Chamber and committees

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: S5W-02676

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much families with severely disabled children will receive through an extended winter fuel payment, as referred to in the Programme for Government.

Question reference: S5W-02675

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will commence awarding families with severely disabled children an extended winter fuel payment, as referred to in the Programme for Government, and whether it has investigated the use of its power to create a new benefit to make this payment in 2016-17.

Implementing reforms to existing benefits requires a large-scale programme of transition, legislation and implementation. As part of this programme, a timetable for the commencement of the relevant sections of the 2016 Scotland Act, will be agreed by Scottish Ministers and UK Government Ministers, via the forum of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare. Further announcements on future social security policy and delivery will be made at an appropriate stage.

Question reference: S5W-02669

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the total expenditure will be on an increased carers allowance, as referred to in the Programme for Government.

Question reference: S5W-02665

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether staff from the Department of Work and Pensions will be transferred to its new social security agency, as referred to in the Programme for Government.

It is too early to determine if and how any of the DWP employees currently administering the benefits to be devolved might transfer to the Scottish social security agency.

In considering the employment issues arising from the Scotland Act 2016, the Scottish Government is in regular contact with trade union colleagues through the Council of Scottish Government Unions, of which PCS, FDA and Prospect are part.

Question reference: S5W-02677

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether extended winter fuel payments for families with severely disabled children, as referred to in the Programme for Government, will be paid automatically.

Question reference: S5W-02664

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government where it will base its new social security agency, as referred to in the Programme for Government.

Question reference: S5W-02671

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much an increased carers allowance, as referred to in the Programme for Government, will be worth when it is first paid.

Question reference: S5W-02660

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much is paid out in Sure Start Maternity Grants to eligible households in Scotland each year.

Question reference: S5W-02659

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether recipients of the Best Start Grant, as referred to in the Programme for Government, will continue to receive healthy start vouchers at the same level as current recipients.

Question reference: S5W-02673

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many assessments for disability benefits will be conducted before (a) it expects the UK Government to commence those powers and (b) reforms referred to in the Programme for Government are (i) announced and (ii) commenced.

Implementing reforms to existing disability benefits requires a large-scale programme of transition, legislation and implementation. As part of this programme a timetable for the commencement of the relevant sections of the 2016 Scotland Act will be agreed by Scottish Ministers and UK Government Ministers via the forum of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare. Further announcements on future social security policy and delivery will be made at an appropriate stage. In the meantime, the Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for disability benefit assessments.