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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-04525

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) additional funding and (b) non-financial support it is providing to local authorities to implement the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) (Modification and Revocation) (Coronavirus) Amendment Order 2021, in light of recent reports of some being unable to meet the terms of the order.

In 2021-22, local authorities have been allocated an annual share of £23.5 million for homelessness prevention and response measures and an annual share of £8 million to support the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans. The Scottish Government has also offered a range of non-financial support. This includes clarifying the process for funding to build new accommodation, dedicated engagement with local authorities facing the most significant challenges and hosting an event that brought all Scottish local authorities together to share good practice to support compliance with the Order.

Recent engagement has shown that all local authorities are making positive progress towards reducing the use of unsuitable accommodation. The Scottish Government will continue to work with local authorities to sustain this progress and identify support to help overcome barriers.

Question reference: S6W-04384

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the resource planning assumptions for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme compare to the financial outturn in each financial year from 2016 to 2021, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-04527

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of the (a) new and (b) existing actions in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan that are (i) ranked red and (ii) planned for 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-04526

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan, and by what date all of the outcomes will be achieved.

Our Ending Homelessness Together action plan sets out actions we are taking in the short to medium term to end homelessness. Some actions have timescales associated with them while others involve system-wide reforms. There are timescales for the funding that supports the action plan, however. The £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Fund announced in 2017 is for five years (2018-23) and the new £50 million announced in Programme for Government 2021 to end homelessness is for this parliamentary term (2021-26).

Question reference: S6W-04528

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it will conduct of the effectiveness of the measures in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan.

We currently report on progress against the measures in Ending Homelessness Together action plan by means of an annual report to parliament. At the most recent meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group on 5 November 2021, we invited views from the expert group, which includes representatives with lived experience of homelessness, on how we can more effectively measure the impact of measures to end homelessness. The group saw value in the development of an improved outcomes monitoring framework. Officials are now exploring ways to improve the way we use evidence and data and will report back to the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group in due course.

Question reference: S6W-04516

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it allocated in 2020-21 to the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) elements, (a) Area-based Schemes, (b) Loans and Cashback, (c) Warmer Homes Scotland and (d) Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Advice and Support.

Question reference: S6O-00520

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the self-referral breast screening programme will resume for non-symptomatic women over 70 who have had breast cancer.

Question reference: S6W-04383

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 29 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the process for applying to the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund 2021, what provision was made to allow registered social landlords to consult their tenants about carrying out any work, and whether it will accept late applications in cases where the landlord chose to consult tenants and this delayed their application to the Fund.

The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund asks social landlords to provide evidence of tenant engagement as part of the funding application process and encourages consultation with tenants before any work begins.

The fund, which will support the social housing sector over the next 5 years, reopened this August and welcomes applications from social landlords who want to upgrade their existing housing stock. The fund remains open throughout the year. Applications can be submitted at any time and are assessed on a quarterly basis.

Question reference: S6W-04294

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03714 by Patrick Harvie on 4 November 2021, what response it issued to the group leaders on North Lanarkshire Council in response to their joint letter of 7 October 2021 regarding the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS), and which other local authorities have written to the Scottish Government about this scheme.

I have written to the political group leaders of North Lanarkshire Council to advise them of the existing flexibilities and additional support that we provide as part of our Area Based Schemes. These include a higher intensity of grant-in-aid for households in extreme fuel poverty or where there are other relevant factors, for example where there are additional delivery costs due to a non-standard construction type.

I have also encouraged the Council to contribute to the review of our Area Based Scheme (ABS) guidance for 2022-23. We have asked every council in Scotland to provide evidence about any changes in delivery costs in their area. We will continue to seek the views of local authorities and COSLA about the funding and delivery of our Area Based Schemes.

I am not aware of further Ministerial correspondence from local authorities about this scheme during October or November. However Scottish Government officials routinely discuss and where necessary agree a higher intensity of grant-in-aid for some ABS projects facing additional delivery costs.

Question reference: S6W-04123

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to public bodies regarding the use of court action in response to industrial and/or strike action.

The Scottish Government’s approach is to promote strong voice and representation for workers such as trade unions to support the delivery of our economic and fair work ambitions, and our relationship with trade unions is based on partnership working.

The Scottish Government was strongly opposed to the Trade Union Act 2016. Whilst we have not issued guidance to our public bodies on this, our position on this legislation had always been very clear. Ultimately, the most effective way to mitigate the negative impacts of this legislation and build stronger and better industrial relations, would be to transfer all powers over industrial relations to Scotland.