Graham Simpson

7 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it wil begin consultation on owner-occupied properties being mandated to comply with energy efficiency measures and any related financial penalties for owner-occupiers who do not comply.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Energy Efficient Scotland consultation ran from May to the end of July 2018 and sought views on the proposed phasing of voluntary and mandatory action to improve the energy efficiency of owner occupier properties. Responses to the consultation are now bei…

7 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering penalties for private rented sector landlords that fail to comply with energy performance certificate (EPC) regulations and, if so, whether it will provide details of these.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Landlords are required to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) at the point of rental under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008, as amended. Regulation 17 of the Regulations provides enforcement authorities with the power…

7 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement energy efficiency measures in mixed-tenure tenements for social rent and private rented sector properties if shared approval for costs by all owners is not achieved.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises the challenges associated with repairs and improvements, including the installation of energy efficiency measures, in mixed-tenure tenements where there can be social and private tenants as well as owner occupiers. Support i…

19 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the Building Standards (Compliance and Enforcement) Review Panel has met; when it will next meet, and by what date it will issue its recommendations.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Building Standards (Compliance and Enforcement) Review Panel met on 27 November 2017, 12 February 2018 and 23 April 2018. The minutes of these meetings can be found at https://beta.gov.scot/publications/building-standards-compliance-and-enforcement-revie…

5 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with its plans to establish low emissions zones; where these will be located, and what the timescale is for their implementation.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We have committed to introducing Low Emission Zones into Scotland’s four biggest cities between 2018 and 2020, and then into all other Air Quality Management Areas 2023 where evidence supports such mitigation. Glasgow City Council have stated that their LEZ w…

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its current advice is that the safest way to clad and insulate buildings is to use only Euroclass A1 and A2 materials.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The advice of Scottish Government is building regulations currently permit the use of any construction materials that can be evidenced as being suitable for their proposed use. Aspects such as the use and the height of the building are taken into account when…

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on banning products with a Euroclass rating B or below on (a) high-rise buildings, (b) schools, (c) hospitals, (d) care homes and (e) other buildings that are harder to evacuate.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower last year, Scottish Government established an expert panel to review building standards. The panel considered the appropriateness and relevance of both current standards and guidance and the appropriateness of both Brit…

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether products with a Euroclass rating B or below are considered combustible under the guidance in place in Scotland.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Yes, the guidance to building regulations contained in the Building Standards Technical Handbooks considers products classified as B or lower under European Standards “reaction to fire” tests to be combustible.

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the contribution that combustible insulation makes to (a) fire spread and (b) the production of toxic smoke.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The building regulations recognise that combustible construction products, including insulation, can contribute to the spread of fire in buildings. This is why the use of combustible materials is limited depending on various factors, such as the type of build…

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16076 by Kevin Stewart on 1 May 2018, when the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety will report its final recommendations, and when this will go out for consultation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The recommendations from the Building Standards (Compliance and Enforcement) Review Panel and Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review will be presented to the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety at their next meeting on 13 June 2018. Once Mi…

16 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15891 by Annabelle Ewing on 18 April 2018 and the subsequent response from the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, what target has been set for waiting times between an application being submitted and a hearing date for evictions and civil proceed…

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

16 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02100 by Kevin Stewart on 16 May 2018 (Official Report, c. 15), which property factor companies have been struck off, including the (a) reasons and (b) date it happened in each case.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The following property factor was removed from the register of property factors (the register) under section 8(1) of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011. It was considered that the property factor was no longer a fit and proper person to be a property fa…

11 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to introduce a Warm Homes Bill.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Yes. In line with our commitment, we will introduce the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill, which many will know as the Warm Homes Bill, by the end of this parliamentary term. As I indicated to the Local Government and Communities …

8 May 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the performance of property factors.

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) it has undertaken in relation to performance including (a) quality of decisions, (b) efficiency of the department and (c) timeliness of hearings after the application made date.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to private landlords who have a non-paying tenant while awaiting a hearing by the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).  

