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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: S6O-02687

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what continued engagement it has had with the Scottish Land Commission about its proposal for compulsory sales orders since it first proposed them in August 2018.

Question reference: S6O-02659

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the financial cost will be of its recently announced council tax freeze policy.

Question reference: S6O-02644

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings it has had with neonatologists from NHS Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S6W-21985

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 18 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes built under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme since 2016 were (a) one-bed, (b) two-bed, (c) three-bed, (d) four-bed and (e) five-bed or more homes.

Question reference: S6W-21984

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 18 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21426 by Paul McLennan on 2 October 2023, how many of these purchases were (a) second-hand from the (i) open market and (ii) with a tenant in-situ, and (b) off-the-shelf.

Question reference: S6W-21651

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-21015 by Paul McLennan on 20 September 2023, for what reasons it does not report quarterly financial expenditure against resource planning assumptions at the same time that it publishes housing supply statistics.

Resource planning assumptions are only one element of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme budget. Expenditure within a financial year will not correlate directly with approvals, starts and completions as, for example, some projects can span more than one financial year.

The Scottish Government regularly publishes financial information at Autumn and Spring Budget revisions, Provisional Outturn, Final Outturn and Final Accounts. As previously advised in the answer to question S6W-21015 on 20 September 2023, when annual financial year expenditure is concluded and finalised we publish an Affordable Housing Supply Programme annual out-turn report. This reports actual spend compared to original resource planning assumptions alongside wider programme performance information.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-21659

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the value was of its financial transaction investments at the point of transaction for those investments in relation to which it still holds an investment, and what the current estimated value is of those equity stakes, broken down by scheme.

Financial Transactions (FTs) are allocated to Scottish Government (SG) portfolios in the annual budget process. The Scottish Government centrally monitors the flow of FTs and records the end of year value. The financial information provided is for FTs that fall within the SG’s accounting boundary and are reported within the SG Consolidated Accounts. The loan values are the net book value, after consideration of any impairment of changes to fair value through multi-year discounted cashflow models or from consideration of the impact of housing prices on the housing equity based loans. All arms-length bodies outside the SG accounting boundary will be responsible for their own reporting.

FT Loan Schemes		31 March 2013	31 March 2014	31 March 2015	31 March 2016	31 March 2017	31 March 2018	31 March 2019	31 March 2020	31 March 2021	31 March 2022	31 March 2023
Portfolio	Investment value at year-end	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions	£ millions
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	National Theatre - Cultural Loan	-	-	-	2.0	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.3
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Scottish Opera - Cultural Loan	-	-	-	4.0	3.8	3.7	3.5	3.4	3.2	3.0	3.0
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Scottish Ballet - Cultural Loan	-	-	-	-	4.0	3.8	3.7	3.5	3.4	3.2	3.1
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Edinburgh Festival - Cultural Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.0	1.0	1.0
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) - Cultural Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3.1	2.9	2.9
Deputy First Minister and Finance	Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) Enabling Investments	-	-	1.7	5.8	8.1	9.6	9.6	9.6	9.6	9.6	9.6
Health and Social Care	Health Board GP Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.1	-	0.3	1.5	4.1
Health and Social Care	Corona Sport Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14.6	21.1	19.9
Health and Social Care	Ayrshire Hospice	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.7	4.6	4.7
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands	Peterhead Port	-	-	-	-	-	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.7	1.4	1.2
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands	Farmer Loans	-	-	-	53.6	184.4	322.2	255.6	193.3	25.3	18.2	8.7
Social Justice	Housing - Shared Equity	-	45.1	266.5	414.7	170.7	281.8	335.8	365.0	382.3	427.5	454.0
Social Justice	Housing - Corona Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	45.0	40.7	33.5
Social Justice	Housing - Home Loans	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5
Social Justice	Affordable Credit Loan Fund	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.6
Social Justice	Fire Safety Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	15.2	11.1	8.0	5.7
Social Justice	Housing - Other	1.4	4.5	4.8	10.3	10.7	10.9	10.5	8.6	8.9	8.0	7.6
Social Justice	Housing - Help To Buy	-	-	-	-	312.6	429.5	470.7	509.0	705.6	801.8	773.2
Social Justice	Housing - Infrastructure	-	1.6	3.6	2.5	5.1	8.5	8.0	20.1	22.5	21.0	34.3
Social Justice	Housing - Empty Homes Fund	2.4	4.3	4.2	3.9	4.0	4.2	4.3	2.4	2.0	2.2	2.2
Social Justice	Scotlands JESSICA Fund (SJF)	10.9	30.1	31.5	37.6	40.3	43.4	-	53.1	44.3	57.2	47.3
Social Justice	Charitable Bonds	-	9.0	10.8	28.2	51.7	70.9	90.7	145.7	174.8	211.3	299.0
Social Justice	Housing - Self Build	-	-	-	4.0	4.0	4.0	5.4	4.6	3.9	3.8	8.8
Social Justice	Housing - Lar Housing Trust / Mid Market Rent	-	-	-	2.4	10.0	20.1	26.2	37.2	61.3	83.4	85.0
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	BiFab (Burntisland Fabrications Ltd)	-	-	-	-	-	19.0	2.0	-	-	-	-
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Zero Waste Scotland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4.0	6.7	4.0	4.0
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Loan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.5	0.4	0.3
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Transport Scotland Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8.6	9.3	9.3	9.3
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Energy Savings Trust	22.1	23.0	25.7	28.6	32.1	36.6	31.8	56.6	58.6	103.2	113.9
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Home Renewable Loans	3.1	7.2	13.8	17.2	20.5	23.8	26.9	29.9	32.2	20.0	20.0
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Public Sector Loans	-	5.3	5.3	6.2	10.3	19.0	22.6	27.5	27.5	22.6	22.6
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Community and Renewables Energy Schemes (CARES) Scheme	3.1	4.5	5.5	5.1	5.5	5.6	5.4	5.4	4.4	4.4	4.4
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition	Energy - Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPs)	-	-	-	1.4	12.1	19.9	22.7	26.4	28.7	34.1	49.3
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Renewable Energy Investment	-	-	-	-	5.2	9.0	9.0	8.1	15.5	15.5	23.9
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Private Rented Sector Landlord Energy Loan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Digital Development Loans	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.0	2.2	5.2	7.5	5.6
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Ferguson Marine	-	-	-	-	-	15.0	-	-	-	-	-
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Scottish Growth Scheme	-	-	-	-	-	-	7.6	18.8	33.7	51.5	65.2
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Building Scotland Fund	-	-	-	-	-	-	33.2	11.8	15.8	4.6	0.0
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Forth Sector Loan	-	-	0.3	0.3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy	Our Power Loan	-	-	-	2.5	2.5	3.5	-	-	-	-	-

