- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 12 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24279 by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019, what the timeframe is for introducing standards for temporary accommodation.
Answer
When temporary accommodation is needed, it is important that it is of good quality. A consultation on improving temporary accommodation standards has recently closed and we are currently undertaking analysis of the responses. We will set out later this year our next steps in developing a legally enforceable standards framework. In the meantime we will include new advisory standards for temporary accommodation in the refreshed Code of Guidance due to be published in November.
We also announced on 3 September in the Programme for Government, that we will legislate to extend the Unsuitable Accommodation Order to all households experiencing homelessness this parliamentary year and that the Order will come into force this parliamentary term, by May 2021.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to improve the Glasgow-East Kilbride train line.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2019
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish a national development plan for crofting.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2019
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, for what reason there has been a 3% increase in homeless applications since 2017-18.
Answer
The reason for the increase in homeless applications during 2018-19 compared to 2017-18 is unclear. There is a mixed picture across Scotland, with seventeen local authorities seeing a decrease in the number of homeless applications received and fifteen local authorities seeing an increase. Those that have seen the largest increases are Glasgow City, Fife, North Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.
The causes of homelessness can often be complex and not the result of a single incident or event. During 2018-19 the most common main reason for submitting a homeless application was being asked to leave (25%), followed by dispute within household: non-violent (18%) and dispute within household: violent or abusive (13%). These three categories have remained the main reasons for making a homeless application for the past 6 years. During 2018-19, 67% of applicants cited additional reasons for applying, the proportion of applicants reporting additional reasons for making a homeless application has increased from 49% in 2013-14, indicating that more households are experiencing more complex scenarios which lead to homelessness.
Other factors such as welfare reform, increased awareness and better signposting of assistance available may also have an impact on the number of applications received.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to the increase in homeless applicants who are veterans, and what the reasons are for this increase.
Answer
While over the last 10 years (2008-2009 to 2018-2019), there has been a 49% decrease in homelessness applications made by people formerly in the armed services, the 8 % increase in the most recent statistics published on the 26 th of June is disappointing.
We are not sure of the reasons for the increase in recent applications. It therefore serves as a reminder why tackling and preventing homelessness is a key priority for the Scottish Government. Our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, published in November, will transform how those at risk of homelessness receive help, this includes our commitment to developing a pathway to prevent homelessness for people with experience of the armed services.
As part of this work we will look to understand the reasons for the increase in recent applications by working with the Armed Forces community, while developing a prevention pathway for people with experience of the armed forces. We expect this work to complete next year.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication if its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics, how it is engaging with the City of Edinburgh Council given that it accounts for 69% of breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order in 2018-19.
Answer
Following the publication of our biannual homelessness statistics in January I wrote to City of Edinburgh Council about their breaches of the Order and subsequently met with them to discuss the circumstances around the breaches and the plans they have in place to ensure that unsuitable accommodation is not used going forward. I have written again to them following the publication of the full year statistics and requested a further meeting to discuss the progress they have made and explore what further they can do to ensure breaches do not occur again.
We launched a consultation on improving Temporary Accommodation Standards on 22 May which seeks views on extending the Unsuitable Accommodation Order to all homeless households. The consultation asks questions on whether sanctions should be introduced when local authorities breach the order.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what its response is to the increase in homeless applicants who are care leavers, and what the reasons are for this increase.
Answer
While the number of homelessness applications from applicants formerly looked after by the Local Authority in Scotland has decreased by 45% over the last 10 years (2008-2009 to 2018-2019), the 4% increase in the most recent statistics published on 26 June is disappointing.
We are not sure of the reasons for the increase in recent applications. It therefore serves as a reminder why tackling and preventing homelessness is a key priority for the Scottish Government. Our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, published in November, includes our commitment to developing a pathway to prevent homelessness for people with experience of care.
As part of this work we will look to understand the reasons for the increase in recent applications by working with CELCIS to develop an improved pathway to prevent homelessness for people with experience of care. We expect this work to complete by the end of the year.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 statistics on 26 June 2019, what action it is taking to address the increase in the average length of time a household spends in temporary accommodation, from 175 to 180 days in the last year.
Answer
While temporary accommodation provides an important safety net in emergency situations, we want the time anyone has to spend there to be as short as possible. That is why we have agreed jointly with COSLA to support local authorities to transition to a system of rapid rehousing and Housing First by default, ensuring that people facing homelessness are supported back to a settled home that meets their needs as soon as possible.
When temporary accommodation is needed, it is important that it is of good quality which is why we will introduce standards for temporary accommodation and extend the seven day restriction on time spent in unsuitable temporary accommodation to all people experiencing homelessness.
We are working with all 32 Local Authorities through their Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans which set out how each local authority intends to implement and transition to a rapid rehousing and Housing First approach to reduce the amount of temporary accommodation being used and the length of stay in there. Implementation of these plans began in April 2019 and the Scottish Government has made £24m available to support implementation over the next 3 years.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the current voluntary review of Glasgow City Council’s homelessness provision, whether it will set out the remit of the review and what specifically will be reviewed; which stakeholders will be involved; what the review timeframe is; when the findings will be published, and what plans it has for following these up.
Answer
The final details of the voluntary review into the reasons behind the increased numbers recorded by Glasgow City Council as failing to be offered temporary accommodation are currently being developed by Scottish Government in partnership with Glasgow City Council officials. A first meeting is planned for 2 nd August. The review is not a Scottish Government intervention and findings will be reported to the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership for improvement purposes.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Homelessness in Scotland: 2018 to 2019 homelessness statistics on 26 June 2019, for what reason there has been a 2% increase in the number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness since 2017-18.
Answer
The increase in the number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness since 2017-18, is likely due to the increase in the number of applications over the same period. The number of homeless assessments has increased broadly in line with the number of homeless applications, which increased by 3%. While the number of applicants assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness has increased, the proportion of all assessment decisions assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness has stayed within one percentage point for the last 5 years (82%-83%).
