- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the actions set out in Annex A of the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy from February 2021, what the (a) timescale for delivery, (b) current status and (c) expenditure to date is for each of the actions.
Answer
Annex A of the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy contains over one hundred actions. Not all actions represent separate budget items or specific deliverables. Accordingly, the information below sets out timescales, status and expenditure across broad groups of actions and specific programmes. Further detail will be published in our finalised Heat in Buildings Strategy.
Delivery schemes
- We have allocated a record £50 million for Warmer Homes Scotland and £64 million for our local authority-led Area Based Schemes this year.
- We have increased the cashback available to home and building owners on measures to improve efficiency and install zero emissions heating, and will replace the cashback with a grant scheme in 2022/23.
- We have announced at least £95 million of capital funding for our Scottish Green Public Sector Estate scheme, this year investing at least £10 million.
- We have launched a second £30 million call through the ‘Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund’, and committed to keep the fund open with up to £100m available over the course of this Parliament.
- We will invest at least £400 million over this parliamentary session in large scale heat and energy efficiency projects, including providing support for zero carbon local and district heat networks, and large scale heat pumps. This scheme will provide both capital and project development support.
- Through our CARES programme, up to £5.25 million has been made available for this financial year to support community and locally owned energy. A further £3 million has also been made available to support the upgrade of fragile grids, recognising the distinct challenges faced by island, rural and remote communities.
Working with the energy sector
- In partnership with Ofgem and Scotland’s gas and electricity network companies we have published the Principles for the Development of Scotland’s Gas and Electricity Networks.
- We continue to work with electricity network operators through our Heat Electrification Strategic Partnership, and to work with gas network operators to develop the evidence base on gas decarbonisation.
- The Scottish Government provided £6.9 million support to the H100 project, helping to evidence the role that hydrogen can play in decarbonising heat.
- The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act was unanimously agreed by the Scottish Parliament, and we are developing the secondary legislation provided for by the Act. We have introduced a 90% relief from non-domestic rates for new heat networks run from renewable sources, and extended the existing 50% relief for heat networks to 2032.
- We will refresh the Energy Strategy in Spring 2022.
- We are partnering with Scottish Renewables to undertake a ‘Heat in Buildings Workforce Assessment Project’.
- We will respond to the forthcoming Heat Pump Sector Deal Advisory Group’s recommendations once they are finalised.
Regulation
- We have committed to phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers, in off gas from 2025 and in on gas areas from 2030, subject to technological developments and decisions by the UK Government in reserved areas.
- We have made a commitment that where technically and legally feasible and cost-effective, by 2030 a large majority of buildings should achieve a good level of energy efficiency, which for homes is at least equivalent to an EPC Band C, with all homes meeting at least this standard by 2033.
- We will introduce primary legislation, subject to consultation and to limits on devolved competence, that provides the regulatory framework for zero emissions heating and energy efficiency, and underpinning powers to support this transition and ambitious programme
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies
- We have developed a methodology and guidance for the production of Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies and Delivery Plans.
- The LHEES pilots programme completed in April 2021 and an evaluation is underway, synthesising learning across three phases. We have commissioned a National Assessment to create a central resource that local authorities can draw on.
Consultations
In addition to the consultation on the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy we have consulted on:
- Scottish skills requirements for energy efficiency, zero emissions and low carbon heating systems, microgeneration and heat networks for homes
- New Build Heat Standard (scoping consultation)
- Home energy efficiency: equity loan pilot
- Domestic Energy Performance Certificates reform
- Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP): call for evidence
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and (b) Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) paid by local authorities when purchasing off-the-shelf properties is returned to the respective local authority.
Answer
In general terms, in the event that any Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, including the Additional Dwelling Supplement, is due in relation to a transaction it could not be reclaimed.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has begun the analysis to identify strategic areas likely to have access to low carbon or green hydrogen, which was referred to in the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy in February 2021, and when it anticipates this analysis will be published.
Answer
Work is under development that will help identify strategic areas most likely to have access to hydrogen in the future. We plan to publish further evidence in spring 2022. We are also working with stakeholders including from industry, network companies, local authorities and delivery partners to better understand the potential role for hydrogen in decarbonisation of heat.
In addition, we are working in partnership with SGN to explore options for the future of Scotland's gas network.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it will update its strategy, Housing to 2040, in light of the commitments in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party, and how it plans to review progress against the strategy.
