Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the controls detailed in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme risk register, whether the slowing of social rented approvals and starts has been escalated, and, if so, to whom.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The slowing of social rented approvals and starts has not been escalated. The AHSP risk register has not been changed on that basis.
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it has discussed issues and identified any possible actions with Homes for Scotland in relation to slowing social rented approvals and starts, and what the outcomes of any such discussions were.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The issues of slowing social rented approvals and starts were discussed with Homes for Scotland at meetings on 20 April, 27 April and 9 August.
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the monthly reviews of affordable housing supply programme capital spend capacity have identified, and where any money has been redistributed to.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Our More Homes area teams work closely with partners to deliver the programme. Capital spend capacity is reviewed regularly and can change throughout the year.
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what anticipated financial slippage the affordable housing supply programme has identified for the current financial year.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Based on information supplied by delivery partners, the Scottish Government anticipates that the Affordable Housing Supply Programme will fully utilise the available 2023-24 budget of £752 million.
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how frequently its Innovative Finance Steering Group meets; on what dates it has met since it was established; what its full (a) remit and (b) membership is; whether its remit extends beyond the affordable housing supply programme, and where the minutes of its meetings can be accessed.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Innovative Finance Steering Group was established to support the delivery of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 by providing strategic advice to the Scottish Government on opportunities for innovative finance models to support the affordable housing sector …
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) headcount and (b) FTE staffing level was of its More Homes Division in each quarter since May 2021.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The number of directly employed staff with More Homes Division in each quarter since May 2021 is shown in in the following table, for both headcount and full time equivalent (FTE). Quarter ending Headcount Full-time Equivalent (FTE) 30 June 2021 84 79.1…
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its More Homes Division is subject to a recruitment cap, and, if so, when any such cap was put in place and when it is expected to end.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government continually monitors its operations and delivery through the application of effective workforce controls at the organisational level. We prioritise our resources to support the elected government’s agenda, with workforce controls allow…
15 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many members of staff have (a) resigned and (b) retired from its More Homes Division in each quarter since May 2021, and how many are due to retire in the year to April 2024.
Answer · Paul McLennan: In the following table, the number of resignations and retirements within More Homes Division over the requested period is shown, subject to the following restrictions: 1. Where a value relates to fewer than 5 individuals, that value has been suppressed for …
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by how much the Young Patients Family Fund and its predecessor, the Neonatal Expenses Fund, was underspent in each year since 2018.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is required to deliver a balanced budget and outturn in each year. This has been consistently delivered through prudent and effective financial management, balancing fiscal constraints with priorities. In July 2021 Scottish Government …
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly does not routinely publish expenditure and award information for the Young Patients Family Fund.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has not routinely published expenditure for The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) as Health Boards have, up to now, been developing mechanisms to ensure the recording of full and accurate YPFF data. We are continuing to work with NHS…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) return journeys, (b) overnight accommodation stays and (c) meals the Young Patients Family Fund and its predecessor, the Neonatal Expenses Fund, have reimbursed the costs of in each year since 2018.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government asks NHS Boards to report on the number of travel claims, accommodation claims and meals reimbursed. The data held by the Scottish Government, as reported by NHS Boards, is set out in the following table. 2018-19 (NEF) 2019-20 (NEF…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Young Patients Family Fund and its predecessor, the Neonatal Expenses Fund, what the (a) budget and (b) expenditure has been, and how many (i) claims have been received and (ii) families have been supported, in each year since 2018.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Neonatal Expenses Fund (NEF) ran from April 2018 to July 2021. The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) was launched on 26 July 2021 and the new fund subsumed the NEF to create a single unified fund. Part (a) With regard to the budget to date for NEF/YPFF I…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS boards to develop a seamless, cross-boundary financial model that ensures that funding follows mothers and babies, as part of the review of neonatal services.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The new model will see Scotland moving to a networked model of three neonatal intensive care units (NICU) working alongside local neonatal units (LNU) and special care units (SCU), supported by transitional care and community care services. This aligns with e…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the potential impact of the planned reduction of level 3 neonatal units from eight to three on low-income families who will have to travel greater distances to be with their babies.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Evidence shows that the very smallest and sickest babies, including those born extremely premature (below 27 weeks), do best when they are cared for in larger specialist neonatal units which look after a lot of these babies, and have the right staff and servi…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to review the Young Patients Family Fund, in light of the planned reduction of level 3 neonatal units from eight to three.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has no plans to review the Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) in light of the plans to reduce the number of level 3 neonatal units in Scotland. The cost of visiting a child or young person in hospital should not be a barrier for familie…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with parents of very low birth weight (VLBW) babies regarding plans to reduce the number of level 3 neonatal units from eight to three, in light of the report, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, reportedly find…