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government provides information and advice for landlords on private renting matters via its website. This includes advice on how to end a tenancy and access the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) where there is a d…

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the turnaround time for each application to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) for Evictions and Civil Proceedings from application to hearing date.  

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

19 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in the interests of public safety, it has funded the replacement of the combustible insulation installed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have given their reassurances that given the other fire safety measures and fire safety management systems in place at the hospital, they are confident the building remains fire-safe, and poses no risk to patients and staf…

19 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on changing building standards to permit the use of non-combustible materials only on high-rise building façades.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety (MWG), set up after the Grenfell Tower fire in London, is overseeing a review of building and fire safety regulatory frameworks, and any other relevant matters, to help ensure that people are safe in S…

19 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on retaining the BS 8414 large-scale test as a route to compliance for systems involving combustible materials on high-rise building façades.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety (MWG), set up after the Grenfell Tower fire in London, is overseeing a review of building and fire safety regulatory frameworks, and any other relevant matters, to help ensure that people are safe in S…

17 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13039 by Kevin Stewart on 12 December 2017, whether it will undertake a review of U-values and, if so, whether it will publish details, including a timescale.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: A review of U-values assigned to stone construction within the EPC process remains under consideration. Information on action taken on this topic will be published as part of broader reporting under Scotland's Energy Efficiency Programme.

17 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13289 by Kevin Stewart on 21 December 2017, when the refreshed housing strategy for older people will be published.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The refreshed housing strategy for older people is due to be published during this Parliamentary term, subject to receiving agreement from COSLA for its joint publication. The mid-point review of Age, Home and Community: A Strategy for Housing for Scotland's…

17 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14295 by Kevin Stewart on 8 February 2018, when the monitoring and evaluation of the pilot scheme for the equity loan scheme will be published; whether current data is available and, if so, where, and, on the assumption that the answer is referring …

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The equity loan pilot was initially due to run until the end of June 2018, with an option to extend the pilot to March 2019. Evaluation of the pilot will be prepared and published between December 2018 and January 2019. Current data to the end of March 2018 …

12 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) has received relating to evictions and civil proceedings since 1 December 2017; how many of these are awaiting a hearing, and what the average waiting time is between an application being submitted …

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days.

11 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12806 by Humza Yousaf on 19 December 2017, whether it plans to provide a train station in Plains, North Lanarkshire.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As promoters of the scheme for a new rail station for Plains, North Lanarkshire Council instructed consultants SWECO to undertake an appraisal in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). North Lanarkshire Council recommendation was to take forw…

9 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many planning decisions in each local authority that went against a local development plan in which it was decided to (a) approve and (b) reject a plan were referred to it in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2002, (iv) 2003, (v) 2004, (vi) 2005 and (vii) 2006, broken down by type of plan, …

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We do not hold the requested information centrally. Certain applications which were considered to be a significant departure were notified to Ministers as described below. Prior to 2007 the notification categories were quite extensive and there were around 2…

2 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Regional Land Use Partnerships have been established and, if so, where.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Policy 7 of the Land Use Strategy for Scotland 2016-2021 encourages the establishment of regional land use partnerships. Successful pilot projects have been carried out in Aberdeen and the Scottish Borders, however no full regional land use partnerships have …

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the effectiveness of home reports.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government carried out a full policy review of the Home Report after five years of operation, which found that on the whole the reports were working well. The review also recommended areas for improvement. The Scottish Government is considering …

27 Feb 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that homeless people spend as little time as possible in temporary accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We want time in temporary accommodation to be as short as possible and we are increasing housing supply to help with this. Temporary accommodation ensures families have a place to stay if made homeless and while settled accommodation is found which meets the…

20 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next publish its HL3 Return, which provides data on local authorities' use of temporary accommodation, including the length of stay for households and individuals in B&Bs.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has been working with local authorities to develop and quality assure the new HL3 statistical data return, which contains case level information on temporary accommodation placements for homeless applicants. The progress of the HL3 da…