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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: S6W-15127

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much has been spent on providing people with temporary accommodation in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on local authority expenditure on the provision of temporary accommodation to households experiencing homelessness. This information would need to be requested from each local authority directly.

The majority of homelessness funding since 1999 has been provided to local authorities through the annual local government finance settlement, which is £13.2 billion in 2023-24. Local authorities decide how best to use this resource to prevent and respond to homelessness on the basis of local needs and priorities, including the provision of temporary accommodation. This has been supplemented in recent years by £5.5 million from the Scottish Government’s health and housing budgets for the Housing First pathfinder and identifiable resource as follows:

Financial Year	Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans	Homelessness Support
2017-18	£0m	£22.5m
2018-19	£2m	£23.5m
2019-20	£8m	£23.5m
2020-21	£13m [1]	£23.5m
2021-22	£8m	£23.5m
2022-23	£8m	£23.5m
Total	£39m	£140.0m

Looking ahead, a new distribution formula for the £30.5 million Homelessness Prevention Fund has been agreed with COSLA leaders for 2023-24 onwards. The revised formula focuses on local authority activity on homelessness prevention and earlier intervention to better support delivery in advance of the introduction of the new homelessness prevention duties through the 2023 Housing Bill. This will be supplemented by a further £8m support for Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans in 2023-24.

[1] The Scottish Government provided an additional £5 million to local authorities for rapid rehousing transition plans in December 2020 as part of its Winter Plan for Social Protection.

Question reference: S6W-15090

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a more detailed breakdown of where funding will be allocated from the budget line "Climate Action and Just Transition Fund" in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, which is set at £79.5 million.

The Scottish Government is investing £79.5 million, an increase of almost 60% from 2022-23, to deliver climate action through an updated climate change plan and Scottish adaptation programme, a public engagement strategy and community action.

The Scottish Government will provide £50 million in capital and financial transactions to support the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray to accelerate the development of a transformed and decarbonised economy in the region. This increase from 2022-23 is part of the Scottish Government's commitment to spend £500 million over ten years.

The Scottish Government will also continue to influence positive and progressive international climate action investing at least £6m in the Climate Justice Fund.

Question reference: S6W-15215

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme, whether it will consider retroactively applying an exemption to any registered charity or SCIO for the 2022-23 financial year, and for subsequent years, until the current cost of living crisis is under control.

Whilst organisations are encouraged to apply in advance, registered charities and community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) have until 31 March 2023 to apply for the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme for the 2022-23 financial year. If exemption is granted, it will be backdated to 1 April 2022 - provided the criteria of the scheme were met at that time - and any charges will be refunded. The organisation’s income must be below £300,000 to qualify. Exemption will not be granted if:

The organisation holds a permanent alcohol licence to sell alcohol at the premises
the premises is a charity shop or other premises used for the purposes of retailing new or second hand merchandise
the premises operates as a café which is open to the public and operated on a regular basis to generate income
the organisation is a local council or an Arms-Length External Organisation (ALEO) which can be used by councils to deliver services

Question reference: S6W-15089

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when work will begin on developing the Investment Plan outlined in its publication, Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045, Tackling the Nature Emergency in Scotland, and when it anticipates this work will conclude.

Question reference: S6W-15385

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the status will be of legally protected sites for nature, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), that fall wholly or partially within the outer 45km boundaries of Scotland’s two Green Freeports, the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport.

Question reference: S6W-15337

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the Health and Safety Executive on issues of workplace bullying.

As health and safety legislation is reserved we regularly cooperate with the Health and Safety Executive to promote workplace safety. This includes using our devolved healthcare powers to promote and support safety in the workplace, our Fair and Healthy Work for All Strategy, and continuing to represent the opinion of the Scottish Government on worker safety to the HSE.

The Scottish Government believes that bullying and harassment of any worker, under any circumstances, is unacceptable. Everyone has the right to go to work without fear of intimidation. We endorse the Fair Work Convention's Fair Work Framework and agree that every worker, regardless of status or position, should be treated fairly

Question reference: S6W-15052

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to develop the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG).

The Initial Plan Framework for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas decarbonisation (INTOG) was published on 22 February 2022 and set the parameters used by Crown Estate Scotland to shape their leasing process.

Following the closure of the INTOG lease application window on 18 November 2022, the Marine Scotland Directorate is undertaking assessments to understand the potential impact from proposed INTOG projects on the marine environment and other marine sectors which will inform the development the draft Sectoral Marine Plan for INTOG. Public consultation on the draft plan is targeted for later in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-15623

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6T-01244

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Loganair and Highlands and Islands Airports regarding the suspension of many island flights from 17 March.

Question reference: S6T-01225

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that small shops in Scotland fear they cannot survive because of the costs and impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme, what its position is on Circularity Scotland’s confirmation on 1 March that retailers who use Reverse Vending Machines would have to wait one month for payment for returned bottles, rather than the previously expected seven days.