Ben Macpherson

4 Sep 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and Cladding Remediation Programme, including the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord and Single Building Assessment pilot programme.

21 Aug 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Registrar General for Scotland will publish the next results from the 2022 Census.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I have asked Janet Egdell, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:National Records of Scotland have today published: 2022 results | Scotland's Census (scotlandscensus.gov.uk). Scotland’s Census results ar…

21 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its announced review of the Community Right to Buy, what steps it has taken to (a) advertise its review of the community right to buy land and (b) invite evidence; what deadline it has set for the submission of evidence; whether it plans to publish all evidence submitted, and …

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government issued a general call for evidence on the Scottish Government’s X Account on 10 July. In addition, since announcing the review on 6 March at a visit to the Heart of Newhaven project in Edinburgh, we have emailed stakeholder and c…

14 Aug 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the development and delivery of Scotland’s National Marine Plan 2.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) aims to support sustainable development of our seas, protect our marine environment, and deliver for Scotland’s communities, in particular those living by, relying on, and visiting Scotland’s seas. The NMP2 will support our b…

7 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure that early release prisoners are not at risk of homelessness upon release.

Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28987 on 28 August 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility, which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commi…

7 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for early release prisoners to ensure that they are able to find and maintain stable accommodation upon release.

Answer · Angela Constance: Pre-release planning, including in relation to housing needs, was a key feature of the recent emergency early release process. Scottish Prison Service (SPS) worked closely with representatives from Local Government – including housing departments, …

26 Jun 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Registrar General for Scotland will publish the next results from the 2022 Census.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I have asked Janet Egdell, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows: National Records of Scotland have today published: ' Scotland’s Census 2022: Sexual Orientation and Trans Status or History' . This is the f…

4 Jun 2024 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it would consider increasing the £500 annual training budget that is allocated to MSP offices for staff training.

4 Jun 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on determining the future role and focus of Scotland’s national education agency.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Following engagement with teachers and stakeholders, the Scottish Government has further considered the role of the national education agency, including how it can add most value to Scotland’s education system. An excellent curriculum from 3-18 requires nati…

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further low interest rate loans to Lar Housing Trust, in light of the reported success of its pathfinder model, in order to advance construction of new affordable homes in Granton, Edinburgh, and elsewhere in Scotland, and, if so, when.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Since its creation in 2015 to the end of March 2024, LAR Housing Trust has acquired/developed 740 homes for mid-market rent supported by a Scottish Government loan of £55 million. 175 of these were previously National Housing Trust units. Whilst LAR Housing T…

1 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the barriers to the implementation of the NICE guidelines on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identified in the recent survey of NHS boards in Scotland, and how it is fostering consensus amongst the people involved in implementing the NI…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government fully supports the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on diagnosing and managing ME/CFS. We wrote to all Scottish health boards following its publication to raise awareness of the guidance and encourage …

13 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S6O-02854 by Jenni Minto on 7 December 2023, what its response is to the reported concerns of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) organisations and people with ME regarding the way that the Scottish Good Practice Statement (SGPS) o…

Answer · Jenni Minto: We published a partial update of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS on the Scottish Government website in February 2023. This incorporated key recommendations from the NICE 2021 guidance on a broad range of topics such as energy management and Gra…

27 Feb 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is taking forward the work and priorities of its Ministerial Population Taskforce.

20 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving, in collaboration with Police Scotland, to the possibility of establishing a new Leith police station within the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay building.

19 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to tackle violence in schools and the impact that this is having on both pupils and staff.

19 Dec 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the final Solar Vision and draft Bioenergy Policy Statement will be published.

Answer · Neil Gray: Following the Scottish Government’s announcement of the proposed solar deployment ambition for Scotland in October, we are now working with industry and community stakeholders to agree a suitable level of community benefit for large scale solar projects. As a…

27 Nov 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research will be published.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Behaviour in Scottish Schools research has been published today and is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835216668 . I will update Parliament on the Government’s response, including the behaviour summit process, in a Parliamentary statement on…

22 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services in Edinburgh, in light of the significant increase in the population of the Lothian region in recent years.

21 Nov 2023 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it would consider keeping the canteen open in a limited capacity on business days from 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm, in order to provide a partial offering for staff who are unable to purchase lunch before 2.30 pm due to work commitments.

Answer · Claire Baker MSP (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bo: Catering service times across campus provide a robust offering around parliamentary business.  Lunch service timings in the Garden Level Restaurant (11:30-14:30) are based on levels of demand and efficient use of resources in line with parliamentary requireme…

8 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling fraud.

26 Oct 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of its Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have laid before Parliament today an annual progress report against our Heat in Buildings Strategy, the second since its publication in 2021: https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-in-buildings-progress-report-2023 . We have made significant progress in…

18 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations are being made for the bonfire night period.  

26 Sep 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering specific solutions to support the City of Edinburgh Council, and other relevant organisations, to address Edinburgh’s social housing shortage and growing population pressures, including providing additional resources in its 2024-25 Budget.

20 Sep 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of a Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is pleased to announce that the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal has been launched today at the Scottish Renewables Onshore Wind Conference. Myself and the Minister for Energy and Environment have signed the deal on behalf of the Sco…

14 Sep 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the £5 million funding announced at COP27 for action to address loss and damage.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: At COP27, the Former First Minister pledged £5m of funding to address non-economic loss and damage (NELD) over the course of the parliament. Non-economic loss and damage includes, for example, cultural loss, damage to nature and health decline due to climate …

5 Sep 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of the Scottish Land Commission’s work on compulsory sales orders and land value capture. 

29 Aug 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the City of Edinburgh Council and other organisations to provide suitable temporary accommodation and more social housing in Edinburgh.

15 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reportedly growing and significant demand that exists in Edinburgh for more social housing and more housing generally as a result of population growth, how it is working with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver its current Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) in…

Answer · Paul McLennan: The announcement of five year resource planning assumptions for all local authorities for this parliament provides a clear demonstration of this Government’s commitment to support the delivery of affordable housing. Affordable Housing Supply Programme invest…

18 Jul 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will progress its commitment to work with local government and other partners to reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation.

Answer · Paul McLennan: As set out in our response , published today, to the report of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group, we will begin by prioritising a number of actions to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation by 2026. We will:invest at leas…

21 Jun 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding has been provided to local authorities to support the pay offers made by COSLA to the local government workforce since the 2023-24 Budget was published.

Answer · Shona Robison: As set out in Annex A of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government has already confirmed to COSLA that a total of £343 million of additional funding will be made available to councils to support pay deals in 2023-24 over and above the alloca…