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-28338

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce planning regulations that would allow local authorities to adopt proportionate practices to ensure that the planning system actively supports the delivery of new homes by SMEs.

There is no current plan to bring forward regulations, however the Scottish Government has established a short life working group to encourage a proportionate approach to assessments required for planning applications. An initial scoping meeting, held on 25 June and hosted by the Chief Planner, has set out the group’s intention to use feedback from practitioners and authorities to identify priority areas for improvement and opportunities for increased proportionality and streamlining.

The Scottish Government is engaging with Homes for Scotland and the housebuilding industry relating to the findings of their recent work on SME housebuilders, and is also currently making arrangements for a discussion with SME housebuilders to consider how their experience of the planning system can be better supported.

Question reference: S6W-28337

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to enhance the viability of sites available to SMEs for housebuilding, in order to help reduce costs and increase the certainty required to deliver more homes.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Planner and I published a letter to stakeholders on 27 June 2024 regarding planning for housing. It provides further clarification on the implementation of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and specifically policy 16 Quality Homes, and emphasises the need for positive and constructive collaboration across sectors to support delivery. The letter outlines actions to be jointly progressed, including a discussion with SME housebuilders on how their experiences of the planning system can be better supported. We are also engaging with Homes for Scotland and the housebuilding industry relating to the findings of their recent work on SME housebuilders.

The Scottish Government has established a short life working group to encourage a proportionate approach to assessments required for planning applications. The initial scoping meeting, held on 25 June and hosted by the Chief Planner, has set out the group’s intention to use feedback from practitioners and authorities to identify priority areas for improvement and opportunities for increased proportionality and streamlining.

Scottish Government guidance on preparing Local Development Plans clearly states that providing land across a range of scales of sites and locations will enable the ambitious approach for new homes outlined in NPF4, encouraging local authorities to do so.

Scottish Government guidance on planning obligations recognises the potential financial consequences for developers, including SMEs. It makes clear that in negotiating obligations, consideration should be given to the economic viability of proposals and alternative solutions should be considered alongside options of phasing or staging payments.

Question reference: S6W-28297

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the national housing emergency, whether it plans to review the planning and consenting system, in order to increase the scale and pace of development across all tenures.

The planning system in Scotland has undergone significant reform in recent years with the introduction of new legislation, policy and guidance. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 made changes to development planning and consenting regimes to strengthen decision making and enable the delivery of high-quality development. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was published in February 2023, following extensive public and Parliamentary consultation and scrutiny. NPF4 Policy 16, Quality Homes, takes an all tenure approach to supporting more quality homes, emphasising delivery and the plan-led approach.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Planner and I published a letter to stakeholders on 27 June 2024, providing further clarification on implementation of NPF4 and policy 16 Quality Homes, and emphasising the need for positive and constructive collaboration across sectors to support delivery.

Following our recent public consultation on Investing in Planning, we are working with partners to progress a range of actions to increase the capacity and improve the performance of planning services. Key actions will be set out in due course.

Question reference: S6W-28418

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to align its fair funding principles with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) definition of fair funding, which is defined as "a long-term, flexible, sustainable, and accessible approach to funding".

Question reference: S6W-28422

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to adopt the 360 Giving Standard by publishing awards to the 360 Giving data standard, such as recipient name, organisation and charity number.

Question reference: S6W-28420

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to introduce multi-year funding for the voluntary sector across all Scottish Government departments.

Question reference: S6W-28421

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish transparent (a) delivery goals, (b) timelines and (c) accountability mechanisms to ensure that progress on fairer funding can be scrutinised by the (i) voluntary sector and (ii) Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-28419

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to (a) review and (b) upgrade grant funding systems for third sector organisations, including whether it plans to create a framework for regular re-evaluation that would ensure (i) timely decision-making communication and (ii) payments by no later than the end of the financial year.

Question reference: S6W-28423

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to (a) include all third sector spending in its monthly reports and (b) improve categories to ensure that data are accessible and useful.

Question reference: S6W-28425

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish annually its total direct investment in voluntary organisations, broken down by (a) grants and (b) contracts.