- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 5 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask Ofgem to provide an estimate of the costs of energy supplier failure in Scotland, including (a) managing the supplier of last resort process, (b) covering the cost of consumer credit balances and (c) unpaid renewables obligations, since January 2018.
Answer
All legislative and regulatory powers regarding electricity and gas markets remain reserved to UK Ministers under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, and, consequently, the Scottish Government does not currently have any devolved powers to direct actions in either market. However, we have a good working relationship with the UK regulator, Ofgem, and seek, within this limited context, to work closely with them and officials and Ministers within the UK Government to ensure that the electricity and gas markets work as well as can be achieved for Scottish consumers and to help Scottish Ministers to address fuel poverty and meet the needs of vulnerable customers. These issues also feature strongly in our ongoing discussions with energy suppliers as we seek to deliver against Scotland’s Energy Strategy.
We are currently considering Ofgem’s ongoing consultation on the Supplier Licensing Review, with a view to identify any further issues that may need to be highlighted as part of the Scottish Government response and wider efforts to ensure the best possible outcomes for Scotland’s energy consumers.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to support the re-establishment of the O2 ABC venue in Glasgow.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what bids it has received from Glasgow City Council, or the local authority's arms length external organisations, for support from the Ending Homelessness Together fund in each year since 2017.
Answer
We have not received any bids for funding from the Ending Homelessness Together Fund, which has been established to support transformation and transition as we deliver the changes set out in the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan.
However, the following table shows funding received by Glasgow City Council from the Ending Homelessness Together Fund since it was established in 2018-19.
Year | Amount | Organisation | Reason |
2018-19 | £301,000 | Glasgow City Council | Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans development |
2019-20 | £1,332,000 | Glasgow City Council | Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans implementation – Year 1 |
In 2018-19, £1.25 m was allocated to Corra Foundation from the Ending Homelessness Together Fund for distribution across the service providers operating in the five Housing First pathfinder sites, which includes Glasgow. A total of up to £6.5 m from the Ending Homelessness Together Fund and the Health Portfolio is being made available for the 3 year Housing First pathfinder programme.
In addition, the Ending Homelessness Together Fund has been used to provide funding to national organisations for Scotland-wide projects, some of which will benefit services in Glasgow.
Funding received for interventions specifically for Glasgow are shown in the following table:
Year | Amount | Organisation | Reason |
2018-19 (April 2018) | £7,500 | Simon Community Scotland | Flexible Emergency Funds* - Glasgow |
2018-19 (Jan 2019) | £21,000 | Simon Community Scotland | Flexible Emergency Funds – Glasgow |
2019-20 (Oct 2019) | £25,000 | Simon Community Scotland | Flexible Emergency Funds – Glasgow |
2019-20 | £140,000 | Simon Community Scotland | Contribution to the Multi-Agency Health, Wellbeing And Home Hub for Glasgow |
2019-20 | £10,000 | Simon Community Scotland | Outreach Contingency Fund to provide extra outreach shift at night on Glasgow and Edinburgh |
*Flexible Emergency Funds are a facility available to frontline outreach staff to act immediately and directly in the interests of the person they are working with to prevent rough sleeping.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of sub-zero temperatures being recorded in the city in November 2019, what its response is to calls for night shelters in Glasgow to open before 1 December.
Answer
As set out in my letter to you dated 27 November, I support the views of organisations across the homelessness sector in Glasgow that this kind of emergency accommodation is not what we should be aspiring to. The third sector organisations working in this sector have been very clear that what is needed is resource and empowerment to work with those who are “hardest to reach” and get them into a settled, mainstream home with support to address their wider needs. That is why planning and working together effectively, across housing partners, the wider third and public sector and involving mental health and addictions services is so important. The shift towards Rapid Rehousing for all homeless households is central to our plans, including Housing First wrap-around support for those with multiple and complex needs. This will ensure that emergency shelter is only ever needed in extreme circumstances.
That said, I welcome the news that, after discussion and weather monitoring by partners, the Glasgow Winter Night Shelter will open on Thursday 28 November, 3 days earlier than scheduled.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help families experiencing in-work poverty.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2019
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Current Status:
Withdrawn
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will enact the provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Bill regarding keeper liability before the Parking Code of Practice is in force.
Answer
The UK-wide Code of Practice, which is being established under the UK (Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, will be a key element supporting the keeper liability provisions within Scotland. To ensure fairness and transparency for motorists we have no intention of enacting those provisions until the Code of Practice is in place. We are continuing our work with our UK counterparts to ensure that Scotland is fully represented in the Code's development.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce its plans for Hate Crime Awareness Week.
Answer
Hate Crime Awareness Week took place across the UK from 12 to 19 October 2019, during which we engaged with key stakeholders to promote and support a broad range of events and activity across Scotland. Myself and the Justice Secretary used the opportunity provided by Hate Crime Awareness Week to reassure communities that there is no place for hate crime or prejudice in Scotland.
We remain committed to taking action to challenge all forms of hated and prejudice and in June 2017, we published an ambitious programme of work. I chair an Action Group with key stakeholders to take this work forward whose identified priorities are on victim support through raising awareness of hate crime and encouraging reporting, as well as working with us to ensure improved data and evidence around hate incidents and crime.
Hate crime is hugely damaging to victims, their families and communities and we all must play our part in challenging it.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what marketing and campaign plans it has for Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019, and whether it plans to repeat the "Dear Haters" letter campaign that covered multiple identity characteristics, which was used in 2018.
Answer
Following our Letters from Scotland campaign in 2018, we are currently working with stakeholders to develop a further hate crime campaign for early next year.
The campaign will focus on encouraging victims and witnesses to report hate crime, making it clear that hate crime and prejudice will not be tolerated in Scotland.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on encouraging the uptake of breast cancer screening.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2019
