Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cladded buildings are being assessed under Pathway (a) 1 and (b) 2 of the Single Building Assessment; how many have transferred from Pathway 1 to Pathway 2, and how many of these assessments (i) are (A) in procurement, (B) in progress, (C) in quality assurance and (D) complete, …
Answer · Shona Robison: The initial approach for the Single Building Assessment pilot involved giving grants to homeowners through a property factor. Sixteen Single Building Assessments were commissioned through this approach, which is referred to as Pathway 1. In May I confirmed to…
20 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has (a) attended and (b) chaired meetings of the Cladding Stakeholder Group.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Cladding Stakeholder Group is an official level meeting. Issues raised by stakeholders are fed back to Ministers and considered as part of the Cladding Remediation Programme.
20 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cladding Remediation programme's Outline Business Case is complete, and when the Full Business Case will be completed.
Answer · Shona Robison: A strategic outline business case was approved in November 2022. A full outline business case, incorporating the findings from the pilot phase of the Cladding Remediation Programme, is due for completion in Summer 2023 and will inform the development of the f…
20 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met with (a) the current UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and (b) his predecessors, to discuss inter-governmental coordination on the Cladding Remediation Progr…
Answer · Shona Robison: I met the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to discuss building safety on 24 May 2022 at the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Housing, Communities and Local Government. I anticipate that building safety will also be …
9 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) assessment it is undertaking and (b) mitigations it is planning regarding the potential impact on affordable housing supply, including through reduced numbers of section 75 agreements and availability of off-the-shelf properties, as a result of any downturn in private sector hou…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government works closely with local partners to monitor delivery of the affordable housing programme on the ground and to overcome delivery issues where they may arise. We will continue to work with local authorities in ensuring there is an eff…
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it received the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group's interim recommendations, and when the final recommendations are expected.
Answer · Shona Robison: The co-chairs of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group wrote to the co-chairs of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG), the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government and COSLA’s Community Wellbeing Spokespe…
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group has met since June 2022, and, if so, for what reasons the minutes and agendas of any such meetings have not been published.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes, the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG) met on 21 September 2022 and 18 January 2023. Agendas for HPSG meetings are not published. Following a delay in publishing the minutes of the September meeting online, these can now be found here …
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group's interim recommendations.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group has shared interim recommendations with members of the group, which include Scottish Government officials, but a response to these has not been requested, nor would this be appropriate. The Scottish Governmen…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what reimbursement will be made available to members of the technical panels that will consider disputed findings of a single building assessment.
Answer · Shona Robison: The composition and appointment terms relating to technical panels is under development and is being informed by negotiations with leading developers as part of the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord. Panels will act to ensure that Single Building Assessments ar…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many single building assessment reports have been (a) completed and (b) shared with the respective homeowners to date.
Answer · Shona Robison: Our Single Building Assessment programme includes 105 buildings. 27 buildings have started the Single Building Assessment process and 22 Single Building Assessment surveys have been commissioned. Remediation works have started linked to one of those Single Bu…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) homeowners have disputed and (b) buildings have been the subject of disputes of, the findings of a single building assessment to date.
Answer · Shona Robison: No disputes have been raised in relation to completed Single Building Assessments.
