Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many enquiries relating to accessing the Home Owners' Support Fund it has received in each of the last 12 months.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10243 on 7 September 2022. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of enquiries relating to the Home Owners Support Fund (HOSF). All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available…
24 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many reports it has received pertaining to sections (a) 52 and (b) 53 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, since the commencement of each provision.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Sections 52 and 53 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 provide Scottish Ministers with powers to request information and carry out inspections. Reports are not made to Scottish Ministers using these provisions therefore none have been received.
24 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has used its powers under section (a) 52 and (b) 53 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, and what the outcome of any such use of these powers was.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Section 52 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 gives Scottish Ministers the power to ask for documents and information they reasonably need to carry out an inspection on a letting agency company. To date this power has not been used. Section 53 provides Scott…
24 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of offences under section 56 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014.
Answer · Angela Constance: The most recent bulletin on Criminal Proceedings in Scotland covers cases that concluded in court up to the end of March 2022. There are no convictions under Section 56 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 up to this point.
24 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many decisions on current major housing development applications (a) are outstanding and (b) have exceeded the 16-week statutory target for such applications, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information. However, this information could be obtained from individual planning authorities.
24 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken to determine a major housing development application has been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The average time taken to determine planning applications for major housing developments is provided Table 1. Table 1 - Major housing applications not subject to a processing agreement 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 Planning Authority Overall average time (we…
17 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20844 by Paul McLennan on 13 September 2023, what the (a) purchase price and (b) grant offered was for each property in the applications received and approved (i) prior to and (ii) since the announcement on 19 July 2023, and whether it will also pro…
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-21426 on 2 October 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-committe…
17 Jan 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its local development plan regulations will provide a framework for discounted sale tenure as part of any affordable home ownership requirements.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Local Development Plan regulations, which came into force last year, require planning authorities to have regard to any Local Housing Strategy when preparing their plans. This includes their outcomes and actions to address housing need and demand. National P…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its local development plan (LDP) regulations will provide a framework for discounted sale tenure as part of any affordable home ownership requirements.
15 Jan 2024 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring more homes back into use, in light of reports that the stock of empty homes is valued at an estimated £3.4 billion.
11 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Scottish caseload and application modelling it anticipates it will receive from the UK Government in the event that the recommendations in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis), are implement…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is engaging with the UK Government on their response to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council’s (IIAC) report. We continue to work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to understand the implications of any future changes …
10 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people in Scotland (a) are currently in receipt of and (b) have made an application since 1 April 2020 for, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit in relation to a diagnosis of the prescribed disease, pneumoconiosis, and, of these, how many would not …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is currently being delivered by the UK Government in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government through an agency agreement. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) do not publish data on total IIDB awards …
10 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, regarding the impact in Scotland, to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis), and what the potential implications are for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit applicants in …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Industrial Injuries Scheme (IIS) is delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on behalf of the Scottish Government though an agency agreement and we are working with the DWP to assess the implications of the report.
10 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be required to accept any amendments, as they apply in Scotland, to the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations 1985, in accordance with the report, Industrial Injuries Scheme Benefits in Scotland: Agency Agreement, in the event that the UK…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Industrial Injuries Scheme (IIS) continues to be delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) though an agency agreement. The agreement requires alignment between the way in which IIS is delivered in Scotland and its delivery in the rest of the…
10 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans for Employment Injury Assistance include (a) accepting or (b) rejecting the recommendations, as they apply in Scotland, in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report, Review and Update of the Prescription for Prescribed Disease D1 (Pneumoconiosis).
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is committed to undertaking a public consultation on Employment Injury Assistance (EIA) shortly. As set out in the response to S6W-24459 on 23 January 2023 we continue to engage with UK Government on their response to IIAC’s report. Al…
9 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline, could result in the timeline being extended, and, if so, what options would be considered for the length of any such extension.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24405 on 22 January 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Web…
9 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations will have a role in contributing to the reported forthcoming review of its target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24405 on 22 January 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Web…
9 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline, has not been announced to the Parliament and referenced in its Budget 2024-25.
Answer · Paul McLennan: In light of extreme pressures on housing systems, we have recently confirmed plans to bring forward a 2024 review, with a focus on the timeline for delivery of 110,000 affordable homes. To effectively meet housing need and support affordable housing prioritie…
9 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly brought forward the date of its review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24405 on 22 January 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Web…
9 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the scope is of its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24405 on? 22 January 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament We…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to start publishing monthly Affordable Housing Supply Programme (a) finance, (b) approval, (c) starts and (d) completions statistics.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has no plans to start publishing monthly Affordable Housing Supply Programme finance, approval, starts or completion statistics. The Scottish Government regularly publishes financial information at Autumn and Spring Budget revisions, …
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its assumptions regarding the investment needed to deliver the 110,0000 affordable housing supply target.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government have already confirmed plans to bring forward the review of the target from 2026-27 to 2024, with a focus on the timeline for delivery of 110,000 affordable homes. And in parallel we will accelerate work with the financial community in…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last used (a) external auditors and (b) independent review to consider whether the (i) Housing to 2040 strategy, (ii) 110,000 affordable housing supply target and (iii) Affordable Housing Supply Programme are achievable.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has not used external auditors or an independent review to consider whether the (i) Housing to 2040 strategy, (ii) 110,000 affordable housing supply target and (iii) Affordable Housing Supply Programme are achievable.
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Affordable Housing Supply Programme is fit for purpose, in light of its reported plans to halve the budget in real terms.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Affordable Housing Supply Programme is fit for purpose. The UK Government did not inflation-proof their Capital Budget which has resulted in nearly a 10% real terms fall in our UK capital funding between 2023-24 and 2027-28. That means that we cannot deli…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to begin an immediate and urgent external review of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has no plans to begin an immediate and urgent external review of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. We have recently confirmed plans for a 2024 review of the 110,000 homes target focused on the timeline for delivery.
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Affordable Housing Supply Programme can be placed in special measures.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-24138 on 16 January 2024. 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…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current underspend is in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
Answer · Paul McLennan: There is currently no projected underspend in the 2023-24 Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
13 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S6O-02702 by Paul McLennan on 9 November 2023, regarding its statement that "the £3.5 billion budget that we had set aside has effectively been cut in value by £700 million", whether any such reduction in value has taken place over …
Answer · Paul McLennan: On Thursday 9 November, during Portfolio Question Time at a Meeting of Parliament, relating to a question on Social Housing Waiting Lists (Support for Local Authorities) I responded to a point made by Mrs Downey MSP, as follows: “I will make a number of poin…
13 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many buildings currently remain in the Single Building Assessment pilot, and how many have been (a) completed and (b) removed from the pilot.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Of the 105 entries on the Pilot Programme, sixteen Pilot Building Assessment reports have been returned to the Scottish Government for those that are Government led. Remediation of the External Wall System has been completed on one building. No buildings have…
12 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the additional measures that are available to Rent Service Scotland under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 will allow tenants to contest any rent increases and help ensure that they are able to afford to live in their home.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Once the rent cap, under Part 1 of the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022, is expired rent increases which may be proposed by landlords will proceed under the framework set out in the 2016 Act. Where tenants consider the proposed increase …