- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered increasing the budget allocated to the Future Farming Investment Scheme in the event that it is oversubscribed.
Answer
The First Minister announced on 7 February that around £14 million will be allocated to delivering the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS). Despite the current constraints on the Scottish Budget, given the significant level of demand for the scheme, the possibility of allocating additional funding to the scheme is being considered.
In the wider financial context, FFIS is but one way in which the Scottish Government is supporting farmers and crofters deliver sustainable and regenerative agriculture. The 2025-26 budget allocates more than £665 million for the purpose of supporting farmers, land managers, rural communities and rural businesses. In contrast with the rest of the UK, the Scottish Government continues to provide farmers and crofters with reformed direct payments to support sustainable food production.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when applicants to the Future Farming Investment Scheme will be informed whether their application has been approved.
Answer
There has been a significant and welcome interest in the Future Farming Investment Scheme. Applications received are currently being considered and applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as practicably possible after assessment has been undertaken.
Once a grant offer has been made, successful applicants will have 14 days to accept the terms and conditions of their offer. After acceptance, payments will be issued within 30 days. Applicants will have nine months from being made the Offer of Grant to purchase all items listed in part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Offer of Grant letter and provide evidence of the investment to the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (SGRPID).
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications it received to the Future Farming Investment Scheme in 2025.
Answer
There has been significant interest from the agriculture sector in the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS). 7,584 applications have been received, demonstrating the strong commitment of Scotland’s farmers and crofters to support key outcomes, from reducing emissions to supporting nature restoration.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how the £2 million investment in Discretionary Housing Payments will be allocated, and what criteria will be used to determine eligibility for support in accessing settled homes in the private rented sector.
Answer
The investment in discretionary housing payments (DHPs) announced as part of the Housing Emergency Action Plan on 2 September will be made available to local authorities experiencing the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures via a distribution methodology agreed with COSLA.
This further DHPs will target eligible households in temporary accommodation who are interested in a settled home in the private rented sector but who are concerned about affordability. Local authorities will use DHPs to cover any shortfall between the housing benefit people receive – determined by the UK local housing allowance (LHA) rates – and the actual cost of private rent.
While this additional £2 million investment will be targeted at households in temporary accommodation, local authorities retain discretion to support other households facing shortfalls between their rent and LHA rates. Many local authorities already use this flexibility to help people secure and sustain tenancies in the private rented sector, spending £3.1 million in 2024-25.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its policy is on issuing multiple parliamentary security passes to individuals who identify as having more than one gender identity.
Answer
We can confirm that security passes are not issued on the basis of gender identity. Our pass management system records the details necessary to ensure safe and secure access to the Parliament estate and gender identity is not a factor in the issuing of passes.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that an estimated 27% of state pension
age people in Glasgow are not aware of Pension Credit and an estimated
£30,263,573 goes unclaimed annually by 13,377 pensioners, what measures it can
take to communicate directly with state pension age people to encourage maximum
uptake of all relevant social security benefits they are entitled to.
Answer
The DWP is ultimately responsible for increasing take-up of Pension Credit. Despite this, through our Benefit Take-Up Strategy, of which there is no UK Government equivalent, we continue to tackle barriers to take-up and explore opportunities to raise awareness of this payment to people in Scotland. For example, Social Security Scotland have shared content on Pension Credit, via social media, and information is included in posts where entitlement is relevant to a devolved payment.
When promoting devolved entitlements, like Pension Age Disability Payment, we have engaged with older disabled people in communities to raise awareness of this benefit. In addition, most people will not need to apply for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment this winter, as most payments will be made automatically, ensuring take-up remains high.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Programme for Government commitment to consult on modernising Scotland’s compulsory purchase system.
Answer
I am pleased to announce that we have today published a consultation on a comprehensive package of proposals to modernise compulsory purchase in Scotland, to make it simpler, more streamlined and fairer for all parties. The publication of this consultation, which was a Programme for Government commitment, marks an important step towards the wholesale reform that many stakeholders have been calling for.
Compulsory purchase orders are a powerful tool which can help to deliver a wide range of projects, from major infrastructure developments to bringing empty homes and vacant land back into use. However, the legislation is complex and out of date, which can discourage public bodies from using it. The reform programme aims to overhaul the system so that it can fulfil its potential to drive change, as well as being fairer and more transparent for those whose property is affected. Following commitments given to parliament earlier this year, the consultation also includes some questions on compulsory sale orders and compulsory lease orders.
The consultation is available on the Scottish Government website and is open until 19 December.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, in what areas it plans for NHS boards to make savings in order to achieve its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.
Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider with the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).
The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer (AO). They are responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, this includes decisions regarding areas in which to make savings, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, whether any areas of NHS board spend will be protected from its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.
Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider within the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).
The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer, responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected. However, Scottish Government are consistently clear that NHS Board savings should be sensible, proportionate, and minimise the impact on frontline services.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, what the total projected savings are from its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”, in the financial year (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28, (d) 2028-29 and (e) 2029-30.
Answer
NHS Boards continue to work towards to 3% recurring savings target in 2025-26, and Scottish Government officials continue to work with all NHS Boards to enable savings where appropriate. Whilst the 3% recurring savings target is expected to continue, the level of savings required will depend on the budget settlement in each year.