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed membership (a) number is and (b) qualification requirements are of the technical panels that will considers disputes regarding the findings of a single building assessment; when these panels will be established, and how many experts have been appointed to date.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14904 on? 20 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-committe…
2 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of the "waking watch" patrol at Lancefield Quay is, and who will be liable for the costs of the contract.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is available here - View Notice - Public Contracts Scotland
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13436 by Shona Robison on 12 January 2023, how frequently the working group meets; when it will report; what topics it has considered, and what research it has commissioned.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13065 on 20 December 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-commit…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the forecast capacity requirements for elective treatment in NHS Lanarkshire are for the next 10 years, broken down by procedure, and how these requirements will be met in each case.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish government or PHS. Operational planning and decision making with regards to capacity is the responsibility of individual NHS Boards. The Scottish Government is working closely with Boards to maximise ca…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people, who had elective surgery in NHS Lanarkshire in 2022, were treated (a) by NHS Lanarkshire (b) by another health board and (c) in a private hospital, broken down by procedure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. More detailed information on the procedure(s) that are planned or undertaken for a patient will be held locally by NHS Boards. We would therefore advise contacting NHS Boards to obta…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting time for elective surgery in NHS Lanarkshire is, broken down by procedure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Statistics relating to the waits patients experience for inpatient or day case treatment at specialty level are published up to 30 September 2022 and can be found using the following…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were awaiting elective surgery in NHS Lanarkshire in each month since May 2021, broken down by procedure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Public Health Scotland is not currently able to report accurately on waiting times to this level of detail. More detailed information on the procedure(s) that are planned or undertak…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people, who were awaiting elective surgery in NHS Lanarkshire, had their procedure cancelled in each month since May 2021, broken down by procedure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Public Health Scotland publishes monthly statistics relating to the number of cancelled planned operations at health board level, a summary of which is available the following link: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operati…
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost of elective surgery procedures in NHS Lanarkshire was in 2022, broken down by procedure, and by whether patients were treated (a) by NHS Lanarkshire (b) by another health board and (c) in a private hospital.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is not collected centrally by Scottish Government, Health boards would have to be contacted to obtain the average cost of elective surgery procedures.
30 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have (a) left the waiting list for, (b) cancelled and (c) declined elective surgery in NHS Lanarkshire in each month since May 2021, broken down by procedure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In response to part a) Public Health Scotland publishes quarterly statistics relating to the number of waiting list removals, by specialty and health board of treatment. These data include all waiting list removals under reasons such as ‘transferred’ and ‘re…
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what business impact assessment it conducted when implementing the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has been completed for the domestic quality assurance standards of the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings programme. It can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/domestic-quality-assurance-heat-buildi…
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its area-based schemes and Warmer Homes Scotland schemes and their contractors have sufficient access to professionals who are trained in the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The PAS 2030 standard is a requirement for Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS). Warmworks, the managing agent for WHS, are responsible for ensuring their staff and sub-contractors are adequately trained. However, the Scottish Government also has a Quality Assurance a…
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what modifications it has made to the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards to take account of Scottish climate, housing stock and energy efficiency requirements.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The regulation of product standards and of consumer protection are reserved to the UK Government. Retrofit standards are set by the British Standards Institution (BSI). We are working with the BSI to support delivery of these standards in Scotland, ensuring t…
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how long it takes to obtain (a) PAS 2030 and (b) PAS 2035 certification, and what the estimated cost is of doing so.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The regulation of product standards and of consumer protection are reserved to the UK Government. Certification of PAS 2030 is carried out by independent certification bodies, therefore the information requested is not held centrally. PAS 2035 is currently a …
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) colleges and (b) training providers offer PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 training courses in Scotland, and what information it has on how this compares with the UK as a whole.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: As colleges operate independently of Government, it is for them to decide on the shape of their curriculum, taking into account the needs of the region and communities they serve. We therefore do not hold information centrally on which individual colleges off…
27 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) PAS 2030 and (b) PAS 2035 qualified energy efficiency and retrofit professionals there currently are in Scotland.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The regulation of product standards and of consumer protection are reserved to the UK Government. Certification of PAS 2030 is carried out by independent certification bodies, therefore the information requested is not held centrally. PAS 2035 is currently a …
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many mid-market rent properties have been converted to social rent (a) with its permission within and (b) outwith the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in each year since 2007.
Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers have given permission to councils’ requests that 556 National Housing Trust (NHT) mid-market rent homes be converted to social rent as part of agreed NHT exit strategies. We do not collate data on other mid-market homes within the Affordable Housing…
23 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with public bodies, including local authorities and the NHS, regarding the safety of buildings affected by the ban on combustible cladding materials that will require some form of remediation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The ban of combustible cladding that came into force on 1 June 2022 through the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 applies to new buildings, conversions and to existing buildings where the external wall cladding system is being replaced. The regul…
23 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it (a) has made and (b) plans to make of the number of buildings that are used (i) for the provision of residential care, (ii) for sheltered housing, (iii) as a place of assembly, entertainment or recreation, (iv) as a hospital and (v) as shared multi-occupancy residentia…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government expects duty holders, including local authorities and the NHS, to deliver a safe environment for all users including the building types in question. The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 requires that duty holders carry out a fire safety risk a…