Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) additional funding and (b) non-financial support it is providing to local authorities to implement the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) (Modification and Revocation) (Coronavirus) Amendment Order 2021, in light of recent reports of some being unable to meet…
Answer · Shona Robison: In 2021-22, local authorities have been allocated an annual share of £23.5 million for homelessness prevention and response measures and an annual share of £8 million to support the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans. The Scottish Government h…
17 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what review it will conduct of the effectiveness of the measures in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan.
Answer · Shona Robison: We currently report on progress against the measures in Ending Homelessness Together action plan by means of an annual report to parliament. At the most recent meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group on 5 November 2021, we invited views from…
17 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of the (a) new and (b) existing actions in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan that are (i) ranked red and (ii) planned for 2021-22.
Answer · Shona Robison: We recently reviewed progress against the new and existing actions in the October 2020 Ending Homelessness Together action plan. We published our findings in the October 2021 annual report to Parliament: Ending Homelessness Together: annual report 2021 - gov…
17 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan, and by what date all of the outcomes will be achieved.
Answer · Shona Robison: Our Ending Homelessness Together action plan sets out actions we are taking in the short to medium term to end homelessness. Some actions have timescales associated with them while others involve system-wide reforms. There are timescales for the funding that …
17 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it allocated in 2020-21 to the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) elements, (a) Area-based Schemes, (b) Loans and Cashback, (c) Warmer Homes Scotland and (d) Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Advice and Support.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34739 on 5 February 2021. 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…
15 Nov 2021 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support tenants, in light of University of Glasgow research indicating that around a quarter of private tenants are in arrears, totalling around £126 million.
11 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the resource planning assumptions for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme compare to the financial outturn in each financial year from 2016 to 2021, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on resource planning assumptions and outturn spend for financial years 2016-17 to 2019-20 can be obtained from our annual Outturn Reports . The Outturn Report for 2020-21 has not been published as yet, and a table comparing resource planning ass…
11 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the process for applying to the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund 2021, what provision was made to allow registered social landlords to consult their tenants about carrying out any work, and whether it will accept late applications in cases where the landlord chose to con…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund asks social landlords to provide evidence of tenant engagement as part of the funding application process and encourages consultation with tenants before any work begins. The fund, which will support the social housing s…
8 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03714 by Patrick Harvie on 4 November 2021, what response it issued to the group leaders on North Lanarkshire Council in response to their joint letter of 7 October 2021 regarding the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: I have written to the political group leaders of North Lanarkshire Council to advise them of the existing flexibilities and additional support that we provide as part of our Area Based Schemes. These include a higher intensity of grant-in-aid for households i…
1 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to public bodies regarding the use of court action in response to industrial and/or strike action.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s approach is to promote strong voice and representation for workers such as trade unions to support the delivery of our economic and fair work ambitions, and our relationship with trade unions is based on partnership working. The Sco…
25 Oct 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a report from Falkirk Council that states that the average cost of building a new affordable home is set to rise to £240,000, from £144,823 in 2014.
25 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it released the £0.5 million funding to Care and Repair Scotland for the purpose of supporting older and disabled homeowners on low incomes to install fire and smoke alarms that are compliant with the new standard, and on what date those funds were released to local care and…
Answer · Shona Robison: A grant of £0.5 million was offered to Care and Repair on 28 July 2021, for the purpose of supporting older and disabled homeowners on low incomes to install fire and smoke alarms that are compliant with the new standard. Following completion of necessary gov…
25 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many home purchases it has supported and (b) what total value of funding it has provided as part of the (i) Open Market Shared Equity, (ii) New Supply Shared Equity, (iii) Help to Buy and (iv) First Home Fund programme in each financial year since the programme's inception, also …
Answer · Shona Robison: Published information on home purchases and spend across the First Home Fund, Help to Buy, Open Market Shared Equity and New Supply Shared Equity schemes can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following links: Help to Buy (Scotland) https:/…
18 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has stopped routinely collecting statistical information on notifications of repossession and eviction action under section 11 of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003, and, if so, (a) when it stopped collecting this information, (b) for what reason it stopped and (c) whet…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has stopped collecting statistical information on section 11 notifications. The decision to cease the collection of this information was implemented in 2013, in agreement with the Homelessness Statistics User Group . The last national…
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on which dates since 2015 the maximum level of funding that can be used to invest in owners’ homes for the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS) was increased, and by how much.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03712 on ? 4 November 2021. 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-commi…
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to raising the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS) price cap for householders, and what the outcome was of any such consideration.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government provides funding to local councils through our Area Based Schemes to deliver energy efficiency improvements to households living in or at risk of fuel poverty. The guidance for the scheme specifies an average amount per property for th…
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities it has been contacted by to discuss raising the maximum level of funding that can be used to invest in owners’ homes for the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS), and what the outcome was of any such discussions.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Every year we seek feedback about proposed changes to our ABS programme guidance from every local council. This guidance is also shared in draft with COSLA for information and comment. Scottish Government officials are also regularly approached by individual …
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the (a) number of units to which the rent applied and (b) average forecast yield above the benchmark for each registered social landlord that has applied to raise rents by over (i) 5% and (ii) 10% in each of the last five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: Rents for social rented homes should not be set without regard to the importance of affordability for tenants. The Scottish Government therefore considers the proposed rents for Registered Social Landlord social rented homes at the point of first let as part …
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable housing supply programme approvals that had an estimated completion date at tender stage now have a revised completion date in (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22.
