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-33099

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what scientific evidence it has used to determine whether socially-distanced and COVID-19-secure group exercise classes are more likely to transmit the virus than individual exercise in large gyms.

Under the current restrictions, indoor exercise classes can proceed in Levels 0, 1 and 2. Outdoor exercise classes can take place in all Levels with up to a maximum of 30 participants with physical distancing. You can find out more information on COVID protection level for each local area and get information on what you can and cannot do at each level here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels/ .

Decisions on what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown are guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making. Proposals are technically assessed using the best available evidence and analysis of their potential benefits and harms to health, the economy, and broader society to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed. This assessment process includes oversight of the assessed health risks in different settings by the Chief Medical Officer and input from the other Chief Clinicians as appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-32911

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in each local authority area are (a) eligible and (b) ineligible for the new contingency funding for (i) nightclubs and (ii) soft play centres that it announced on 27 October 2020; what evidence it received from each council regarding the number of such businesses in their area, and whether it will publish the guidance that it issued to assist them with this.

This first phase of the Contingency Fund is targeted to support Scotland’s soft play and nightclub sectors, which have been unable to reopen since March. The grant is intended and is rationalised as a measure to protect jobs, prevent business closures and promote economic recovery.

The Scottish Government worked with COSLA and SLAED to identify the most appropriate delivery model, and the contingency fund is being administered by Local Authorities. An indicative total of 149 nightclubs and 135 soft plays are expected to receive this grant, with local authorities responsible for finalising the decision on businesses’ eligibility in line with the criteria already set out on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-contingency-fund/pages/contingency-fund-phase-1/ .

The Scottish Government is working closely with COSLA and Local Authorities to deliver the fund, including monitoring arrangements and data will be published in due course

Question reference: S5W-32396

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 2 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £25 million of reserve funding announced on 18 March 2020 from the £350 million of funding for communities during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been allocated and remains in reserve.

The £25 million reserve announced within the Communities funding package has been allocated in full in order to meet increased demand and emerging need. The funding has been allocated as below:

£5 million was allocated to the Third Sector Resilience Fund in order to meet increased demand, awards totalling over £22 million have been made to around 1,300 third sector organisations to stabilise and manage cash flows. Remaining funds will be refocused into the Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme;
£5 million was allocated to the first phase of Connecting Scotland supporting the award of over 7,500 devices to those that are digitally excluded, on a low income and clinically at increased risk from COVID-19;
£15 million was allocated to meet demand for grocery packages distributed to individuals at extreme clinical risk from COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-32051

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's commitment to "providing resources for additional environmental health officers" in her statement on 22 September 2020 (Official Report, c.16), how many officers it considers require to be recruited; by what date additional officers should be recruited, and how much funding it will provide to enable this.

Question reference: S5W-32050

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 2 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue guidance to local authorities regarding additional inspection and enforcement powers, as announced by the First Minister in her statement on 22 September 2020 (Official Report, c.12).

The new enforcement powers came into force on 28 August 2020 through The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Directions by Local Authorities) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/262/contents for details. Statutory guidance on use of these powers was published on 18 September 2020. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-authority-directions/ for details.

Question reference: S5O-04680

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to implement the measures for victims outlined in the 2019 report, Transforming Parole in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-31764

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage increased uptake of the discretionary housing payment scheme.

Councils are providing regular feedback to the Scottish Government on a range of issues relating to DHPs including work they undertake to promote uptake. This feedback shows councils promote uptake in a range of ways and at key points of contact with tenants. Support and advice organisations also signpost their clients to the appropriate council for DHPs.

We will continue to use Scottish Government channels to promote DHPs, for example through social media platforms and in communications and resources we provide such as the Private Rented Sector Tenant Support Resource toolkit. We are also providing funding to Who Cares Scotland to promote DHPs to care experienced young people.

Scottish Government officials speak regularly with their COSLA counterparts to discuss a range of issues relating to DHPs including what more can be done to support councils with the administration of DHPs and how we can maximise uptake to ensure the additional money provided by the Scottish Government gets to those tenants who need it most.

Question reference: S5W-31760

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to converting existing loans, which are available to people in need of assistance with housing and rent payments, into grants, or using allocated funding to top up schemes such as the discretionary housing payment.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic we have twice announced additional funding to Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) in order to support those tenants financially affected, to help sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness. On 20 May 2020 an additional £5 million was made available and on 1 September 2020 the Programme for Government announced a further £3 million would be provided. This brings the total support for non-Bedroom Tax related DHPs this financial year to nearly £19 million.

We are developing a separate Tenants Hardship Loan Fund, the content of which is currently being finalised. One of the purposes of this fund is to widen the group of tenants we are able to offer support to by providing financial assistance to tenants who do not qualify for help through DHPs.

Question reference: S5W-31766

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to giving local authorities the statutory right to buy properties from landlords who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme can already support the purchase of second hand homes by local authorities or registered social landlords where this makes strategic sense. Private landlords interested in selling their property should in the first instance contact the relevant local authority to discuss whether this is an option.

We are supporting Landlords who have 5 properties or fewer and have lost rent due to the pandemic through the Landlord Loan scheme, more information can be found at the following link; www.covidlandlordloan.est.org.uk .

There are no plans to give local authorities the statutory right to buy specific properties from landlords who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5O-04635

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent changes to the COVID-19 restrictions, what action it is taking to help older people who are more likely to be at risk from extended periods of loneliness.