Mark Griffin

30 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many self-catering units have been registered on the non-domestic rates roll on 30 September in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) assessor and (b) local authority.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The following tables presents the number of self-catering properties on the Valuation Roll as at 1 October 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 (30 September data is not available), broken down by assessor and local authority. Table 1: Number of self-catering pr…

30 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01541 by Shona Robison on 10 August 2021, whether a full response has now been received and, if so, whether it will provide an update on the information provided.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Further the government’s answer to question S6W-01541 by Shona Robison on 10 August, my officials have now received a complete response from members of the Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review panel. Of those responses:1 member of the 2018-19 panel (21 me…

29 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how regularly it will publish statistics on the use of its recently announced grant funding for tenants in rent arrears, which show the number of (a) grants given, (b) households supported and (c) tenancies maintained.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have worked closely with CoSLA and others to develop this fund. Local authorities will report progress with administering the Tenant Grant Fund to the Scottish Government, on a quarterly basis. This means the first official reports from local authorities o…

29 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund is due to close to new applicants.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: No date has been set to close the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund (THLF) to new applicants. The THLF will continue to be part of the range of support available for tenants, alongside the Tenant Grant Fund, to help those struggling to pay their rent due to the pande…

29 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is aligning the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund with its recently announced grant funding for tenants in rent arrears.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The £10m Tenant Grant Fund is part of a package of measures available to local authorities to prevent homelessness, alongside other support such as Discretionary Housing Payments and advice on maximising income. The grant will co-exist alongside the £10 milli…

22 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the consultation on its draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for short-term lets.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03003 on 1 October 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-committe…

21 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Registered Social Landlords have applied to it to raise their rents by over (a) 5% and (b) 10% in each of the last five years, and how many applications were approved.

Answer · Shona Robison: While it is up to individual social landlords to strike the best balance between rent levels and meeting the housing needs of local communities, rents for social rented homes should not be set without regard to the importance of affordability for tenants. The…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the registered social landlords that have applied to it to raise their rents by over (a) 5% and (b) 10% in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Applications from Registered Social Landlords for grant funding through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme at tender stage contain information on any projected rent levels at the date of completion which are more than 5% above the relevant social rent be…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) number and (b) percentage of domestic and non-domestic buildings taller than 11m have external wall systems with combustible insulation and/or cladding (i) in total and (ii) that required a BS 8414 certificate, and what work it has undertaken to establish centrally held estimate…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number and percentage of domestic and non-domestic buildings taller than 11m. The High Rise Inventory: Summary Report provides relevant information on external wall systems of domestic high rise buildin…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria the Single Building Assessment will use to determine which properties have material needing to be removed.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Single Building Assessment (SBA) pack contains the current criteria and guidance which will used by those undertaking the SBA in conjunction with the Scottish Advice Note. Visual and physical inspections will determine, as part of the SBA process, what ne…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times each local authority has paid (a) Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and (b) the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) when purchasing off-the-shelf properties in each year since it was introduced, also broken down by the value of LBTT or ADS revenue collected.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Revenue Scotland, in its role as Scotland’s fully devolved tax collection and management authority, regularly publishes data on its website regarding the number of transactions subject to Land and Build…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and (b) Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) paid by local authorities when purchasing off-the-shelf properties is returned to the respective local authority.

Answer · Tom Arthur: In general terms, in the event that any Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, including the Additional Dwelling Supplement, is due in relation to a transaction it could not be reclaimed.  

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many former right-to-buy properties have been purchased as Affordable Housing Supply Programme off-the-shelf purchases, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) the local authority or registered social landlord that purchased the properties.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) provides support for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords to purchase off the shelf properties where it can be demonstrated that this is the most appropriate method of meeting housing need in a parti…

16 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will update its strategy, Housing to 2040, in light of the commitments in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party, and how it plans to review progress against the strategy.

Answer · Shona Robison: Housing to 2040 is Scotland’s first long-term housing strategy. It sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for housing by 2040, that everyone has access to a safe, warm, affordable and energy efficient home that meets their needs, located in the place they …

