- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding whether its current trajectory on social security spending is fiscally sustainable, in light of the findings of the recent Scottish Fiscal Commission Fiscal Sustainability Report.
Answer
We are proud of the investment that we are making in benefit expenditure. Based on the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend around £8.8 billion on Social Security Assistance by 2029-30.
The additional investment in social security compared to England and Wales represents just over 3 per cent of the Scottish Government’s resource budget by 2029-30. This investment results from conscious policy choices made by Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. Social Security is an investment in the people of Scotland and provides value for money for the public purse. It prioritises eradicating child poverty, creating a fairer Scotland and delivering services and support that tackle the roots of inequality.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s June 2025 forecasts do not include the impact of the UK Government’s recent welfare announcements, which are expected to increase the Social Security Block Grant Adjustment funding provided and therefore reduce the additional investment that the Scottish Government needs to make. The amount of additional funding will not be confirmed until the Office for Budget Responsibility produce its next set of forecasts for the UK Autumn Statement.
The Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy were published in June 2025 and set out the actions we’re taking to improve the sustainability of the public finances over the medium-term.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its detailed forecasts are for social security spending beyond 2029-30.
Answer
The Scottish Fiscal Commission published its most recent independent forecasts on 25 June 2025, which sets out its latest five-year economic and fiscal forecasts, and includes forecasts of Social Security benefits expenditure to 2030-31.
The publication can be found on the SFC’s website: Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts Update – June 2025 | Scottish Fiscal Commission
Based on the latest SFC’s forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend £9.3 billion on Social Security Assistance in 2030-31.
The SFC will publish its next set of five-year economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the 2026-27 Scottish Budget later this year.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much of its £2 million investment for 2025-26 through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, including to support additional empty homes officers, is (a) new investment and (b) a reallocation of existing funds.
Answer
The £2 million investment in 2025-26 through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) to support local authorities to return more privately owned empty homes to use is a new investment. It is part of a two-year fairer funding pilot, with a further investment of £1.3 million in 2026-27.
The £2 million is funding:
- additional empty homes officers across Scotland (£750,000),
- innovative local and national projects (£700,000) such as the Dundee project referenced in the answer to question S6W-39184 on 7 August 2025,
- SEHP core functions, such as its advice line and support for local authority empty homes officers, as well as enhanced support to deliver the additional work above in conjunction with local authorities (£550,000).
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-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39297 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 July 2025, how many new cars registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme in 2024 were electric, and what this figure is as a proportion of all new electric cars registered in Scotland in 2024.
Answer
As of year-end 2024 there were 4,648 new Electric Vehicles (EVs) registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme. This represents 16.9% of EVs registered in Scotland in 2024, although this figure may not include cars purchased through brokerages based outside of Scotland.
We are proud that the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme is delivering much-needed support for disabled people and contributing towards a Just Transition in Scotland.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers with second jobs also claim benefits, including in-work benefits.
Answer
This information is not held by the Scottish Government as in-work benefits such as Universal Credit are reserved to the UK Government. Additionally, the recording of personal data relating to police officers with additional jobs or business interests are matters for the Chief Constable.
The Scottish Government values the dedication shown by police officers in Scotland. That’s why our police officers remain the best paid in the UK recognising the hard work and valuable contribution they make daily as well as our commitment to investing in policing.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the reported skills shortages in the renovation and construction sectors, in light of its plans to bring empty homes back into use.
Answer
Supporting the construction industry and its workforce is a priority for the Scottish Government. The Minister for Business and Employment chairs a Construction Leadership Forum that has oversight of a 2024 Transformation Action Plan and a skills and workforce working group, which is progressing the commitment to increase the capacity, capability, and diversity of the workforce with a focus on future skills and industry attractiveness. The sector continues to have one of the highest apprenticeship intakes, with construction occupations accounting for 25.6% of Modern Apprenticeship starts in 2024-25.
We encourage community or affordable housing projects returning empty homes to use to consider how skills development may be incorporated. Scottish Government funding allocated through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) in 2024-25 enabled one such project to happen in Dundee. More information about this project is available here: https://www.the-cii.org/strong-foundations-scotland/.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it received before its ministers publicly stated its position that Israel is committing genocide.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what procedures are in place to ensure that any statements by its ministers on international law are properly verified.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed any legal and diplomatic risks of using the term "genocide" regarding Gaza, in relation to live international conflicts.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 September 2025
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that almost 400 landlords are leaving the rental market every month.
Answer
In the last three years, from June 2022 to June 2025, the average monthly decrease in the number of active registrations on the Scottish Landlord Register has been 137. However, the average monthly increase in registered properties has been 304. The overall change during that period is a decrease in active registrations of 4,932 (2.1%) and an increase in properties of 10,946 (3.2%).
While these changes may point to some landlords choosing to leave the sector, the evidence suggests that their properties are remaining in the sector, or new properties are being offered for rent.
It should be noted that there are some limitations to the administrative data from the landlord register, including the time-lag in landlords deregistering properties that are no longer available to rent. These statistics should therefore be treated with some caution.
