Graham Simpson

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, for what reason the number of households not offered temporary accommodation in 2018-19 has risen by 10% nationally.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The increase in the number of households not offered temporary accommodation at a Scotland level is largely due to an increase of cases in Glasgow. I met with Glasgow City Council on 25 June and agreed with them that a voluntary review will now be led by SG …

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to the increase in homeless applicants leaving a violent/abusive household.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While the number of homelessness applications from people leaving previous accommodation due to violent or abusive dispute within the household has decreased by 26% over the last 10 years (2008-2009 to 2018-2019), the 3% increase in the most recent statistics…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to the increase in homeless applicants who are care leavers, and what the reasons are for this increase.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While the number of homelessness applications from applicants formerly looked after by the Local Authority in Scotland has decreased by 45% over the last 10 years (2008-2009 to 2018-2019), the 4% increase in the most recent statistics published on 26 June is …

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to the increase in homeless applicants who are veterans, and what the reasons are for this increase.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While over the last 10 years (2008-2009 to 2018-2019), there has been a 49% decrease in homelessness applications made by people formerly in the armed services, the 8 % increase in the most recent statistics published on the 26 th of June is disappointing. W…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to an increase in the number of instances that households were not provided with temporary accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: On 25 June, I met with officials of Glasgow City Council to discuss the increased numbers recorded in Glasgow as failing to be offered temporary accommodation. It was agreed at the meeting to establish a team, led by Scottish Government, to complete a volunta…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication if its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics, how it is engaging with the City of Edinburgh Council given that it accounts for 69% of breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order in 2018-19.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Following the publication of our biannual homelessness statistics in January I wrote to City of Edinburgh Council about their breaches of the Order and subsequently met with them to discuss the circumstances around the breaches and the plans they have in plac…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what action it is taking to address the increase in the average length of time a household spends in temporary accommodation, from 175 to 180 days in the last year.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While temporary accommodation provides an important safety net in emergency situations, we want the time anyone has to spend there to be as short as possible. That is why we have agreed jointly with COSLA to support local authorities to transition to a system…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what action it is taking to address the 2% increase in households containing children in temporary accommodation since 2017-18.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: While temporary accommodation provides an important safety net in emergency situations, we want the time anyone has to spend there to be as short as possible. That is why we have agreed jointly with COSLA to support local authorities to transition to a system…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 homelessness statistics on 26 June 2019, for what reason there has been a 2% increase in the number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness since 2017-18.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The increase in the number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness since 2017-18, is likely due to the increase in the number of applications over the same period. The number of homeless assessments has increased broadly in line wit…

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, for what reason there has been a 3% increase in homeless applications since 2017-18.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The reason for the increase in homeless applications during 2018-19 compared to 2017-18 is unclear. There is a mixed picture across Scotland, with seventeen local authorities seeing a decrease in the number of homeless applications received and fifteen local …

9 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the current voluntary review of Glasgow City Council’s homelessness provision, whether it will set out the remit of the review and what specifically will be reviewed; which stakeholders will be involved; what the review timeframe is; when the findings will be published, and w…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The final details of the voluntary review into the reasons behind the increased numbers recorded by Glasgow City Council as failing to be offered temporary accommodation are currently being developed by Scottish Government in partnership with Glasgow City Cou…

3 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many aviation engineering apprentices will be required in the next 10 years, and what programmes are in place to ensure that there are enough.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The aeronautical sector is also represented on the Engineering Skills Leadership Group and the Aerospace, Defence, Marine and Security Industry Leadership Group. To ensure they continue to meet demand and skills needs of employers, the economy and apprentices…

4 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it would consider using the provisions in the Referendums (Scotland) Bill.

21 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact on older people of intergenerational projects.

8 May 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis the housing minister has undertaken of whether complaints against property factors and letting agents are being effectively resolved through the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Housing and Property Chamber.

3 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the revised code of conduct for property factors.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Ministers have a duty under the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 (the Act) to prepare, from time to time, a code of conduct setting out minimum standards of practice for registered property factors. The Code was introduced in October 2012 and is …

1 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it assists older people to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

23 Apr 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle violent crime.

17 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the main reasons were for those households assessed as intentionally homeless (a) making a homeless application and (b) failing to maintain accommodation in each of the last five years.  

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The following table gives the reason for making a homelessness application for those assessed as intentionally homeless for each of the last five years. Reason for application              2013-2014  2014-2015  2015-2016  2016-2017  2017-2018 Terminati…

20 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered mandatory awareness training regarding domestic abuse for (a) sheriffs presiding over domestic abuse cases and (b) family court sanctioned mediation services.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 provides that the Lord President, as Head of the Scottish Judiciary, has statutory responsibility for making and maintaining arrangements for the training and guidance of judicial office holders. On 30 January 201…

19 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it would introduce a universal basic income.

19 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on the use of referral fees for solicitors or estate agents during the conveyancing process.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government has no plans to consult on the use of referral fees for solicitors or estate agents during the conveyancing process at this time. The use of such referral fees for solicitors falls to the Law Society of Scotland as the regulator. The …

13 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many civilian staff who were employed by regional police forces have since left employment with Police Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held by Scottish Government. Police Scotland have recently started to publish the number of support staff working across each of the 13 local policing divisions and specialist functions as part of the Police Officer Numbers Qu…

13 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many civilian staff working for Police Scotland received a decrease in pay due to the new Police Scotland pay grading structure compared with their former pay structure in the regional police forces.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Police Scotland and the SPA confirm that the pay and reward modernisation package recently agreed with trade unions will directly benefit the majority of police staff. More than 70% of police staff will …

28 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its strategy for the prevention and eradication of violence against women and girls.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is implementing Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls. In November 2017, we published our Equally Safe delivery plan. It contains 118 different commitments across 4 priority a…

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) social housing, (b) private rented sector and (c) owner occupier properties do not currently have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least band C.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Estimates of the number and percentage of households at each EPC energy efficiency band are published annually in the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) Key Findings report. The most recent data for 2017, published in December 2018, estimates that 45% of …

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16015 Kevin Stewart on 25 April 2018, when the evaluation of the equity loan pilot will be published.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The evaluation of the equity loan pilot will be published in Spring 2019. Current data to the end of December 2018 on the pilot scheme is as follows. Total requests for application forms 450. Completed application forms returned 76 of these 30 loans have bee…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19556 by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2018, whether it has taken any enforcement action against letting agents that have been accepted on the Letting Agent Register, and, if so, what.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has not taken any enforcement action against a letting agent who has been accepted onto the Scottish Letting Agent Register. Where a registered agent is identified as failing to comply with the Code of Practice for Letting Agents, or …

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19556 by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2018, whether it has taken any enforcement action against letting agents that have been operating without being on the Letting Agent Register, and, if so, what.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has taken enforcement action against letting agents that may be operating without registration in line with our published Monitoring Compliance and Enforcement Framework for the regulation of letting agents. Details of this framework …

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19328 by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2018, how many applications to the Letting Agent Register have been received since the 1 October 2018 deadline; how many applications received (a) before and (b) after the deadline have been processed and approve…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: 87 applications to join the Scottish Letting Agent Register have been received after 1 October 2018 deadline. Of these, 11 applications were not late as the applicant had not yet commenced carrying out letting agency work. As at 30 January 2019, the number o…