490 |
North Lanarkshire | 10 | 32 | 34 | 40 | 40 |
Orkney Islands | 383 | 421 | 439 | 431 | 448 |
Perth & Kinross | 888 | 950 | 1,033 | 1,089 | 1,124 |
Renfrewshire | 18 | 21 | 33 | 33 | 49 |
Scottish Borders | 604 | 644 | 707 | 756 | 849 |
Shetland Islands | 249 | 268 | 287 | 265 | 266 |
South Ayrshire | 204 | 240 | 262 | 277 | 299 |
South Lanarkshire | 66 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 88 |
Stirling | 408 | 443 | 482 | 505 | 517 |
West Dunbartonshire | 51 | 59 | 66 | 69 | 70 |
West Lothian | 39 | 44 | 50 | 59 | 58 |
Scotland | 14,177 | 15,474 | 16,743 | 17,619 | 18,382 |
Source: Valuation Roll as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Figures may not sum due to rounding. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Figures greater than 0, but lower than 5, are displayed as “0”, while actual zero figures are displayed as “-“.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 29 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01541 by Shona Robison on 10 August 2021, whether a full response has now been received and, if so, whether it will provide an update on the information provided.
Answer
Further the government’s answer to question S6W-01541 by Shona Robison on 10 August, my officials have now received a complete response from members of the Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review panel.
Of those responses:
- 1 member of the 2018-19 panel (21 members) and 3 members of the 2020-21 panel (26 members) had a role in designing BS 8414; and
- 1 member of the 2018-19 panel (21 members) and 3 members of the 2020-21 panel (26 members) have worked for organisations that carry out BS 8414 fire tests on behalf of commercial sponsors.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a report from Falkirk Council that states that the average cost of building a new affordable home is set to rise to £240,000, from £144,823 in 2014.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it is aligning the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund with its recently announced grant funding for tenants in rent arrears.
Answer
The £10m Tenant Grant Fund is part of a package of measures available to local authorities to prevent homelessness, alongside other support such as Discretionary Housing Payments and advice on maximising income. The grant will co-exist alongside the £10 million Tenant Hardship Loan Fund and be open to eligible private and social tenants.
As there is no one single solution, both the loan and grant can provide support to different people in different circumstances, to assist them during the pandemic recovery period.
The Grant is available for local authorities, who can consider all the circumstances and support available, to pay rent arrears for those most in need with the aim of preventing homelessness and creating sustainable tenancies.
In comparison, the Loan fund will continue to offer loans responsibly to applicants who can demonstrate that they can afford to make future loan repayments spread over a number of years. The loan is not suitable for all but, where it is, the interest free terms and long repayment period can help tenants who are struggling but not necessarily at risk of losing their tenancy, to get back on their feet.
We want people to access the most appropriate form of support for them and encourage tenants in difficulty to seek advice and assistance on their housing circumstances as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how regularly it will publish statistics on the use of its recently announced grant funding for tenants in rent arrears, which show the number of (a) grants given, (b) households supported and (c) tenancies maintained.
Answer
We have worked closely with CoSLA and others to develop this fund. Local authorities will report progress with administering the Tenant Grant Fund to the Scottish Government, on a quarterly basis. This means the first official reports from local authorities on their use of the Tenant Grant Fund, will be available early next year. In the meantime, we will remain in close contact with CoSLA to ensure that this new grant fund reaches those in need.