Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08040 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 April 2022, whether it will provide the same information for 2021-22.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Spending data on additional support for learning (ASL) is provided below. This data is collected from local authorities via the Local Financial Returns (LFR). In addition to 2021-22 expenditure data, figures for 2020-21 have also been provided due to revision…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of online fraud have been reported to Police Scotland in each year since 1999.
Answer · Keith Brown: In general, the data received from Police Scotland for producing the National Statistics on Recorded Crime, is a simple count of the number of crimes and offences which the police have recorded and cleared up. As such we are unable to separately identify back…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional costs that could be incurred by the hospice sector as a result of the recent NHS Pension Scheme review.
Answer · Maree Todd: The costs of the NHS Pension Scheme (Scotland) for employers are determined by the quadrennial scheme valuation. The latest valuation, the 2020 valuation, is currently in progress and will determine the new employer contribution rate effective from 1 April 20…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many households are currently living in fuel poverty, broken down by local authority area, and, of those, what information it holds on how many households previously received the DWP-administered Cold Weather Payment.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of households in each local authority that are experiencing fuel poverty is published annually (based on a three-year average) from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS). The latest published set of tables for 2017-2019 are available at: Sco…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many Blue Badges have been issued in each of the last five years, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Table 1.21 of Scottish Transport Statistics provides information on the number of Blue Badges on issue by each local authority from 2014 to 2021 and is available via the following web link https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/scottish-transport-statist…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many people in Scotland had never worked in each year since 1999, and what assessment it has made of the implications of any such data.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Over half (55.8%) of the people in Scotland who have never worked aged 16 to 64 were in full-time education. Just because someone does not have a job does not mean they are not making a valuable contribution to our economy and society. In October 2021-Septem…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of international students currently living in (a) student, (b) private rented and (c) social rented accommodation.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: For academic year 2021-2022, which is the most recent data we hold, 22,635 international students were residing in student accommodation (university halls and private purpose-built student accommodation) and 29,090 in other rented accommodation. We do not hol…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many third sector organisations received more than 50% of their funding from the Scottish Government in each year since 1999.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15129 on? 7 March 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-committee…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many jobs have been created in the fintech sector in Scotland, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Ivan Mckee: Scotland is a leading financial centre, second only to London in the UK. The industry sustains more than 145,000 jobs (80,000 in financial services and 65,000 in related professional services), and the sector is the biggest contributor to Scotland's economy, …
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with Skills Development Scotland to ensure that apprenticeship schemes are supported through the Apprenticeship Levy, and how many apprenticeship schemes were supported in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The UK Government Apprenticeship Levy is a reserved tax on employers which was implemented by the UK Government. The Scottish Government has no direct control or responsibility for its operation The Scottish Government has been clear that significant funding…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many young carers have not received the Young Carer Grant in each year since it was established, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: Scottish Government published analysis in October 2022 estimating around 73% of people eligible for Young Carer Grant received the payment in 2021-22. These figures are available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/take-up-rates-scottish-benefits-october-2…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any sustainable funding needed by the hospice sector.
Answer · Maree Todd: Our Programme for Government in 2021-22 committed to provision of high-quality child palliative care, regardless of location, supported by sustainable funding of at least £7 million per year through Children’s Hospices Across Scotland. Scottish Government off…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many families have accessed the Fuel Insecurity Fund in each year since it was established.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold the full level of information requested for reasons outlined in our answer to your recent question S6W-15113 on 7 March 2023. We do know that our delivery partner the Fuel Bank Foundation has found that in the current fin…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been diagnosed with long COVID in each year since 2019, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Preliminary findings from the EAVE II study, led by Public Health Scotland in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, were published in a preprint article on 7 March 2023. This article presents preliminary analysis of the number of adults aged 18 and …
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many households living in fuel poverty have received information about any support schemes available, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Since 2015, 663,670 households have accessed the Home Energy Scotland advice service in the following local authority areas: Local authority Cumulative Distinct Properties 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 Aberdee…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have accessed the COVID-19 prevention drug, Evusheld, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Evusheld ® was developed and tested before the emergence of the Omicron variant. The RAPID C-19 group and the COVID-19 UK expert panel have considered a full range of evidence, including clinical trial data, in vitro (in the lab) analysis and observational st…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of job opportunities that are currently available, broken down by sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government monitors a range of data sources on job vacancies in Scotland, as part of wider analysis of labour market trends. These include official and experimental statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and data from external …
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a new partnership with the hospice sector.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and myself met with hospice sector representatives on 14 March to discuss the pressures that the hospice sector are currently facing. The Scottish Hospice Leadership Group and a number of hospices continue to b…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any advice services have been funded through the Fuel Insecurity Fund since it was established and, if so, which ones.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Advice Direct Scotland is one of our delivery partners for the Fuel Insecurity Fund, which also provides advice services. The Fuel Insecurity Fund, however, is focused on the provision of direct support to households, which is overwhelmingly provided in finan…
1 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing a Scottish patients trial charter, to improve access to clinical trials.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is not currently considering the development of a Scottish patients clinical trials charter. On 13 February 2023 the Scottish Government published an independent report on Improving Equity of Access to Cancer Clinical Trials in Scotla…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much money has been spent on youth work by local authorities in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The available spend information on youth work by local authority for 2020-21 and 2021-22 is set out in the following table. Please note that the information you have requested is not available at individual local authority level prior to 2020-21.Local Authori…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many people have accessed the Home2Fit online accessible housing database in each year since it was established.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Homes2Fit accessible housing register was set up and is run by Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL). The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information.
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when works to upgrade the Sheriffhall Roundabout will commence.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout, as part of its £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Following publication of the draft Orders and Environmental …
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice is currently being provided to residents of buildings that are suspected of requiring cladding remediation, regarding the (a) reinsurance, (b) selling and (c) re-mortgaging of their properties.
Answer · Shona Robison: Lending and insurance policy are reserved matters for the UK Government. We are aware of the difficulties that some people are facing in accessing mortgages for buildings with potentially unsafe cladding. Work has been undertaken between the UK Government and…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to develop policy around housing for people with varying needs, following its review of the Housing for Varying Needs design guide.
Answer · Shona Robison: We plan on consulting on proposed updates to Housing for Varying Needs to uplift standards applicable to homes delivered with support through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in the Spring of this year. This consultation will also include proposals for…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people from a BAME background have accessed patient clinical trials in each year since 1999.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data on the ethnicity of people participating in clinical trials in Scotland.
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much has been held in Integrated Joint Board (IJB) reserves in each year since IJBs were established, broken down by each IJB.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government receives quarterly financial reporting from IJBs which includes information on IJB reserves. The reports consolidate information already in the public domain as published by individual IJBs, and are published on the Scottish Government…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had legal action taken against them in relation to non-payment of social care charges in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: This information is not held centrally. Local authorities and integrated health & social care partnerships are responsible for commissioning services for people in their area.
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many disabled people are currently living in temporary accommodation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government HL1 data collection gathers information relating to reason support may need to be provided, according to the judgement of a homelessness officer, for households who make a homelessness application. No information is gathered about sup…
23 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many people have defaulted on payment of social care charges in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: This information is not held centrally. Local authorities and integrated health & social care partnerships are responsible for commissioning services for people in their area. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budge…