Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08901 by Neil Gray on 22 June 2022, how many Ukrainian refugees have been removed from accommodation against their will.
Answer · Neil Gray: No displaced people from Ukraine have been removed from accommodation against their will. Our absolute priority is ensuring the wellbeing and safety of displaced people from Ukraine. The Scottish Government is working to ensure that there is temporary accom…
31 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a "No-one Dies Alone" strategy for NHS Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government expects all health and social care services to provide high quality care that is safe, effective, and sustainable, and has the person and their family and carers at the centre. Where possible, we want people to receive this care where …
31 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many communal night shelters are currently still operating in Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are no local authority commissioned communal night shelters currently operating in Scotland and we are not aware of any congregate night shelters being operated by third sector organisations in Scotland. We have worked closely with local authorities a…
19 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is developing any policies to encourage people to keep natural garden spaces, as opposed to paving, decking, artificial grass or gravel.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government wants to see an increase in pollinator friendly gardens as opposed to hardscaping of garden space in towns and cities. We place significant value on high quality blue and greenspace and play spaces. Addressing the twin crises of climat…
9 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many older people have required to be restrained as a result of them being “purposeful walkers”, broken down by each NHS hospital in each year since 1999.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: This data is the responsibility of individual Health Boards. Therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this data centrally.
9 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it has and (b) financial resources are available to support mental health services for adult adoptees.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government recognises more than ever, the importance of people with mental health problems getting the right help, at the right time and in the right place. We are committed to providing clear, comprehensive and accessible support for those with …
9 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications (a) it has received and (b) have been awarded funding for flood protection schemes in each year since 1999.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: In the period 1999 to 2007, schemes promoted by Councils under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, and confirmed by Scottish Ministers, were supported with grant funding. The grant was allocated to approved schemes on a project by project basis and paid…
9 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average spend per patient in alcohol and drug services has been in each year since 1999, broken down by local partnership.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is not possible to provide this information due to the complexity of monitoring the number of individual incidents of people accessing drug and alcohol services and relevant spend per individual, across the time period requested. Data on numbers accessing…
9 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time has been to get a council house in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: The full information requested is not held centrally. However, some information is available at a Scotland level from published results from the Scottish Household Survey (SHS), which includes information on the proportions of time households have been on a …
4 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09640 by Michael Matheson on 29 July 2022, how much of the Fuel Insecurity Fund's allocated £10 million budget has been spent in 2022 to date?
Answer · Michael Matheson: In line with Scottish Government requirements for financial management and due diligence with public funds, our partners draw down funds once they have determined their requirements based on number of awards confirmed and projected awards to be made. Although…
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that its proposed Housing Bill will be published.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government is aiming to introduce a Housing Bill to the Scottish Parliament in 2023.
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes it has delivered in the last 12 months.
Answer · Shona Robison: Statistics relating to the progress of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are published quarterly on the Scottish Government website. These figures relate to the number of approvals, site starts, and completions of homes, and can be accessed using the fo…
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has provided to local authorities to tackle homelessness in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: As set out in the response to S6W-06821 on 10 March 2022 the vast majority of homelessness funding provided to local authorities has been included in the block grant. It is at each local authority’s discretion as to how they use this resource to prevent and r…
28 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to mitigate any excessive waiting times for the resolution of complaints, queries and questions to Scottish public bodies, in light of reports of waiting times of up to 11 months.
Answer · Ash Regan: The Scottish Government is aware of a backlog affecting a small number of cases with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) while they recover from the effects of the Covid pandemic. The SPSO is a wholly independent office, not subject to the direction…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the next Audit Scotland report on roads will be published, and how it (a) measures and (b) publishes information on (i) roads funding, (ii) spending on maintenance and (iii) the condition of roads as a result of investment.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The timing of the next report on roads will be a matter for Audit Scotland to consider in the planning of their work programme. The Accounts Commission and Auditor General for Scotland last published their report on Maintaining Scotland’s Roads in August 2016…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Transport has had with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy regarding long term budgets for local roads maintenance to enable planned asset management and achieve increased value for money.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places the statutory responsibility for local roads improvement, maintenance and repair with local road authorities. The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant an…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to local authorities to highlight current best practice in local roads maintenance to achieve improved outcomes and increased value for money, and how often any such guidance is updated.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads, including structures, improvements, maintenance and repair with local roads authorities. As such it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine how best to meet its d…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to issuing guidance to local authorities on the use of innovative longer-lasting road surfacing materials to achieve improved outcomes and lower lifecycle costs.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads, including structures, improvements, maintenance and repair with local roads authorities. As such it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine how best to meet its d…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it issues guidance to local authorities on how to make it easier for the public to report local road defects.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads, including structures, improvements, maintenance and repair with local roads authorities. As such it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine how best to meet its d…
11 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the use of low carbon warm mix asphalt in allowing local roads to be reopened more quickly after repair, in order to achieve reduced operational time and public disruption, and whether any such assessment has been communicated to local authorities.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads, including structures, improvements, maintenance and repair with local roads authorities. As such it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine how best to meet its d…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish local climate resilience funds to help improve the initial response to storm and flooding incidents.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government have provided funding to the Scottish Flood Forum since 2009 to work with communities to build resilience and to support those affected by flooding. The Scottish Government also currently funds Adaptation Scotland Programme, a place-b…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent by NHS boards on operations carried out by the independent sector in each year since 1999.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers are absolutely committed to a publicly owned and operated NHS, and for the people of Scotland to have free and timely access to health services. Our NHS in Scotland makes very limited use of the independent sector for targeted services and …
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support is being provided to clinically vulnerable households for their ongoing PPE needs, including air filters, FFP3 masks, and hand sanitiser.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As a result of the pandemic, local PPE Hubs were set up all over Scotland to provide free PPE to people providing social care support including to people at highest risk, who need it. The Scottish Government continues to offer free PPE to unpaid carers and pr…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided under the Bellwin Scheme to each local authority area, in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The additional revenue funding provided to local authorities under the Bellwin Scheme in each year since 1998-99 is set out in a document that has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Bib number 63530.
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many high hedge notices have been issued by each local authority in each year since the legislation came into force.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for local authorities who should maintain records of notices.
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to put in place a Scottish carers card to help support unpaid carers to access services and discounts.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a Scottish carers card. Local authorities and integration authorities are responsible for carer support under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, and commission Third Sector organisations to provide much…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 is in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and whether it has any plans to amend the Act in this regard.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The ongoing Scottish Mental Health Law Review is reviewing our mental health and incapacity legislation in light of developments in international human rights, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and will consider where imp…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many families have been able to access support through the families affected by drug deaths funding.
Answer · Angela Constance: The information is not held centrally. You may wish to contact Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs directly to request additional information. An evaluation of the National Development Project Fund is also available on the Scottish Government websit…
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many empty homes there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government holds data on the number of long term empty homes that have been empty for 6 months or more, by local authority from 2005 to 2021. This can be accessed using the following link: Housing statistics: Empty properties and second homes - …
4 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have registered their interest in introducing the workplace parking levy.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a discretionary power for local authorities to implement workplace parking licencing (WPL) schemes. It will be for local authorities to decide whether they wish to implement WPL locally and to shape proposals to su…