Answer · Jenni Minto: Following the testing period the Early Implementer Boards noted that no negative feedback was received from families about the process. However, due to only a small number of babies being transferred this made it difficult to achieve the depth of parent feedb…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address reported concerns of NHS clinicians that there will be a skills depletion within any neonatal units downgraded from level 3.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The report from the Perinatal Sub-Group on the outcome of the options appraisal process identified skills maintenance as a key concern for those units no longer categorised as a NICU. This is based on the expectation that small and sick babies will continue…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the affordable homes supply programme target was increased to 110,000 in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme but did not set a specific revised mid-point target.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The affordable homes target was increased from 100,000 to 110,000 affordable homes following agreement by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party in developing the Shared Policy Programme. The mid-point target was not revised as we know that an…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17172 by Patrick Harvie on 11 May 2023, whether it will provide (a) a breakdown of the 10 applications and the reasons that they have been rejected, invited to resubmit following feedback or referred to alternative funding sources and (b) details of…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: A breakdown of the unsuccessful applications for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund between August 2020 and May 2023 are given in the following table: Application Reason 1 Applicant did not respond to clarification questions 2 Project did not have ma…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many repossessions the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service has recorded in each quarter since April 2018.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Repossession involves the retaking of property when a borrower is in breach or default of a mortgage or loan secured on the property. ? The first table shows the number of repossessions registered by the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services since April 2018…
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many evictions the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service has recorded in each quarter since April 2022 as a result of a property being sold by a lender, including where the property is a tenanted property or the landlord's own property.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days .
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the effect on tenants and homelessness services will be as a result of the 126% increase in the number of first charge buy-to-let mortgage loans in arrears by 2.5%, and the number of buy-to-let mortgages in arrears increasing 59% year on year, as reported in the UK Fi…
Answer · Paul McLennan: UK Finance data, which is only available for the UK as a whole, shows that at the end of Q2 2023 there were 8,980 first-charge buy-to-let loans which were in arrears of more than 2.5% of the outstanding balance, a 28% increase from the previous quarter and a …
14 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement in the UK Finance publication, Mortgage Arrears and Possessions Update Quarter 2 2023, that homeowner mortgages in arrears of 2.5% or more were 7% greater than in the previous quarter, and what the specific numbers for Scotland are.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The 81,900 first-charge homeowner mortgages in arrears of 2.5 per cent or more of the outstanding balance at the end of Q2 2023, as reported by UK Finance, represents an increase of 7% from the previous quarter, although it is 3% below the post-covid peak of …
10 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with Homes for Scotland and housebuilders to utilise capacity to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government engages with Homes for Scotland on a regular basis through a range of official and ministerial led meetings and fora. We continue to collaborate with all our partners to achieve our shared goal of delivering more affordable homes for…
10 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason job losses in the housing construction sector are reportedly not considered a risk to the affordable housing supply programme in its risk register.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The AHSP risk register identifies the potential impacts if there are insufficient skilled construction workers or problems with labour retention. Both factors could be affected by job losses in construction. Job losses in the construction sector are not neces…
10 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the housebuilder, Bellway, has begun cutting jobs in anticipation of a UK property market slowdown, and what impact it anticipates this could have on the affordable housing supply programme in Scotland.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Bellway is currently involved in delivering two projects through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and we do not anticipate any major impact to delivery of these projects or our wider programme.
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the report of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers, Housing in Scotland: Current Context and Preparing for the Future, which was published in July 2023, what its response is to the recommendation that the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982…
Answer · Paul McLennan: Councils are responsible for developing their licensing policies in line with powers and duties under The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, as amended in 2023, and they can add proportionate conditions to address …
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date the national acquisition plan will open for applications for purchases.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The national acquisition programme is already in operation.
3 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government from what date funds from the £60 million national acquisition plan will be available for allocation.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Funds are available now. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20374 on 16 August 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.…
2 Aug 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what comparable support to the UK Government's Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service it provides for people facing eviction or repossession of their home, and what level of funding it commits to any such service.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government recognises the pressure on household budgets which is why both last year and this, we have allocated almost £3 billion, to support policies which tackle poverty and to protect people as far as possible during the ongoing cost of living…