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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-07464

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the view in its 2021 Fuel Poverty Strategy that energy price increases since 2017 will have increased the number of households in fuel poverty, what it now estimates the true number of fuel poor households in Scotland to currently be.

The Scottish Government have used the data from the 2019 Scottish House Condition Survey to estimate the likely impact of energy price increases since 2019 on fuel poverty. This has been done by increasing modelled fuel bills in line with increases in the Ofgem price cap for the average dual fuel bill. This was based on an increase of 71% over the weighted average price caps in 2019 of £1,170 to an anticipated price cap of £2,000 in April 2022.

The analysis indicates that between 807,000 (32.3%) and 831,000 households (33.3%) could now be in fuel poverty as a result of the April 2022 price cap.

The analysis accounts for the mitigations announced by the Scottish and UK Governments in response to the April 2022 price cap increase, namely the UK Government’s £200 energy bill rebate and the Scottish Government’s £150 council tax credit for those in council tax bands A to D or in receipt of council tax reduction. The range provided depends on whether the Scottish Government’s £150 council tax credit is treated as a reduction to fuel bills or an increase in incomes, which are calculated differently within the fuel poverty definition.

Question reference: S6W-07466

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many Test and Protect staff have been employed since the start of the pandemic, broken down by the number recruited by (a) the Scottish Government and (b) external contractors; how many staff are currently employed, and how many staff are expected to be employed on 1 June 2022.

Whilst the Scottish Government is provided with management information on the scheduled capacity of the contact tracing element of Test and Protect only, the management of the workforce including all recruitment to the Test and Protect service throughout the pandemic has been managed by individual employers, not the Scottish Government directly.

External contractors who have supported the Test and Protect system consist of: those who have supplemented the core and fixed-term workforce and have been recruited by NHS National Services Scotland for the National Contact Centre; and those appointed by the UK Government to support contracts associated with testing. The Scottish Government was not directly involved in the process to recruit or manage either of these groups of contractors and therefore does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government is actively working with NHS Health Boards, Local Authorities and private employers to understand the exact current number of staff employed across Test and Protect which at the moment is more than 7,000. This exercise will allow us to ensure we maximise our support to each individual member of staff to sustain employment with their current employer to have access to support to move to other opportunities across the public or private sector.

In line with the timescales set out in the Test and Protect Transition Plan published on 15 March, we are in the process of engaging across the Test and Protect system to identify future resource needs.

Question reference: S6W-07381

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much debt per citizen each local authority currently has.

Data on local authority debt are published as part of the annual Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics (SLGFS). The latest available data is from SLGFS 2020-21 which was published on 22 March 2022. Figures on General Fund debt by local authority at 31 March 2021, including figures per person, are provided in Table F of the 'Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics (SLGFS) 2020-21 - Additional Analysis - Capital' supporting excel file which can be downloaded at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-local-government-finance-statistics-slgfs-2020-21/documents/ .

Question reference: S6W-07367

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) repeat applications have been made for Child Disability Payment and (b) have been rejected on this basis.

Question reference: S6W-07435

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding a lifetime commitment to thalidomide health grants and support beyond 2023.

Question reference: S6W-07372

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity have had with other ministers regarding revaluation of council tax bands.

Question reference: S6F-00984

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on what the £10 million Long COVID Support Fund has been allocated for and how much has been spent.

Question reference: S6F-00968

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government anticipates the impact will be of the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land, which will launch on 1 April.

Question reference: S6F-00962

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what immediate safeguarding measures will be in place to ensure that arrivals from Ukraine are protected from organised criminal activity, human trafficking and exploitation.

Question reference: S6F-00958

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what immediate improvements the Scottish Government plans to deliver for passengers when it takes control of ScotRail on 1 April.