Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-01934

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01935

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-14906

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) homeowners have disputed and (b) buildings have been the subject of disputes of, the findings of a single building assessment to date.

Question reference: S6W-14972

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund.

The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14965 and PQ S6W-14963.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

Financial year	Administration cost	Funding being delivered through EST	Output
2020-21	£381,000	£1,759,738	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2021-22	£334,277	£3,706,925	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2022-23 (year to date)	£471,892	£4,695,326	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.

Question reference: S6W-15233

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities regarding any potential impact in Scotland of the proposed legislation that would give the Secretary of State powers to prevent developers from operating freely in the housing market if they fail to sign and comply with the UK Government's remediation contract; whether the powers in the proposed UK legislation would need to extend to the Scottish Ministers to achieve the same objective in Scotland, and, if not, whether Scottish Parliament legislation could create similar powers for ministers to prevent developers from operating freely in the housing market if they fail to sign and comply with the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord.

Scottish Government has regular meetings with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on cladding remediation. The provisions in the Building Safety Act which impact on the ability of developers to obtain planning approval or building control approval apply to developers operating in England and do not extend to Scotland. We are determined to ensure that buildings in Scotland with potentially unsafe cladding are remediated and developers step up and meet their responsibilities. Our focus has been on securing that commitment from developers through a voluntary agreement but we are clear, if we need to then we will legislate to safeguard residents and homeowners.

Question reference: S6W-14943

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to support sustainable rural bus services.

The Scottish Government is aware of the importance of rural bus services and is committed, in conjunction with operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services. I convened the Bus Taskforce to bring key players in the sector together to make bus travel a more attractive choice for passengers through joint commitments to reform and improve bus services.

The Scottish Government provided £223m in emergency funding to support bus services during the pandemic and the Scottish Budget for 2022-23 allocation of £410m in funding for bus services and concessionary fares. The COVID recovery support for the bus sector through the Network Support Grant Plus was extended from June 2022, and again in October 2022, and due to end on 31 March 2023. The Network Support Grant Plus was always a temporary fund and extending to 31 March was to freeze fares on participating services to help people with the cost of travel over the winter.

We are supporting bus use through the Young Persons Free Bus Scheme, which means that around half of Scotland's population are now eligible for free bus travel. We continue to provide financial support for bus services to keep services more extensive and fares more affordable than would otherwise be the case. Payments are based on the distance buses are operated, which is a particular advantage in rural areas where the routes are generally longer. Funding is also provided to local authorities in their annual settlement to support services they consider socially necessary and for community transport services, which can play an important role in rural transport networks. In 2021-22 they spent £55m in this way.

Since December 2020, the Scottish Government have supported operators through our Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus and Scottish Zero Emission Bus schemes, to acquire 548 new, zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure with awards totalling almost £113m. In addition, the Zero Emission Bus Market Transition Scheme, worth £500k, was announced on 10 August 2022 to help organisations to understand the steps required to replace their bus fleet with zero emission alternatives.

Question reference: S6W-14904

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what reimbursement will be made available to members of the technical panels that will consider disputed findings of a single building assessment.

The composition and appointment terms relating to technical panels is under development and is being informed by negotiations with leading developers as part of the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord. Panels will act to ensure that Single Building Assessments are commissioned, quality assured and completed in a timely and efficient manner. They will act to provide assurance that findings are compliant with relevant standards and assessment guidance and that recommendations are reasonable and acceptable to multiple stakeholders with an interest in a building.

Question reference: S6W-14965

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for eligible businesses.

The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14972 and PQ S6W-14963.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

Financial year	Administration cost	Funding being delivered through EST	Output
2020-21	£381,000	£1,759,738	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2021-22	£334,277	£3,706,925	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2022-23 (year to date)	£471,892	£4,695,326	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.

Question reference: S6W-14907

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed membership (a) number is and (b) qualification requirements are of the technical panels that will considers disputes regarding the findings of a single building assessment; when these panels will be established, and how many experts have been appointed to date.

Question reference: S6W-15220

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when in late 2023 phase one of the medium-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will begin.

Transport Scotland is currently developing a detailed programme and procurement strategy to deliver the improvements to the Old Military Road as quickly as possible. It is expected that these works will be carried out on a phased basis starting later this year. Once this work is complete I will share with the A83 Taskforce the estimated timescale for delivering Phase 1 of the medium-term solution. I share the urgency communities and businesses place in maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route, and remain absolutely committed to ensuring continuity of access to Argyll and Bute so that the region remains open for business.

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