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-22596

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, what work has been undertaken to provide for exemption schemes for people providing personal care for a family member.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22413

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to guarantee that the energy costs of NHS treatments provided within the home, such as home dialysis, do not fall to patients.

The Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care budget is facing unprecedented pressures as we address the backlog in care and deliver the recovery and renewal of NHS services. We are also facing the most difficult financial situation since devolution, with the lingering effects of austerity, Brexit and the pandemic combining with high inflation and war in Ukraine to place extreme pressure on public finances.

Within these constraints we are committed to providing assistance with electricity costs associated with life-saving at-home equipment where possible.

Patients using home oxygen concentrators are fully reimbursed for the energy costs for running the equipment. This is managed through a national contract which includes a regular review of price changes and any adjustment required.

Please see answer to question S6W-22410 on 7 November 2023 with relation to home dialysis equipment.

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-22410

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Kidney Care UK publication, Home Dialysis Energy Reimbursement in Scotland, whether it will undertake an assessment of the equity of patient access to home dialysis reimbursement schemes for chronic kidney disease across NHS boards.

We are acutely aware that energy consumers, and especially consumers that receive treatment at home, are feeling the impacts of recent price hikes in the cost of electricity. We are aware of a variation in practice surrounding reimbursement policies for electricity costs relating to home dialysis. We are working with health boards to understand how best to achieve national consistency so that patients undergoing home dialysis are protected from the impact of high electricity prices, wherever they live.

Question reference: S6W-22409

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of people in energy arrears who are undergoing high energy use intensity NHS treatment at home.

Question reference: S6F-02510

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government is offering to NHS Lothian to contact the parents and guardians of the over 23,000 children who reportedly may have received substandard testing to identify deafness, including support to identify any other young children who have not received the required standard of auditory brainstem response testing.

Question reference: S6W-22090

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided for town centre regeneration in each year since 1999.

The Scottish Government has a long history of providing support for town centre regeneration and continues to provide a strong policy framework, with clear priorities and actions to help facilitate and deliver change. This includes our world leading Town Centre First Principle, which was first developed in Scotland.

Our regeneration strategy published in 2011 reflects our support for town centres as a central part of community life and as the backbone of Scotland’s economy. We further strengthened our ambitions for town centres through the Town Centre Action Plan in 2013 and re-affirmed our commitment in collaboration with COSLA for the Town Centre Action Plan 2 published in April 2022. TCAP 2 is a call to action and sets out some of the ways in which we can all seek to do our part, locally and nationally.

The Scottish Government supports Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) as the ‘go to’ body for town centre advice and support. STP works collaboratively with the Scottish Government, local authorities, and other stakeholder groups on engagement, implementation, and delivery of short and long-term town centre strategies.

Town centre regeneration in Scotland has also been backed by multiple investment programmes. Our Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) established in 2021/22, backed with over £300m over 5 years makes an important contribution to supporting ambitions for place, community regeneration, town centres and 20-minute neighbourhoods. PBIP is also complemented by the low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) and Regeneration and Capital Grant Fund (RGCF), now in its tenth year. Information on the RCGF funding awarded is publicly available.

Though by no means exhaustive, previous programmes that have supported town centre regeneration since 1999 also include:

The Town Centre Regeneration Fund	2009-2015	£60m
The Town Centre Housing Fund	2013-2014	£2.7m
The Town Centre Empty Homes Fund	2015	£4m
Town Centre Communities Capital Fund	2015	£1.7m
Towards Affordable Town Housing	2015	£6.75m
The Town Centre Fund	2019-2021	£68m

Question reference: S6W-22411

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the feasibility of introducing a special tariff for high energy use intensity for patients, such as those on dialysis, who receive treatment in their home.

I recently chaired a series of meetings of a Priority (previously known as Vulnerable) Energy Consumers Working Group to consider the key principles and practicalities of delivering a social energy tariff. The work of the group has informed the Scottish Government’s representation to the UK Government ahead of its Autumn Statement. We are continuing to call for additional and meaningful support to be delivered to those who need it the most including the urgent introduction of a social tariff mechanism.

In addition, I have met with the UK Government Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability three times and advocated for a social tariff targeted at consumers living under vulnerable circumstances, including high energy users that use medical equipment at home.

Question reference: S6W-22095

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many councillors have been reported for a breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors in each local authority in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-22412

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on any work it has undertaken to ensure that all energy companies in Scotland are signed up to Energy UK’s Vulnerability Commitment.

While the Scottish Government has not sought confirmation from energy companies relating explicitly to Energy UK’s vulnerability commitment, I have written to all major suppliers raising concerns regarding consumer protection and fuel poverty levels. With energy prices remaining significantly higher than two years ago, we have called upon all suppliers to take meaningful action to better support those consumers who need help the most. Continued engagement with suppliers has highlighted the measures they are taking to improve customer service standards and support for consumers who are struggling to pay their bills. I also recently chaired three working groups, all of which Energy UK was a member. While these groups were short-lived, members continue to progress collaborative actions to support consumers across Scotland including working with Energy UK, Ofgem and energy companies.

Question reference: S6W-22093

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what range of benefits or grants are available to assist people with sight loss to live independently at home, including aids, equipment and adaptations.

An individual with sight loss may receive Child and Adult Disability Payment to help mitigate the costs they incur as a result of a disability or long term condition. This means individuals can use it to pay for things such as care, access to community resources, transport, social activities, and any other goods or services of their choosing, including aids or equipment.

Additionally, grant funding is available from Local Authorities, to homeowners and private tenants who require significant changes to the structure of their home. When adaptations are identified as necessary, grant funding will be provided to cover between 80% to 100% of the total costs. Where adaptations are not covered by 100% grant funding, local authorities have a duty to provide assistance to the individual. This can be given in the form of advice, guidance or practical help.