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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: S5W-14513

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on the commitment in its Programme for Scotland 2017-18 to (a) raise the Student Loan repayment threshold to £22,000 and (b) reduce the repayment period for Student Loans to 30 years.

We are committed to raising the repayment threshold for student loans to £22,000 and to reducing the maximum repayment period to 30 years, as announced in the Programme for Government.

A range of operational and legislative adjustments are required to practically deliver on this commitment. Scottish Government officials are engaging with stakeholders, including: the Student Awards Agency Scotland, the Student Loans Company, HMRC and the UK Government Department for Education to undertake the necessary work.

Question reference: S5O-01826

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to Dunfermline Heritage and Tourism Partnership to help develop the town into a major visitor destination.

Question reference: S5W-14047

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06962 by Kevin Stewart on 24 February 2017, whether it will confirm the target number of homes for social rent to be built in 2017-18 that was set by the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP); how many such homes have been built since 6 April 2017, and how many will be built by 5 April 2018.

The Scottish Government does not set annual targets for homes for social rent, rather the target is to deliver 35,000 social homes over the five years to March 2021.

Official statistics published for the period 1 April 2017 to 30 September 2017 show that a total of 1343 homes have been built for social rent. As well as new build homes, there were 178 homes delivered for social rent by way of rehab projects and off-the-shelf projects.

The next set of quarterly statistics for the period to end December 2017 is due to be published on 13 March 2018. Following that, official statistics showing the number of homes built by 31 March 2018 will be available in early June 2018.

Question reference: S5W-14061

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on target to meet its commitment to deliver 35,000 homes for by the end of the current parliamentary session, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government is on track to meet its commitment to deliver 35,000 homes for social rent by the end of the current parliamentary session.

We have backed up our ambitious five year target with investment of over £3 billion. For the first time ever, all Councils have received long term resource planning assumptions totalling £1.754 billion to March 2021, and we have increased housing subsidies by up to £14,000 for social and affordable homes for rent being delivered by councils and registered social landlords.

As announced in our recent draft budget speech, over £756 million will be available in 2018-19, a 28% increase from 2017-18. Nearly 70% of available funds continues to be capital funding for the affordable housing supply programme, chiefly for new social housing which will enable councils and housing associations to maintain the momentum needed to increase the pace of delivery.

We know that such an ambitious increase in our target, from 30,000 to 50,000, would mean that figures in the earlier years would show a more gradual growth. However, encouragingly when comparing the first 18 months of the current target period with the first 18 months of the previous target period, we have approved 85% more homes.

The target is deliberately ambitious and challenging, but as our track record shows, we can deliver on housing.

Question reference: S5W-13848

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been agreed for the replacement of Fife College's Carnegie Campus, and when this will be made available.

Fife College submitted a Business Case to the Scottish Funding Council. Last month the SFC published their Estates Condition Survey. This provides a robust and consistent assessment of the condition of buildings across the college estate to help identify priorities for future investment. It is my expectation that the Scottish Funding Council and the college sector will use this report to prioritise the finite capital investment available and ensure resources are targeted to where they are needed most.

Question reference: S5W-13771

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made to support the establishment of the Levenmouth Rail Link, and whether Transport Scotland will undertake the GRIP 4 study as part of this.

Transport investment decisions have to be supported by robust evidence. Transport Scotland has now appointed consultants to progress the transport appraisal work for the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study, which will be undertaken in line with STAG and in close collaboration with Fife Council. With Government rightly being held to account for public investment in transport, it is important that a transport appraisal demonstrates how any emerging project optimises Value for Money in terms of economic, social and environmental benefits.

The evidence from a completed and robust transport appraisal and a GRIP Stage 3 assessment is needed before consideration could be given to progressing the development of an emerging rail project through GRIP Stage 4.

Question reference: S5O-01694

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address reports that rail travellers on the Fife Circle face poor journey experiences and that there are consistent failures of service.

Question reference: S5W-13772

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) funding and (b) support it is making available for local authorities to pilot and develop citizens' basic income schemes.

As outlined within the letter sent from myself to the Social Security Committee on 20 November 2017 a fund of £250,000 will shortly be made available for the four pilot authorities to bid into. This funding is to support feasibility work during the period April 2018 to March 2020.

In addition to the fund, government analysts will assist the pilot authorities by using tax and benefit models held within the government to help them assess the cost and feasibility of their plans.

Question reference: S5W-13788

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans with the UK Government regarding citizens' basic income schemes.

On 21 December 2017 I wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding the Scottish Government's intent to facilitate exploration of a Citizens Basic Income.

Within the letter the Cabinet Secretary requested that the Secretary of State progressed this within the UK Government, in order to ensure support for the pilots from both DWP and HMRC. No response has yet been received.

Question reference: S5F-01652

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2017

To be taken in Chamber.