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: S5W-00246

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring arrangements are in place to track funeral poverty.

Question reference: S5W-00241

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the basic cost of a funeral.

After recognising the issue of the costs of funerals the Scottish Government commissioned a report into funeral poverty, referred to in S5W-00238 on 14 June 2016 to examine this issue. We are concerned about the costs of funerals and have plans to take this forward with those in the industry. We will also seek to publish a funeral costs plan to tackle issues relating to the affordability of funerals.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-00247

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that social security funeral payments meet the actual cost of a funeral.

Question reference: S5W-00244

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much the funeral payment would be if it had been uprated in line with the (a) retail and (b) consumer price index since 2003.

Question reference: S5W-00242

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the average cost of a funeral.

Question reference: S5W-00237

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the funeral payment in Scotland will be at the same level as that provided by the UK Government.

Question reference: S5W-00238

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of the funeral payment provision for funeral expenses.

We have worked extensively with all those with an interest in the area of the costs of funerals and the adequacy of funeral payments. We commissioned a report on funeral poverty from John Birrell, Chair of the Scottish working Group on Funeral Poverty and Citizens Advice Scotland, and are taking forward the recommendations from that report. That report and the Scottish Governments response was published on 3 February 2016 and can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/fairerscotland/future-powers/Publications.

We have also gathered evidence from academic papers, annually published research on funeral costs, third sector reports and professionals who work with bereaved people. In future, various measures will be established to evaluate the impact of the funeral payment alongside other social security benefits once they are devolved.

Question reference: S5W-00234

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what the level of the Sure Start Maternity Grant would be had it been uprated in line with the (a) retail and (b) consumer price index since 2002.

Question reference: S4O-05642

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how the Forth Road Bridge closure has affected the condition of roads on diversionary routes.

Question reference: S4O-05563

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the judgement by Sheriff V Smith against North Lanarkshire Council in relation to the siting of snack vans near schools.

With a significant number of children choosing to purchase food from nearby outlets during the school day, the food environment around schools has an important role to play in encouraging children and young people to eat a healthy balanced diet.

The Scottish Government strongly encourages local partners, including local authorities, schools, caterers and retailers, to work collaboratively to consider what more they can do to positively influence the food environment outside of schools and better support healthy diets.

This includes sharing best practice between local authorities, working with food vans and other outlets to adopt healthier practices, and encouraging more retailers to participate in the Healthy Living Programme.

A holistic package of guidance, Beyond the School Gates and Better Eating Better Learning, is already available to help local partners develop their plans.