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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-02415

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many STEM apprentices there are, and how many of these are in North and South Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S5O-02335

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards its 90% carbon reduction target, and how it will ensure that households change their energy usage behaviour to reduce domestic carbon emissions in order to meet this target.

Scotland is making excellent progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The most recent statistics show that emissions have fallen by 49% since 1990 against a current target in law of 80%.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan contains a package of transformative measures to continue reducing emissions. These include Energy Efficient Scotland, which by 2040 will have transformed our buildings so that they are warmer, greener and more efficient. Behaviour change will continue to be an important part of Energy Efficient Scotland and we continue to fund Home Energy Scotland and Resource Efficient Scotland who provide free and impartial advice to property owners on energy saving behaviours. Our Climate Challenge Fund also supports community activity on energy efficiency.

Question reference: S5W-18312

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what modelling work it has carried out to analyse the costs of reaching energy performance certificate (EPC) (a) B and (b) C ratings for (i) domestic and (ii) residential buildings.

Question reference: S5W-18130

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the minimum compliance for a landlord to operate a single property, and what the average cost for each compliance is.

Updated answer on 04/09/18:

The minimum compliance for a private landlord to let a single property, is to meet the requirements of landlord registration, subject to any exemptions that may apply. The cost of registration is the principal application fee of £55 and £11 for the property. Internet based applications are subject to a discount of 10%. An additional fee of £110 is chargeable where an application has only been submitted after the local authority has made two separate requests for an application to be made.

Answer Given on 17/08/18 by Ash Denham:

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

Question reference: S5W-18313

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out to evaluate its campaign of awareness-raising to increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures for (a) domestic and (b) residential buildings.

Question reference: S5W-18098

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the vetting process is for people declaring that they are fit and proper to register as a property factor; what the minimum requirements are for an individual to pass the fit and proper test, and how many people have been unable to register as a property factor due to failing to pass the vetting process since the register came into force in each year since 2012.

Section 5 of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 and section 3 of the Property Factors (Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 set the information a property factor must provide and the matters which Scottish Ministers must have due regard to when considering whether to enter a person on the register of property factors (the register).

As part of the application process, the 2012 regulations require a person to supply information relating to a fit and proper person test. This takes the form of self declaration of the information referred to under section 5 of the 2011 Act.

Scottish Ministers may consider any relevant information provided by the property factor and/or a third party including public records and will take steps to review an entry on the register if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that information provided is, or has become, inaccurate. The Act does not provide specific investigatory powers although a person may also be required to provide a criminal conviction certificate as evidence to support the information provided in the application.

No applications to enter the register have been refused by Scottish Ministers since 2012.

Question reference: S5W-18094

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides an approved contractor list for energy efficiency contractors.

Question reference: S5W-18092

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it wil begin consultation on owner-occupied properties being mandated to comply with energy efficiency measures and any related financial penalties for owner-occupiers who do not comply.

The Energy Efficient Scotland consultation ran from May to the end of July 2018 and sought views on the proposed phasing of voluntary and mandatory action to improve the energy efficiency of owner occupier properties. Responses to the consultation are now being analysed and the Scottish Government will respond to the consultation in due course.

A date for a future detailed consultation has not yet been set. Its timing should be appropriate to ensure that the owner occupied sector is able to be fully engaged with the need for improvement to the energy efficiency of all properties, as achieving the targets set for Energy Efficient Scotland is likely to mean intervening in people’s homes in a way we have never done before.

Question reference: S5W-18090

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement energy efficiency measures in mixed-tenure tenements for social rent and private rented sector properties if shared approval for costs by all owners is not achieved.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges associated with repairs and improvements, including the installation of energy efficiency measures, in mixed-tenure tenements where there can be social and private tenants as well as owner occupiers. Support is provided for private sector households as well as social landlords to help ensure that measures are installed in mixed tenure properties, focusing primarily upon helping households that are in fuel poverty and vulnerable to cold weather.

At the parliamentary debate on the condition of tenement housing stock on 23 May, the agreed motion included a commitment to carry out a review of relevant legislation and how tenements can be better maintained and enhanced. This will include consideration of potential costs and collective maintenance by owners and will also look at the best role for property factors. Discussions are underway on how best to take this forward.

The review will be mindful of existing and proposed energy efficiency standards, including associated costs, and how these can best be met in mixed-tenure tenements.

Question reference: S5W-18095

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what quality assurance measures are in place to ensure that members of the public receive the most appropriate energy efficiency measures and that they pay the smallest possible price for the work when using public funding routes.

Home Energy Scotland provides free and impartial advice on making homes easier and cheaper to heat to all householders in Scotland including advice on schemes they may be eligible for. This includes advice tailored for an individual’s own home and personal circumstances. The Scottish Government also provides public funding through Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes to help households with energy efficiency improvements and to tackle fuel poverty.

All referrals to Warmer Homes Scotland are made through Home Energy Scotland. Following a referral, qualified assessors identify the most suitable measures for the property. The assessment takes into account the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), the type of property and any energy efficiency measures already installed.

All Warmer Homes Scotland installers are required to be PAS2030 accredited and a minimum of 20% of installs are independently inspected by the Scottish Government’s appointed Quality Assurance Auditor. The independent inspectors also check a sample of customers every month to verify whether the appropriate measures have been recommended during the initial assessment.

Area Based Schemes are delivered by local authorities and each authority assesses the most appropriate form of measure for selected properties. This will generally be noted in a pre EPC or a surveyors report. Where ABS projects include external wall insulation measures, a building warrant is required in Scotland. Procurement of ABS contractors is by local authorities or their partners, such as Registered Social Landlords. Contractors must also work to the standards required for ECO eligibility, including PAS 2030 requirements for relevant measures.

Where individual households need to make a contribution to the cost of the measure, interest free loans are available through HES for owner occupiers and private sector landlords. The Home Energy Scotland (HES) loan scheme is also available more widely to help with the cost of energy efficiency measures.

Applicants for a HES loan must have received advice from Home Energy Scotland as a requirement of the loan. Some measures, such as external wall insulation, require that the installation is carried out by a certified Green Deal installer and in those instances HES would signpost householders to the certified UK list. We also recommend that householders obtain three quotes and ask installers about guarantees for the quality of the work undertaken.