Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-06033

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Glasgow City Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06041

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Perth and Kinross Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06025

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of East Lothian Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06051

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address any pay disparities that exist for social workers in different local authorities, including differences in starting salaries.

The Scottish Government is aware of variations in social worker pay across different local authorities, both at recruitment stage and throughout their careers. Social workers primarily practice within, and are employed by local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for setting the terms and conditions and pay rates for the social workers they employ and this results in difference. One of the ambitions of the National Care Service (NCS) is to address this issue.

The Government proposals included within the NCS consultation would create a National Social Work Agency which would have oversight of pay and grading for social workers within a national framework. The consultation has concluded and Government decisions will be announced shortly.

Question reference: S6W-06017

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Argyll and Bute Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06042

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Renfrewshire Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06039

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of North Lanarkshire Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06716

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many children in the (a) North Ayrshire, (b) Inverclyde, (c) Renfrewshire, (d) East Renfrewshire, (e) West Dunbartonshire and (f) East Dunbartonshire local authority area are eligible to receive a free bicycle, and, of those, how many (i) have received and (ii) are yet to receive a free bicycle.

We do not have the information requested as we are still in the test phase of this programme which will help establish eligibility. In this government’s first 100 days, we established six pilot schemes to provide free bikes for school age children who cannot afford one. A further four pilots were then established by the end of 2021. These pilots will run for up to 12 months, testing different approaches and delivery models to help inform a national rollout. Scottish Cycling are running a pilot in North Ayrshire and Cycling Scotland are running a pilot in Renfrewshire. Within these pilots access is being provided through training provision rather than ownership models. For that reason we do not have the specific number of bikes issued, but training is wide spread.

Question reference: S6W-06713

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that a short-term holiday let is not of an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C or better by the required date in 2025, whether it is required to immediately cease being offered as a short-term holiday let or any other tenancy, and what penalty will be applied in the event that the lessor continues to market the property as a short-term holiday let or other type of tenancy.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce, subject to consultation, regulations requiring Scotland’s homes to meet EPC Band C equivalent, where that is technically feasible and cost effective from 2025 onwards, with a range of backstop dates from 2028 to 2033. We plan to consult during 2022 on our proposals for such regulations, and this will include details of any exemptions, definitions of properties in scope, and matters relating to compliance.

Question reference: S6W-06596

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that everyone with a learning disability has access to clear and understandable information about the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme, including the provision of easy read information.

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