Chamber and committees

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-06621

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs that it anticipates to cover with the £20.4 million that it has committed to provide over the next four years for the advocacy service, which will be provided by VoiceAbility.

Question reference: S6W-06622

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the new VoiceAbility head office to open in Glasgow.

VoiceAbility has signed an agreement for premises on Bath St in Glasgow to house their Scottish HQ and bespoke training centre. This has been open and available since 1 March 2022. The premises will not be permanently staffed and will be used when required for training events and face-to-face meetings with clients.

This approach is consistent with VoiceAbility’s delivery model which is built around home-based staff and an existing network of accessible co-location venues in local communities, which allows them to reduce the cost of their service whilst being flexible and responsive to fluctuating demand.

Question reference: S6W-06623

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs due to be created within VoiceAbility will be based in the new head office in Glasgow.

VoiceAbility has recruited 16 advocates to date and have a further 15 on reserve from the recruitment process. VoiceAbility will create up to 100 new roles in Scotland, and will continue to recruit as the demand for the service increases.

As highlighted in the response to S6W-06622 on 11 March 2022, there will be no staff permanently based at VoiceAbility’s Glasgow premises. Instead staff will be home-based in every NHS area – ensuring national coverage and reducing costs, whilst also being flexible and responsive to fluctuating demand.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-06435

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 130 Child Disability Payment applications, which did not exceed the six-week timeframe, did not progress to stage two, and what the reasons were for this.

The statistics that Social Security Scotland publish on Child Disability Payment applications are a snapshot in time. The high level statistics from the 26 July to 21 November 2021 show only part 2 application forms that were registered up until the 21 November.

Applications without a part two registered by the snapshot date can be due to applicants still being within the six-week time period following completion of a part 1 application, and a part 2 may be registered after this snapshot date. In such instances, part 2 applications will be reported in subsequent statistics publications and will still have the opportunity to progress. Those applications where a part 2 application is not submitted may be as a result of repeat applications or the applicant already being in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for Children.

Question reference: S6W-06777

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported global manufacturing slowdown as a result of COVID-19, what action it is taking to mitigate any delays in the construction of accessible social housing, in order to ensure that disabled and older people have access to suitable properties.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the construction sector, through the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF), to assess shortages of both materials and labour facing parts of the construction sector, including the manufacturing slowdown, and continue to be advised of developments in this regard.

We continue to work closely with our social and affordable housing delivery partners and to monitor progress on a project by project basis across the country through our network of area teams. This is a constantly changing position and we are working together to deliver warm affordable homes for the people who need them, including accessible social housing for disabled and older people, as quickly as it is possible to do so, and to make full use of the £3.6 billion five-year funding already secured to support the delivery of social and affordable housing across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06776

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any delays within the construction industry in (a) general and (b) relation to (i) workforce and (ii) material shortages, and what action it is taking to mitigate the impact of any delays on the construction of social housing.

We set up a short life working group and worked at pace with industry to examine where the immediate shortages were most acute and to identify opportunities to remove barriers and build capacity within Scotland. A letter summarising the key findings from the Materials Shortage Working Group’s work was sent to the Economy and Fair Work committee on 25 January 2022 and has been published on the Scottish Parliament website. Details of this letter can be found in the following link:

Construction Materials Shortages Working Group | Scottish Parliament Website

Our Construction Recovery Plan , published in October 2020, recognises the importance of local supply chains and the use of sustainable materials to build necessary resilience in supply. Actions in the Plan are focussed on the development of our supply chains to maximise local economic and community benefits and are being driven forward by the Supply Chain Subgroup of the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF). The Plan also identifies short, medium and long term actions in relations to skills and workforce.

An online Construction Directory is due to be launched this year. This will help businesses make connections to Scottish suppliers.

More widely, our Supply Chains Development Programme is identifying opportunities to strengthen domestic supply chains, improve resilience, support net zero ambitions and help grow the Scottish economy.

We continue to work closely with our social and affordable housing delivery partners and to monitor progress on a project by project basis across the country through our network of area teams. This is a constantly changing position and we are working together to deliver warm affordable homes for the people who need them as quickly as it is possible to do so and to make full use of the £3.6 billion five-year funding already secured to support the delivery of social and affordable housing across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06436

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any instances of Child Disability Payment applications not progressing as a result of staff error.

Question reference: S6W-06437

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what potential risks it has identified of underestimating the cost of the Adult Disability Payment.

The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Fiscal Commission to provide the data and information necessary to inform their forecasts.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission outlined the uncertainties of forecasting Adult Disability Payment in their August 2021 publication, which can be found at https://www.fiscalcommission.scot/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Scotlands-Economic-and-Fiscal-Forecasts-August-2021-Full-Report-Revised-October-2021.pdf . This includes a detailed sensitivity analysis and a description of the Adult Disability Payment forecast uncertainty.

The accuracy of these forecasts are reviewed and updated throughout each forecasting process, using the latest data and developments. The Scottish Government will continue to mitigate risks through taking a responsible and capable approach to Scotland’s finances.

Question reference: S6W-06434

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish information on the reasons for Child Disability Payment applications not proceeding to stage two of the application process.

Social Security Scotland does not intend to routinely publish information on the reasons for Child Disability Payment applications not proceeding to part two of the application process.

Applicants have six weeks from the completion of part 1 of the Child Disability Payment form to complete part 2 of the application. There are various reasons why a part 2 application form may not be registered for Child Disability Payment applications. These can include where applicants make repeat applications whilst awaiting a decision or where applicants are already in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for Children.

Question reference: S6O-00864

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report on misogyny and criminal justice in Scotland, published on International Women’s Day, which calls for a Misogyny Bill for Scotland.