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: S6W-04588

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the housebuilding and lending sectors about the Deposit Unlock mortgage scheme, and what comparable government support for home buyers will be available from April 2022.

Deposit Unlock, is an industry led mortgage indemnity scheme which enables buyers of new build properties to purchase with a 5% deposit. Homes for Scotland have kept the Scottish Government informed about the scheme throughout its development.

The UK Mortgage Guarantee Scheme also helps to increase the supply of 5% deposit mortgages by supporting lenders to offer these products through a government backed guarantee on new 95% mortgages until 31 December 2022.

The Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) will continue to be available in Scotland next financial year.

Question reference: S6W-04600

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02085 by Maree Todd on 23 August 2021, whether women over 70 who have had breast cancer are entitled to self-refer into the breast screening programme in the absence of lumps, signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

Once they have completed breast cancer treatment and follow-up with the symptomatic breast service, women aged 71 and over are ordinarily able to self-refer into the Scottish Breast Screening Programme for screening every three years. However, self-referrals for women in this age-group are currently suspended due to capacity challenges in the programme associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is important to stress that any woman, regardless of their age, who is concerned about possible symptoms of breast cancer should consult their GP straight away so these can be investigated, rather than wait for their next screening appointment.

Question reference: S6W-04599

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02085 by Maree Todd on 23 August 2021, how regularly women who have had breast cancer are screened following recovery, and how many women over 70 who have had breast cancer self-referred into the breast screening programme in each year since 2011.

Following treatment for breast cancer, women are followed up by the symptomatic breast service annually, commonly for at least 5 years. After that, women who are aged between 50 and 70 years are invited to attend the Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) every 3 years. Women who are aged 71 years or over following discharge from symptomatic breast cancer treatment and follow up appointments can ordinarily self-refer to the SBSP once every 3 years; however, self-referrals for women in this age-group are currently suspended due to capacity challenges in the programme associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of women who had breast cancer and self-referred into the SBSP following treatment is not routinely collected or reported, and therefore the Scottish government cannot provide this information.

Question reference: S6W-04525

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) additional funding and (b) non-financial support it is providing to local authorities to implement the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) (Modification and Revocation) (Coronavirus) Amendment Order 2021, in light of recent reports of some being unable to meet the terms of the order.

In 2021-22, local authorities have been allocated an annual share of £23.5 million for homelessness prevention and response measures and an annual share of £8 million to support the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans. The Scottish Government has also offered a range of non-financial support. This includes clarifying the process for funding to build new accommodation, dedicated engagement with local authorities facing the most significant challenges and hosting an event that brought all Scottish local authorities together to share good practice to support compliance with the Order.

Recent engagement has shown that all local authorities are making positive progress towards reducing the use of unsuitable accommodation. The Scottish Government will continue to work with local authorities to sustain this progress and identify support to help overcome barriers.

Question reference: S6W-04526

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan, and by what date all of the outcomes will be achieved.

Our Ending Homelessness Together action plan sets out actions we are taking in the short to medium term to end homelessness. Some actions have timescales associated with them while others involve system-wide reforms. There are timescales for the funding that supports the action plan, however. The £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Fund announced in 2017 is for five years (2018-23) and the new £50 million announced in Programme for Government 2021 to end homelessness is for this parliamentary term (2021-26).

Question reference: S6W-04384

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the resource planning assumptions for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme compare to the financial outturn in each financial year from 2016 to 2021, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-04528

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it will conduct of the effectiveness of the measures in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan.

We currently report on progress against the measures in Ending Homelessness Together action plan by means of an annual report to parliament. At the most recent meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group on 5 November 2021, we invited views from the expert group, which includes representatives with lived experience of homelessness, on how we can more effectively measure the impact of measures to end homelessness. The group saw value in the development of an improved outcomes monitoring framework. Officials are now exploring ways to improve the way we use evidence and data and will report back to the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group in due course.

Question reference: S6W-04527

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of the (a) new and (b) existing actions in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan that are (i) ranked red and (ii) planned for 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-04516

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it allocated in 2020-21 to the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) elements, (a) Area-based Schemes, (b) Loans and Cashback, (c) Warmer Homes Scotland and (d) Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Advice and Support.

Question reference: S6O-00520

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the self-referral breast screening programme will resume for non-symptomatic women over 70 who have had breast cancer.