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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5O-04564

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how its Programme for Government aims to tackle climate change through support for the green economy.

Question reference: S5O-04545

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting young people in the Glasgow Cathcart constituency with the costs of starting a new job.

Question reference: S5W-30722

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made toward extending Fair Start Scotland provision following the end of the current contract period, given the importance of employability support in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Fair Start Scotland (FSS), Scotland’s devolved employment support service is helping people, including those who are further removed from the labour market, to find work and stay in work. Following an open and competitive procurement process, contracts were awarded in October 2017 to a mixed economy of suppliers from public, third and private sectors to deliver the service across Scotland. Fair Start Scotland was launched in April 2018 for initial contract period to 31 March 2021.

Today I have announced the extension of the current Fair Start Scotland service for a further two years, in accordance with the commercial options available to me in the original contracts, allowing more people to join the service up to 31 March 2023.

This two year FSS extension period is an opportunity to provide stability and continuity as we respond to the current Covid-19 crisis and move into our economic restart and recovery phases.

We know that the vulnerable, and those furthest from the labour market suffer most in times of recession, and we must do all we can to continue delivering the support they need to progress towards and into work.

The extension of the current Provider contracts and delivery model provides a strong foundation from which to respond to a rapidly changing labour market, as well as delivering on our ‘test and learn’ approach to employability support, and allows us to work with our partners in local government and the third sector towards longer term local integration within No One Left Behind.

Question reference: S5O-04402

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports people in making sustainable travel choices.

Question reference: S5W-29186

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government at what stage it is in its planning for delivering education in the event of a second wave of COVID-19 later in 2020.

The Scottish Government will do its best to avoid a second wave of COVID-19. However, if the scientific evidence tells us that we are unable to contain the virus, it is possible that we may need to re-impose lockdown restrictions for schools and other education settings. Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of staff and we will ensure that pupils, education staff and families are fully supported in the event of a re-occurrence. Regardless of a second wave, children and young people will continue to be supported in their teaching and learning.

Question reference: S5T-02201

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is available to help and support the wellbeing of people affected by COVID-19.

Question reference: S5O-04347

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what stage it has reached in its contingency planning for delivering education in the event of a second wave of COVID-19 later in the year.

Question reference: S5W-28177

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 March 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what impact COVID-19 will have on the delivery of (a) the 50,000 affordable homes target by the end of this parliamentary session, (b) fuel poverty targets and (c) energy efficiency measures.

The impacts of COVID-19 and our response to managing the risks it presents are evolving daily.

With the impact of the ‘effective lock down’ there is clearly going to be a necessary pause in the delivery of affordable homes at what is a critical time in the target period when the final site starts were scheduled to proceed. Once normal activity has resumed we will be clearer about the full effect this will have on the timing of the delivery of these homes. However it is unlikely we will now meet the target by the end of March 2021. This is of course disappointing as we were on track to deliver on our 50,000 affordable homes commitment, but our priority now of course is the health and wellbeing of the Scottish people and keeping people safe.

Many of the households affected by fuel poverty are also most clinically vulnerable to COVID-19. Alongside the practical considerations relating to social distancing measures this has led us to a decision to pause work on our energy efficiency schemes during the outbreak. Resources are being prioritised to help enable people to heat their homes and to tackle emergencies, such as broken boiler systems. Unfortunately this will delay delivery of our energy efficiency programmes and other planned work. We are also delaying work to publish our Final Fuel Poverty Strategy to focus on providing the immediate support required by fuel poor households impacted by Covid-19 and ensuring that there can be a prompt re-start to our programmes when it is safe and feasible to do so.

Question reference: S5O-04325

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with public sector housebuilding in Glasgow.

Question reference: S5O-04303

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to local authorities and charities for urban planting programmes.