Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) chronic pain patients and (b) MSPs are involved in discussions regarding any changes to the Scottish National Pain Management Programme, in light of the service having been established following years of campaigning by patients and a unanimous vote of the Scottish Parliament …
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23485 on 14 December 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
30 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when Police Scotland will introduce a National Dashcam Safety Portal.
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland has concluded that a stand-alone portal is neither the optimum nor best value route to create the capability for digital media to be submitted by members of the public. Police Scotland will utilise the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DES…
29 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the future of the Scottish National Pain Management Programme, which opened in 2015, is secure at its present site at the Gartnavel Hospital campus in Glasgow, and whether it will clarify the meaning of a "broader range of settings" for…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is not aware of any plans to move the Scottish National Pain Management Programme from its current site. We are working with stakeholders to ensure that the delivery of the SNPMP is sustainable and the services offered still meet the n…
29 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on who the members are that have been appointed to the Pain Management Task Force and each of its sub-committees, in order to provide transparency for the approximately 800,000 people in Scotland experiencing chronic pain regarding an…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is working to make information around the development and delivery of chronic pain more publicly available and we are currently reviewing the information on the Scottish Government website. We will be updating the chronic pain webpage …
29 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients who experience chronic pain will be invited to participate actively at meetings with officials regarding (a) the National Services Division and (b) the future of Scotland’s only residential service for chronic pain, the Scottish National Pain Management Programme, to wh…
Answer · Jenni Minto: We are committed to listening to the needs of people with chronic pain as we deliver the actions in the recently published Pain management service delivery framework: implementation plan update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The updated plan includes details o…
29 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with stakeholders regarding the incorporation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law, in light of its support for the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In line with the principles of the Verity House Agreement, the Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, as the representative of local government, to seek their views on proposed amendments for the Members’ Bill.
29 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is supporting the progress of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government remains fully committed to supporting Mark Ruskell MSP in progressing his Members’ Bill to reconsideration stage as soon as possible. The Verity House Agreement includes an explicit commitment for Ministers to do this. Now that the am…
28 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recently announced proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, how many (a) rental properties and (b) privately-owned homes it estimates would have to be retrofitted by 2033 to comply with its proposed measures.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our consultations on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill and a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard are designed to reduce emissions and improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s buildings – helping to deliver a just transition that protects those li…
28 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to prevent the practice of "multiple contract working" among the civil service workforce.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government requires its staff to register any outside occupation or activity where there is the potential for a conflict of interest to arise. Senior Civil Servants are required to register all relevant outside occupations and activities. Those w…
28 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on whether civil servants in Scotland at (a) local authority and (b) Scottish Government level are or will be included in the National Fraud Initiative's reported investigation into the practice of "multiple contract working".
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is fully committed to the National Fraud Initiative and looks forward to hearing the results of the data pilot currently being run with local councils in London on this issue. The Scottish Government will await confirmation from Audit …
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding the time being taken on the reinstatement of the roads, pavements and cycle lanes along the new tram line from York Place to Newhaven in Edinburgh, and what its position is on whether the City of Edinburgh Council is meeting its statuto…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic. The statutory respons…
17 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the proposed new homelessness prevention duties.
Answer · Paul McLennan: In the Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 , the Scottish Government confirmed the Housing (Scotland) Bill will be brought forward as part of the year three legislative programme. This Bill will introduce new duties aimed at the prevention of homelessness…
17 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out the (a) membership, (b) terms of reference, (c) work programme and (d) planned outcomes of the Ministerial Oversight Group on Homelessness.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The members of the Ministerial Oversight Group on Homelessness are:Paul McLennan MSP, Minister for Housing (chair)Elena Whitham, MSP, Minister for Drugs & Alcohol PolicyMaree Todd, MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and SportEmma Roddick, MSP Min…
17 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the minutes of any meetings of the Ministerial Oversight Group on Homelessness.
Answer · Paul McLennan: We will shortly publish the minutes of the first meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Group on Homelessness. They will be available here - Ministerial Oversight Group on Homelessness - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
17 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the reported rising number of people who are rough sleeping in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Scotland has the strongest rights in the UK for people experiencing homelessness and local authorities have a legal duty to provide accommodation and advice to anyone experiencing or at risk of rough sleeping. This year we have provided £713,228 of funding t…
16 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) capital and (b) recurrent funding it has committed as part of the UK’s bid dossier for the 2028 UEFA European Football Championships, and what the business case is for the return on any such investments.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is continuing to work in partnership with governments and football associations across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland following confirmation of the successful EURO 2028 bid on 10 October. Funding contributions of all partn…
16 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) capital and (b) recurrent funding it has committed to support the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, and what the business case is for the return on any such investments.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government is continuing to work in partnership with partners and World Athletics following confirmation of the successful bid to host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. In total the Scottish Government will provide £1.15 …
16 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice has received a request under rule 9 of the Inquiry Rules 2006 for evidence regarding any WhatsApp messages and informal communications with cabinet secretaries, ministers, senior civil servants or advisers, on Scottish Government-issued or…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23070 on 4 December 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committ…
16 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the suspension of home sharing and house swapping from the short-term lets licensing scheme.
Answer · Paul McLennan: On 27 October 2023 I wrote to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee about the scope of a 2024 update on implementation, which confirms that the purpose of the update is not to amend the types of licence i.e. home-sharing, home-letting and secon…
16 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many homeless people have been transferred to other local authority areas for emergency accommodation in each of the last 12 months.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not collect this data, which will instead be held by individual local authorities.
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many temporary accommodation facilities have been in breach of the standards and outcomes that social landlords should aim to achieve when performing housing activities, as set out in the Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework, which was published in April 2023.
Answer · Paul McLennan: As compliance with the Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework is not yet mandatory, no formal data collection has been established to gather information on breaches. The Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework was published in April 2023 and replace…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fines have been issued for pavement parking in each year since the legislation on pavement parking prohibition came into force.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 prohibits pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, and gives local authorities the relevant powers to enforce these new provisions. To support these provisions, a suite of regulations is required to brin…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the cost of bringing back into use council houses that are currently unoccupied.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has not made an estimate of the cost of bringing back into use council houses that are currently unoccupied. Local authority social landlords maintain data on managing their housing stock.
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many council houses that are currently unoccupied have been assessed to establish the cost of bringing them back into use.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Local authority social landlords maintain data on their housing stock.
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much each local authority has spent on people living in temporary accommodation, in each year since 1999.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The vast majority of homelessness funding provided to Scottish local authorities since 1999 has been included in the block grant of annual local government finance settlements [1] . In February 2017, the ‘temporary accommodation management fee’ funding fro…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to help develop new air links between Scottish airports and other destinations.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s ambition is for Scotland to be as well connected as peer nations and regions, and we are committed to working with Scotland’s airports to help them grow international connectivity, while not returning to previous levels of emissions.…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for passengers stranded on islands due to ferry cancellations.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for NHS and other healthcare workers.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the level of the school clothing grant.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is taking action to support families with the cost of school uniform and clothing so that every child in Scotland can attend school feeling comfortable, confident, and ready to learn. In partnership with local authorities, we have del…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what audit of public land has been undertaken to identify potential sites that are currently available for affordable housing development.
Answer · Paul McLennan: There has been no audit carried out of public land to identify sites to deliver affordable homes. The Scottish Public Finance Manual and the NHS Scotland Property Transactions Handbook provide guidance on the procedures and safeguards required when handling t…