Graham Simpson

10 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the mandatory safety requirements of the new licensing scheme for short-term lets will include five-yearly electrical safety inspections.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The safety of guests, hosts, neighbours and local residents is of paramount importance, which is why the safety element of the licensing scheme will be compulsory for short-term lets across Scotland. We will now be engaging widely with stakeholders to develop…

7 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the outcome of the recent EU fisheries negotiations.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: This year’s scientific advice was extremely challenging with significant cuts advised in 2020 for a number of important fish stocks. Despite this backdrop and the continued uncertainty around Brexit, the Scottish Government worked successfully to negotiate th…

19 Nov 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the BS 8414 test methodology for assessing the fire performance of external wall cladding systems will be published.

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage property owners of all tenures to alter their properties to achieve better accessibility standards.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While new homes in Scotland are the most accessible in the UK, the Scheme of Assistance encourages existing home owners to take more responsibility for the condition of their homes. It also requires local authorities (and now IJBs) to provide assistance to su…

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update its policies on Housing for Varying Needs in order to improve accessibility standards for new residential properties.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering housing that is fit for purpose now and also for the future. Recent analysis shows that 96% of new build homes delivered by housing associations and councils in 2018-19, where information was returned on Hous…

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) meet the demand for accessible housing stock and (b) increase the use of accessible housing registers.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Local authorities are responsible for assessing the housing needs in their areas and setting out in their Local Housing Strategies how this will be met. Local Housing Strategy guidance published in September 2019 requires local authorities to set targets for …

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to the Scheme of Assistance programme in each year since its introduction, also broken down by housing tenure.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. Funding for the Scheme of Assistance is provided to local authorities through the Local Government settlement. Separate housing statistics published by the Scottish Government, based on annual …

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of waiting times across Scotland for people requiring occupational therapy-led home environment assessments.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has not yet carried out any assessment of waiting times across Scotland for people requiring occupational therapy-led home environment assessments. Information on waits for assessment is currently collected at a local level, and Scotti…

12 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure equity of service, regardless of housing tenure, for people requiring housing adaptations.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: As part of integrated health and social care services, Integrated Joint Boards (IJBs) are responsible for the planning and delivery of adaptations. IJBs have been advised to consider the learning points from the independent evaluation of the Adapting for Chan…

11 Nov 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that city region deal projects tackle climate change.

24 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the effectiveness of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government have developed a monitoring and evaluation framework to guide our examination of the impacts and outcomes of the new tenancy. The framework includes indicators and baseline figures from existing data sources, and highlights where there…

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what delivery and practical quality control mechanisms will be available from April 2021 to engage and support (a) self-funding owner-occupiers and (b) contractors to help accelerate the take-up of energy-efficiency schemes and low-carbon heat installations, and how it will use the lesso…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Mechanisms available to both owner-occupiers and contractors are outlined in the Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map . Since the publication of the route map, recommendations from the Quality Assurance short life working group have been published in March…

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with the public regarding the Energy Efficient Scotland programme to help meet its net-zero carbon targets.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There are a number of ways in which the Government is engaging with the public around Energy Efficient Scotland (EES). Consultations will play a significant role in gathering public input on the programme. In the past year, consultations have been launched e…

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial and fiscal support mechanisms it considers should be made available to householders under the proposed Energy Efficient Scotland programme to help meet the proposed minimum standards, and what research it has carried out to determine this.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Modelled costs associated with the proposed standards were outlined in the Energy Efficient Scotland: partial business and regulatory impact assessment published on 2 May 2018. In addition, we are considering all financial levers that could be used to suppor…

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will increase the range of financial and fiscal support packages mechanisms available to householders under the proposed Energy Efficient Scotland programme to meet the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C rating.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are considering all financial levers that could be used to support delivery of the Energy Efficient Scotland targets. We will continue to help fuel poor households through delivery of grant funded measures as part of Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Bases Sc…

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total and (b) average cost would be of bringing all (i) urban and (ii) rural (A) owner-occupied and (B) private-rented domestic properties that are considered not to be cost-effective up to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C rating.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: It is not possible to provide these figures since the definition of cost effectiveness is currently being developed. Later this year we will consult on mandatory standards for owner-occupied housing and the definition of cost-effectiveness will be developed, …

1 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) owner-occupied and (b) private-rented domestic properties have achieved an increase in their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating as a result of intervention by (i) area-based energy-efficiency schemes, (ii) Energy Efficiency Scotland pilots, (iii) Warmer Homes Scotla…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Area based schemes Details of the total number of energy efficiency measures delivered through Area Based Schemes are published on the Scottish Government website .These are provided for each local authority by year of delivery. We do not currently collect…

24 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme differs from previous equity share schemes.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The new first-time buyers scheme will provide first time buyers with up to £25,000 towards the deposit for a property to support people to buy a home that meets their needs. The scheme is open to all first-time buyers in Scotland.

24 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what scrutiny there has been of its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme is subject to the same internal controls and scrutiny as other similar schemes and will be evaluated in due course. The Scottish Government is engaging with a range of stakeholders to develop the new scheme, including …

24 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date its proposed first time buyer’s loan pilot scheme will start.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government’s new First Time Buyer’s Scheme will be launched by the end of the year.

22 Sep 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is helping councils to prepare for Brexit.

17 Sep 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of BS 8414 test methodology for combustible materials on buildings.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Public comments on the review of the BS 8414 test methodology for assessing the fire performance of external wall cladding systems were sought earlier this year. These comments are now being considered by the relevant British Standards Institution committee,…

10 Sep 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to improve the Glasgow-East Kilbride train line.

27 Aug 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish a national development plan for crofting.

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24279 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, how the £24 million to support rapid rehousing implementation is being allocated, and whether the allocations will be made public.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I announced on the 17 July that the £24 million to support Rapid Rehousing implementation will be distributed as £8 million in 2019-2020, £8 million in 2020-2021 and £8 million in 2021-2022. This was posted on the official Scottish Government website. Also o…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24281 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, in light of the meeting with Glasgow City Council that took place, how a voluntary review will seek to address any problems that the council has in fulfilling its homelessness duty.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The voluntary review will allow Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership to work with Scottish Government to better understand what lies behind the statistics showing an increase in the number of people presenting as homeless that are failing to be off…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24275 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, whether the meeting with Glasgow City Council took place as scheduled on 2 August 2019 and, if so, whether it will provide the information that was requested.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The first voluntary review meeting between officials from Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council took place as scheduled on 2 August 2019. The next meeting took place on Friday 30 August. As outlined in my reply to question S5W-24275 the review is not …

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24279 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, what the timeframe is for introducing standards for temporary accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: When temporary accommodation is needed, it is important that it is of good quality. A consultation on improving temporary accommodation standards has recently closed and we are currently undertaking analysis of the responses. We will set out later this year o…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24281 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, in light of the meeting with Glasgow City Council that took place, whether the findings of the voluntary review by the council will be made public, and what duty there will be on the Glasgow Health and Social…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Two meetings have now taken place between Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership and Scottish Government officials to progress on addressing the failure to accommodate. These meetings took place on 2 and 30 August 2019. The purpose of the review, wh…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to all five pathfinder housing first pilots reportedly being behind in meeting their June 2019 targets.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Government officials are working closely with Housing First Scotland Pathfinder Programme partners as the steady development of Housing First in the five Pathfinder areas continues. At end of June, 93 people had moved in to a tenancy, with a higher …