Miles Briggs

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Blue Badges have been issued in each local authority area, in each year since 1999.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Since 2003 the number of blue badges issued in each local authority area has been published annually in the Scottish Transport Statistics and can be accessed via the following web link (see chapters entitled “Road Transport Vehicles”): www.transport.gov.scot…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Blue Badge applications have been rejected in each local authority area, in each year since 1999.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: This information is not held by the Scottish Government .  

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the reported £290 million that it will receive in Barnett consequentials, as a result of UK Government spending in relation to energy bills and council tax, will be spent on.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Despite the promised £290 million from the UK Government not turning out to be net additional funding, given the offsetting reductions they applied to their prior funding estimates, the Scottish Government during the Budget Bill Stage 3 debate on 10 February,…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many victims of modern slavery have been identified in each year since 1999.

Answer · Keith Brown: The National Referral Mechanism is the UK-wide framework for identifying victims of human trafficking and exploitation and ensuring they receive appropriate support. The NRM is operated by the Single Competent Authority and Immigration Enforcement Competent A…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law in relation to (a) local government, (b) the NHS and (c) other devolved public bodies in Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: While we do not currently have such plans under consideration, we always keep such matters under review. However, we do continue to engage with MOD as it seeks to further embed the Armed Forces Covenant into legislation through the Armed Forces Act, which rec…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to fuel poverty advice services in each year since 1999.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Since 2011, Home Energy Scotland (HES), administered by Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behalf of the Scottish Government, has served as the primary domestic advice service providing impartial advice and support on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel p…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been waiting for cancer diagnostic tests and scans in each NHS board, in each month since January 2020.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally. Public Health Scotland publishes a quarterly report on Diagnostic Waiting Times which covers eight key diagnostic tests. These diagnostic tests are used for a range of conditions, including cancer.

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Blue Badges have been withdrawn in each local authority area, in each year since 1999.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: This information is not held by the Scottish Government.  

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will update the Parliament on a Warmer Homes Scotland national marketing campaign.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government recognises the acute pressure that is felt by people due to energy price rises right now and will be pulling forward planned marketing activity to promote the advice and support that is in place for them. The Scottish Government direc…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity have had with other ministers regarding revaluation of council tax bands.

Answer · Tom Arthur: I have frequent discussions with Ministerial colleagues on a range of matters. We are committed to reforming council tax to make it fairer, working with the Scottish Green Party and COSLA to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement on sour…

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting time is for someone to receive their hearing aid after submitting it for repair through the NHS.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. We would advise contacting health boards to obtain this data.

11 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much debt per citizen each local authority currently has.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Data on local authority debt are published as part of the annual Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics (SLGFS). The latest available data is from SLGFS 2020-21 which was published on 22 March 2022. Figures on General Fund debt by local authority at 31 …

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people registered as homeless have undergone cancer screening in each year since 1999.

Answer · Maree Todd: I am unable to provide this information because screening systems across Scotland do not have a flag for homeless status.

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with suspected lung cancer have had a CT scan as part of their diagnosis and treatment in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Data on the investigation of suspected lung cancer by computerised tomography (CT) scan or use of CT as part of treatment is not held centrally.

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reform access to healthcare for homeless people.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to understanding the health inequalities faced by people experiencing homelessness, and improving the way health and housing services work together to promote an integrated and holistic model of care. GP registration is t…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will be presented with the recommendations on external wall fire safety and the continued role of the BS 8414 standard in Scotland by the Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2021.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The recommendations of the panel were received at the fourth meeting on 24 January 2022. These minutes and noted recommendations will be published by the end of March 2022.

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its ministers will personally pay the Workplace Parking Levy for their ministerial cars.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides local authorities with a discretionary power to set up workplace parking licensing (WPL) schemes. It will be for local authorities to decide whether to implement a WPL scheme in their local area, and to make decision…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether parking for (a) staff and (b) customers at retail outlets is included in the Workplace Parking Levy.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides local authorities with a discretionary power to set up workplace parking licensing (WPL) schemes. Section 71 of the 2019 Act defines what constitutes a workplace parking place. Customer parking at retail outlets (exc…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to introduce CT scanning to screen for lung cancer.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05600 on 19 January 2022. 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…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had as part of its review of the continued role of the BS 8414 standard in Scotland, and what was discussed at each meeting.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2020-22, with remit to review the use of BS 8414, has met on four separate occasions and the meeting minutes for the first three meetings which include the BS 8414 discussions can be accessed at: Building Sta…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering evidence from the Grenfell Tower inquiry as part of its review of the continued role of the BS 8414 standard in Scotland.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government is closely following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry proceedings and considering any evidence that may impact on building standards, including the role of BS 8414. Working groups for each phase of the Grenfell Inquiry have been set up by th…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many CT scans have been undertaken in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The number of CT scans split by NHS board for financial years 1999-00 to 2019-20 is available in SPICe – Bib number 63296. Data for financial year 2020-21 is unavailable due to a limited data collection for the Cost Book publication for 2020-21. For CT scan f…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its review of the role of the BS 8414 standard in Scotland, what discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government regarding its decision in 2018 to end the use of the BS 8414 standard for residential and institutional buildings over 18m and (b) Welsh Government regarding its…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: (a) & (b) The UK and Welsh Governments are both represented on the Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2020-22 where the continued referencing of BS 8414 in guidance supporting building regulations in light of any new evidence was one of the main ar…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many disabled people have been on waiting lists for social housing in each local authority in each year since 1999.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold this information. You may wish to contact the Scottish Housing Regulator who collect a range of information from all social landlords as part of their Annual Return on the Scottish Social Housing Charter or ind…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce regulations, similar to those in England and Wales, to only allow A1 and A2 rated Euroclass materials to be used on the outside of high-rise and institutional buildings in Scotland.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government cannot currently confirm the outcomes of the review. However, the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 are expected to be laid in the Scottish Parliament soon after Easter recess with a proposed coming into force date of 1 Ju…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response for the consultation, Building standards (fire safety).

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government will publish its response to the consultation after the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 are laid in the Scottish Parliament soon after Easter recess with a proposed coming into force date of 1 June 2022. Supporting guida…

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing a national hospitals building oversight group; whether such a group has commenced meetings, and, if so, when the group last met.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In the Programme for Government for 2019-20, the Scottish Government committed to establishing a national body with responsibility for the oversight of the design, construction and maintenance of major infrastructure developments within NHS Scotland. The new …

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many children have attended outdoor education centres in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Clare Haughey: This data is not collected centrally.

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment or estimate it has made of the amount of asbestos in publicly-owned buildings in each local authority area, and what information it has on any equivalent estimates for non-publicly-owned buildings.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The management of asbestos in buildings is a reserved matter for the UK Government and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has UK wide responsibility for enforcement of the legislation and regulations. My officials asked the HSE for information on current …

8 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women's refuge places have been available in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of women’s refuge places available in each local authority area in each year since 1999. The data that is available relates to the Scottish Women’s Aid provision of refuge accommodation in Scotla…