Answer · Shona Robison: Completions dates for housing projects change on a regular basis for a variety of reasons and overwrite previous estimated dates. We are therefore unable to advise on the exact number of approvals where completion dates have been revised. Due to the pandemic…
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable housing supply programme approvals that were agreed (a) before and (b) on or since 1 April 2020 have (i) not started, (ii) started and (iii) been completed.
Answer · Shona Robison: The following table outlines the total number of Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) approvals since April 2016 to the end of June 2021. These approvals are broken down by their current status; not started, currently on site, completed, and those that …
11 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable housing supply programme approvals in each year since 2016-17 were given an estimated completion date at tender stage.
Answer · Shona Robison: When affordable housing supply programme projects are submitted to the Scottish Government for approval an estimated completion date will have been provided. Details on approvals by financial year can be found in our published statistics at the following link…
6 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what loan support it offers homeowners for the purpose of installing a fire and smoke alarm system that is compliant with the new standard.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not provide loans to home owners for the purpose of installing fire alarms that are compliant with the new standard. Local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide assistance to home owners, in connection with work o…
6 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the £1 million funding provided though the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service over the period 2018-20 to install fire and smoke alarms that are compliant with the new standard in the homes of people assessed to be at high risk from fire as part of a home fire safety visit, …
Answer · Shona Robison: In relation to the funding provided to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service from Scottish Government, all of the funding was spent in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial year.
6 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to Care and Repair Scotland for the purpose of supporting older and disabled homeowners on low incomes to install fire and smoke alarms that are compliant with the new standard, and whether that support includes the cost of (a) equipment, (b) installation or …
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided a grant of £0.5 million to Care and Repair Scotland to support assistance for home owners with the installation of alarms to meet the new Scottish standard. Up to £400,000 of this grant may be used to purchase alarms, and …
6 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes assessed to be at high risk from fire as part of a home fire safety visit have had a fire and smoke alarm system installed that is compliant with the new standard as a result of the £1 million funding provided through the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in the period 2018…
Answer · Shona Robison: To protect the most vulnerable, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will fit interlinked alarms into owner-occupied homes where the individuals or households are assessed as high risk through their Home Fire Safety Visit assessment process. As of 20 O…
6 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have had a fire and smoke alarm system installed that is compliant with the new standard as a result of the £0.5 million funding provided through Care and Repair Scotland to support older and disabled homeowners on low incomes.
Answer · Shona Robison: The £0.5 million funding has been granted to Care and Repair Scotland to provide assistance in the business year 2021-22. Information on the number of homes assisted will be collected, and will be available at the end of this period.
5 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it distributed through the Housing Infrastructure Fund in each year from 2016-17 to 2020-21, also broken down by grant or loan funding type.
Answer · Shona Robison: The level of funding approved by Scottish Government through the Housing Infrastructure Fund for loan and grant between 2016-17 and 2020-21 is shown in the following table. £’m 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Total Grant 11.772 8.435 5.034 …
30 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much non-domestic rates income has been forgone in 2021-22 where Small Business Bonus Scheme rates relief has been claimed for self-catering units broken down by (a) 100%, (b) 25% and (c) 0% (where they were not eligible due to having a number of properties with a combined rateable v…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The following tables presents the estimated value of Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief as at 1 June 2021, awarded to self-catering properties, broken down by assessor and local authority, for properties receiving 100% SBBS, 25% SBBS, and other percent…
30 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence requirements it will set for self-catering premises owners seeking to register their property for non-domestic rates to demonstrate that the let is (a) available for 140 days and (b) actually let for 70 days in a financial year, in order to remain on the valuation roll; how…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government accepted recommendation 22 of the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates, which proposed a condition to tackle a known tax avoidance measure that all owners or occupiers of self-catering properties must provide evidence of 70…
30 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many self-catering (a) units on the non-domestic rates roll and (b) unit owners received Small Business Bonus Scheme rates relief in 2021-22 at (i) 100%, (ii) 25% and (iii) 0% (where they were not eligible due to having a number of properties with a combined rateable value of £35,000…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The following table presents the estimated number of self-catering units receiving Small Business Bonus Scheme(SBBS) relief as at 1 June 2021, broken down by assessor and local authority, for properties (unit owners cannot be reliably identified from the info…