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) consideration it has given to and (b) its position is on the pilot project in Burgenland, Austria, which allows people to be employed by the state to provide social care for their relatives.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Government is aware of the Burgenland pilot project which has been underway since 2019. We understand that 250 relatives providing care for family members have participated in the pilot in a population of 20,000 people in receipt of care allowance. W…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to amend part 3 of the Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to allow more family members to be employed under self-directed support, in light of this being permitted under options 1 and 2 in Scottish Government and COSLA guidance on self-d…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 set out that people in receipt of a direct payment, Option 1 of Self-directed Support, may employ family members where this is deemed appropriate in certain prescribed circumstances. T…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when options 1 and 2 in Scottish Government and COSLA guidance on self-directed support during the COVID-19 pandemic will be withdrawn, and how its experience of the wider use of allowing family members to be employed under self-directed support will inform its future policy.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Original Covid-19: Guidance on Self-directed Support Options 1 and 2 was published July 2020. Work is currently underway to refresh the guidance, which supports Local Authority and Health and Social Care Partnership staff who assess, approve and administer…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the further analysis to fully understand the role of secondary technologies with a role in heat decarbonisation, which was referred to in the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy in February 2021, has begun, and, if so, when the findings of this analysis will be published.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: In the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in February 2021, we committed to undertaking research to understand the extent to which the deployment of secondary technologies alongside zero emissions heating systems could help to optimise operational pe…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has begun the analysis to identify strategic areas likely to have access to low carbon or green hydrogen, which was referred to in the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy in February 2021, and when it anticipates this analysis will be published.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Work is under development that will help identify strategic areas most likely to have access to hydrogen in the future. We plan to publish further evidence in spring 2022. We are also working with stakeholders including from industry, network companies, local…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the actions set out in Annex A of the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy from February 2021, what the (a) timescale for delivery, (b) current status and (c) expenditure to date is for each of the actions.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Annex A of the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy contains over one hundred actions. Not all actions represent separate budget items or specific deliverables. Accordingly, the information below sets out timescales, status and expenditure across broad groups of …

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Green Heat Finance Taskforce has met, and whether it will (a) list the taskforce members, (b) publish the terms of reference of the taskforce and (c) provide details of the secretarial support provided to the taskforce.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The proposal in the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy, published by the Scottish Government for consultation in February 2021, to establish a Green Heat Finance Task Force has been widely welcomed by stakeholders. This Taskforce, which will be established by t…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the further analysis to consider the distributional impacts of decarbonising homes and buildings, which was referred to in the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy in February 2021, has been commissioned.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We are conducting analysis to consider the distributional impacts of decarbonising our homes and buildings in response to policy developments. We have commissioned analysis using the National Household Model and this has helped us consider the impact on fuel …

8 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what statistics it (a) collects and (b) plans to start collecting on the time between an evicted household having their tenancy terminated and formally presenting as homeless.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government collects information on households who apply to Local Authorities for homelessness assessment. This includes information on reasons for homelessness, including evictions, but does not include information on the time between evicted hou…

8 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Shelter Scotland report, Understanding the True Cost of Evictions in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: We note the publication of Shelter Scotland’s Understanding the True Cost of Evictions in Scotland report and will study the details as part of our wider consideration of evidence around this area. We have reservations about the report’s treatment of rent arr…

1 Sep 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet COSLA to discuss local authority funding.

25 Aug 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has commissioned of the likely costs to homeowners and landlords of reaching net zero emissions in housing by 2045.

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will spend on the media campaign to raise awareness of the new fire safety laws; how long it will run for, and what the estimated (a) total potential target audience and (b) reach of the campaign will be.

Answer · Shona Robison: Part 1: Committed costs of the advertising to date total £435,162.73. Part 2: The campaign is planned to run from 19 August-26 September 2021 with a further burst of activity from 25 October-14 November 2021. Part 3 :The campaign target audience is all adults…

18 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01472 by Michael Matheson on 10 August 2021, (a) how many and (b) what value of applications have been received for each local authority area in each of the last five years, also broken down by the total value of the loan offers that (i) it subseque…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The following tables give the volume and value of applications for each local authority area in each of the last 5 years. This breaks down into applications, subsequent offers, expired loans with accepted offers and loans not accepted before expiry date. Tab…

5 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide local authorities with prescriptive guidance on handling applications to the grant fund announced in June 2021 to support tenants struggling to pay their rent as a direct result of COVID-19, and what right of review or appeal applicants will have.

Answer · Shona Robison: Details of the £10 million grant fund scheme - announced by the Deputy First Minister on 22 June to help tenants who have been financially impacted by the pandemic and are facing homelessness - are being developed at pace and we will provide further informati…

5 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review unsuccessful Tenant Hardship Loan Fund applications for suitability to apply to the grant fund announced in June 2021 to support tenants struggling to pay their rent as a direct result of COVID-19.

Answer · Shona Robison: No. The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund is administered separately on behalf of the Scottish Government. Where an applicant is unsuccessful they are provided with information on where they can get further advice and on alternative support available. The loan and th…