Question reference: S6W-21658

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) reviews and (b) reports on the performance of its financial transaction investments.

The Scottish Government (SG) provides Financial Transactions (FTs) in the form of loans (such as Health Board GP Loans) and equity investments (such as the Help to Buy Scotland programme). Loans are capital amounts that are to be repaid.

FTs are managed and monitored by the SG Portfolio business area that issue them. FT outturn data is reported annually as part of the provisional and final outturn process. For those business areas falling within SG’s accounting boundary, information on performance is reported in the Scottish Government’s Consolidated Accounts. Overall FT performance is set out in the Scottish Government Annual Report, which reviews both the cash impact of schemes (advances, repayments, and write-offs) and their valuation through consideration of an annual impairment review and review of their fair value.

The Scottish Government and Agencies are responsible for reviewing and monitoring the performance of their FTs and reporting will vary: Fund managers (including Energy Savings Trust and the Scottish Investment Fund) may provide monthly or quarterly reporting alongside annual reports and multi-year programme performance reports to SG Portfolio teams. Loans paid out directly to loan applicants (such as the Help to Buy Scotland Programme) will be monitored directly by the Portfolio area responsible for them. These reports are reviewed and used to provide advice to Ministers on the future of individual programme and project funding.

The financial information provided in the answer to question S6W-21659 on 4 October 2023 is for FTs that fall within the SG’s accounting boundary and are reported within the SG Consolidated Accounts. The loan values are the net book value, after consideration of any impairment of changes to fair value through multi-year discounted cashflow models or from consideration of the impact of housing prices on the housing equity based loans. All arms-length bodies outside of the SG accounting boundary will be responsible for their own reporting.

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

Question reference: S6W-21554

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being implemented to ensure the financial viability of respite care services, especially in light of reports of rising demand and escalating costs.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland and local Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) have the responsibility for commissioning and managing the appropriate services for local needs. The Scottish Government are investing £1.7bn for social care and integration in 2023-24 to support the people who deliver, and rely, on these services.

The National Care Service Programme includes a ‘Market Shaping’ work stream. This project will deliver tools and techniques for securing services through contracts, grants, and alliances that are financially sustainable and that meet the needs of people receiving care and the people delivering care. Market Shaping tools and techniques will be designed with providers of social care, commissioners, procurement experts and other stakeholders. It will consider how to improve the financial sustainability of current services, and how services that are not currently offered by the market can be designed and secured in ways that providers are able to deliver.

Question reference: S6W-21617

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has earmarked funds from the reported phased increases in fees from Crown Estate Scotland's finfish tenants from January 2023.