Answer
Housing to 2040 is Scotland’s first long-term housing strategy. It sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for housing by 2040, that everyone has access to a safe, warm, affordable and energy efficient home that meets their needs, located in the place they want to be. The strategy needs to be agile and able to respond to future changes, and is in alignment with the Shared Policy Programme agreed with the Scottish Green Party. The updated commitments will be reflected in the governance process and monitoring framework plan for Housing to 2040 that will be established later this year.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many former right-to-buy properties have been purchased as Affordable Housing Supply Programme off-the-shelf purchases, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) the local authority or registered social landlord that purchased the properties.
Answer
The Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) provides support for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords to purchase off the shelf properties where it can be demonstrated that this is the most appropriate method of meeting housing need in a particular area. Funding may also be made available to remodel/rehabilitate existing properties where this is considered a strategic priority.
Whilst we hold information on the number of off the shelf properties supported through the AHSP, we do not hold information on whether those properties are former right-to-buy properties. The table containing the off the shelf homes supported through the main AHSP grant programme for the last 5 full financial years, broken down by Local Authority Area and Local Authority or Registered Social Landlord who purchased the properties, has been placed in SPICe under BIB number 62721. The table does not include figures relating to new build off the shelf properties.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 29 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria the Single Building Assessment will use to determine which properties have material needing to be removed.
Answer
The Single Building Assessment (SBA) pack contains the current criteria and guidance which will used by those undertaking the SBA in conjunction with the Scottish Advice Note. Visual and physical inspections will determine, as part of the SBA process, what needs to be removed on a building by building basis.
The Scottish Advice Note is used to help inform this process by determining the fire risk posed by external wall systems in multi-storey residential buildings. This process will determine which properties require mitigation or remediation.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 29 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) number and (b) percentage of domestic and non-domestic buildings taller than 11m have external wall systems with combustible insulation and/or cladding (i) in total and (ii) that required a BS 8414 certificate, and what work it has undertaken to establish centrally held estimates of these figures.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number and percentage of domestic and non-domestic buildings taller than 11m. The High Rise Inventory: Summary Report provides relevant information on external wall systems of domestic high rise buildings over 18m. Since 1 April 2021, local authorities have been requested to notify the Scottish Government when a BS 8414 fire test has been used to prove compliance with building regulations. To date, there have been no BS 8414 fire test reports notified to the government.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) consideration it has given to and (b) its position is on the pilot project in Burgenland, Austria, which allows people to be employed by the state to provide social care for their relatives.
Answer
Scottish Government is aware of the Burgenland pilot project which has been underway since 2019. We understand that 250 relatives providing care for family members have participated in the pilot in a population of 20,000 people in receipt of care allowance. We are also aware that the model will be evaluated over the coming months.
The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 outlines that individuals who choose to employ a Personal Assistant may employ family members where this is deemed appropriate, under certain circumstances. Joint COSLA and Scottish Government Covid-19 Self-directed Support guidance currently advises that consideration to employ family members on a temporary basis should be given, particularly if family members lose income as a result of taking on a caring role during the pandemic period.
The guidance is available on the Scottish Government website and is currently being updated: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-self-directed-support/
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to amend part 3 of the Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to allow more family members to be employed under self-directed support, in light of this being permitted under options 1 and 2 in Scottish Government and COSLA guidance on self-directed support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
The Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 set out that people in receipt of a direct payment, Option 1 of Self-directed Support, may employ family members where this is deemed appropriate in certain prescribed circumstances.
The supporting Covid-19: Guidance on Self-directed Support Option 1 and Option 2 does not relax any of the existing safeguarding measures in place when considering a family member as a Personal Assistant (PA). The guidance has been developed to re-inforce the flexibility already in place under existing SDS Regulations.
Local authorities should consider requests to employ family members on a case by case basis, taking into account the family member’s health, their capacity to provide the required care, and other welfare and wellbeing factors.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Shelter Scotland report, Understanding the True Cost of Evictions in Scotland.
Answer
We note the publication of Shelter Scotland’s Understanding the True Cost of Evictions in Scotland report and will study the details as part of our wider consideration of evidence around this area. We have reservations about the report’s treatment of rent arrears costs as part of the analysis and will engage with Shelter Scotland to gain an understanding of the work that has been carried out.
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that eviction for rent arrears is a last resort. A social landlord must have exhausted all attempts to resolve rent arrears with the tenant before taking action to evict. The Scottish Government and Social Landlords reaffirmed our joint commitment to supporting people to keep their homes and avoid eviction where tenants are struggling through no fault of their own to manage their rent in our Shared Statement: Social landlords working together with tenants to avoid evictions: https://www.gov.scot/publications/joint-working-on-evictions-social-housing-shared-statement/ published on 25 June 2021.