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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-13750

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13138 by Jeane Freeman on 19 December 2017, whether the Framework Document has been finalised.

The Framework Document has not yet been finalised. It is expected to be finalised by Summer 2018.

The Framework Document once finalised will set out how the agency will operate and its relationship with the Scottish Government. It will describe the financial and wider accountabilities of the agency and its approach to staffing and other organisational matters. The Framework Document will be signed when the first form of assistance begins payment.

Question reference: S5W-13762

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to determine how split payments for universal credit will be made relative to the elements received, and what the potential employment scenarios for couples were.

The Scottish Government has been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including women’s organisations, to develop policy options for delivering split payments of the Universal Credit award; including how the different elements of the UC award would be split between members of a household.

Four meetings took place in 2017 (1 September, 2 October, 30 October and
15 December). We are also undertaking scenario modelling to understand further, the implications of the different policy options on both Universal Credit claimants who are employed and unemployed to ensure there are no unintended consequences.

Question reference: S5W-13763

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Parliament scheduling the second reading of the Universal Credit (Application, Advice and Assistance) Bill 2017-19 for 16 March 2018, whether it will make an announcement on split payments for universal credit in Scotland ahead of this date.

We are currently undertaking scenario modelling to understand further, the implications of different policy options for splitting payment of the Universal Credit award between members of a household in Scotland.

We are also currently discussing with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) the feasibility, operational and cost implications of these different policy options. An announcement will be made once this work is completed.

Question reference: S5W-13767

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what equality impact assessment it has conducted regarding the use of universal credit split payment flexibilities, and whether this considered domestic abuse.

Question reference: S5W-13733

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for a welfare advice service facilitator in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

In October 2017, the Scottish Government provided £12,250 funding for a six month part-time welfare advice service facilitator to support the development of embedding Welfare Advice Services in Health and Social Care settings, with a particular focus on general practice and early years.

This support will be reviewed at the end of the 2017-18 Financial Year before a decision is taken on whether to extend funding into 2018-19.

Question reference: S5W-13690

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) calls and (b) enquiries from internet users were received by Citizens Advice Scotland during the autumn 2017 social security benefit uptake campaign, and how many referrals to bureaux were made.

Question reference: S5W-13689

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the total financial gain was for clients who contacted Citizens Advice Scotland during the autumn 2017 social security benefit uptake campaign.

Question reference: S5W-13646

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13259 by John Swinney on 19 December 2017, whether ministers plan to make changes to the School Transport Guidance, which is issued to local authorities, regarding the statutory walking distance to school.

Local authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing and attending schools in their area.

All authorities currently provide free transport for pupils living more than the statutory walking distance from the school the authority has identified as the nearest suitable school. The statutory walking distance is defined as 2 miles for children aged under 8 and 3 miles for those aged 8 and older.

There are no plans to change the current arrangements.

Question reference: S5W-13342

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the time limit for requesting a backpayment of Scottish social security assistance will be.

Policy development and the design of the social security application process is still on-going. Matters relating to time limits for applications will be set out in individual benefit regulations following consultation with key stakeholders.

A key aim of the Scottish Government will be to ensure that people will receive the social security assistance to which they are entitled in the right amount and at the right time.

Question reference: S5W-13331

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the current budgetary process precludes a legal guarantee uprating of Scottish social security assistance.

The Social Security (Scotland) Bill provides the power to vary the rates of social security benefits, including to uprate and we have already committed to maintain spending on disability assistance, annually uprating in line with inflation.

The budget requirements of all Scottish Government portfolios, including those for Social Security, are considered annually as part of the budget process.