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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-06959

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional funding will be made available to help the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in its response to the climate emergency, and, if so, how much funding will be made available.

The Scottish Government has increased the funding for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) by £9.5 million for 2022-23. The Grant In Aid provided to SFRS is not allocated for specific purposes, it is an operational matter for SFRS to decide how the resources should best be used to keep communities safe.

Over the last two years SFRS has received £3.4 million in Grants from Transport Scotland and the Energy Savings Trust, to invest in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to assist in the transfer to a low carbon light fleet. SFRS also received additional Capital Budget of £0.5 million from Transport Scotland in 2021-22, to invest in a low carbon fire appliance proto-type.

Question reference: S6W-06958

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates that it will cost to ensure that all fire station buildings are in a good standard of repair.

Question reference: S6W-06954

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the recruitment of (a) permanent full-time uniformed and (b) retained staff in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S6W-06895

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the provisions in the UK Building Safety Bill that apply to Scotland will be enacted through a statutory instrument in the Scottish Parliament, and, if so, what it anticipates the potential impact will be on the built environment in Scotland.

The UK Building Safety Bill introduces fundamental changes to the Building and Fire Safety regime for high rise buildings in England. Part five of the Bill includes provision for a New Homes Ombudsman scheme, the aim of which is to drive up standards in housebuilding and to independently resolve disputes between developers and purchasers where there is an issue concerning the quality of a new-build home.

The provisions would confer a regulation making power on Scottish Ministers to be able to add an additional descriptor of developers who would be required to join the scheme. Other aspects of the scheme are to be established by the Secretary of State either administratively or by regulations. The provisions require that Scottish Ministers are consulted on the main aspects of the scheme before they are taken forward, in order to ensure it is tailored to suit Scottish needs, culture and practice.

Whilst housing is a devolved matter, reservations apply to consumer protection and there may be matters which cannot be entirely addressed in a Scottish system. The Scottish Government wants to ensure that protections offered to buyers of new-build homes in Scotland can also take account of relevant consumer protection requirements.

The extension of the New Homes Ombudsman scheme to Scotland is subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-06950

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional budget has been allocated to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for the coming years.

Question reference: S6W-06949

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken following the rejection of the pay proposal for firefighters in 2019-20, whether an increase in pay for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service staff will be considered, and if so, when this will be implemented.

Question reference: S6W-06960

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any reduced crewing levels on fire appliances responding to fires.

Question reference: S6W-07089

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding (a) it allocated to and (b) was distributed to successful grant applicants from the Croft House Grant scheme in each year from 2016 to 2022.

Financial Year	Budget Allocation	Funding Distributed (£)
2016-17	£1.4m	679,568
2017-18	£2m	1,079,466
2018-19	£1.9m	1,272,058
2019-20	£1.9m	1,183,846
2020-21	£1.9m	1,123,231
2021-22 *	£1.9m	886,120

* As at 8 March 2022.

Funding under the Croft House Grant is provided retrospectively in up to three stages. For this reason, funding committed in any financial year can be claimed by applicants and paid in both the current and following 2-3 financial years. An underspend in any given year is more indicative of agreed grants not being wholly or partially drawn down in the year they were agreed.

Question reference: S6W-07023

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many Ukrainian students are estimated to be studying in Scotland and what support is being offered to them, in light of current international events.

In 2020-21, based on recorded nationality, there were around 125 Ukrainian students at university and 45 Ukrainian students at college. However, further students will have close links of family members affected by the current crisis and we want to support them as well.

We are continuing to engage with the sector to identify the likely impact on students studying at Scottish institutions. I met with University and College principals on 2 March to learn more about how they are responding to support students who may be affected by the situation and to understand some of the wider concerns they may have.

Ukrainian and other international students are already able to access a Coronavirus Fund put in place by Scottish Government to support students financially impacted by the pandemic. Scottish Government officials are also currently considering what additional support can be offered to students impacted by the conflict who are studying in Scotland.

We are also conscious of the impact of the ongoing situation on student mental health and wellbeing and welcome Universities Scotland’s ‘Statement of Solidarity with Ukraine’.

Students experiencing mental health and wellbeing or hardship issues, should, in the first instance, contact their respective institutions. Further mental health and wellbeing and finance advice is also available on the Student Information Scotland website.

Question reference: S6W-07055

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the name is of the new cladding stakeholder group that it has formed with industry representatives and a homeowner representative; how frequently it meets; on what dates it has met; what its full remit is; what its full membership is, and where the minutes of its minutes can be accessed.

The Cladding Stakeholder Group was formed in June 2021 and meets monthly. The Group provides a forum for discussion, partnership working, continuous improvement and constructive challenge to support the Single Building Assessment and Cladding Remediation programme. Membership reflects the interests of homeowners as well as the finance, insurance, home building and professional advice sectors. Under its terms of reference, material generated by the Group should remain confidential.

Meeting Dates 2021-22

30 June

19 August

15 September

20 October

17 November

15 December

19 January

16 February