Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-00014

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support businesses in East Kilbride working in the food and drink sector.

Question reference: S6O-00005

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it next expects to make an investment announcement for road and rail infrastructure in the South of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00012

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government action it is taking to ensure that island communities are protected from the effects of disruption to lifeline services.

Question reference: S6O-00001

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide support with the phasing out of gas-fired boilers in homes.

Question reference: S6O-00013

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group will publish its report.

Question reference: S6W-00172

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the milestone payment scheduled for March 2021 was delivered by the GRG Alliance to the Scottish Government-controlled project account, as reported to the Finance and Constitution Committee by the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy in a letter of 11 February 2021; how much the payment was scheduled to be worth, and whether this was met in full.

Milestone payments are inter-company payments related to planned investment at the Lochaber smelter and are not payments due to the Scottish Government. No payments due from GFG Alliance companies to the Scottish Government are outstanding. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, we do not publish details of compliance with commercial contractual terms although such information may be shared in confidence with the Finance and Constitution Committee where appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-00113

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to support homeowners who are facing difficulties in selling their properties due to building cladding.

Homeowners whose flats have external cladding are being offered a safety assessment, costs of the ‘Single Building Assessment’ announced on 19 March will be met by the Scottish Government. The whole building approach, will release affected buyers and sellers from difficulties in accessing mortgages without them having to pay for the current External Wall System (EWS1) Report on their individual property.
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The phased approach to the introduction of SBA, started on 31 March with an invitation to affected homeowners to submit data about their buildings and ‘expression of interest’ in participating in a pilot exercise in June.

Where problems are identified with the cladding system in place this will help to identify the scale of funding needed to take necessary remedial work. Where problems are not identified, this will assist with the property sale process.

Question reference: S6W-00159

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the forecast by Audit Scotland that Scotland’s colleges face a £54 million funding gap.

Question reference: S6W-00179

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will offer to people on restricted incomes to install interlinked heat and smoke detectors in their properties in advance of the February 2022 deadline.

While it will be the responsibility of the homeowner to meet the new fire and carbon monoxide alarm standard, we have provided over £1m funding to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to support them to install alarms for people at high risk of fire. In addition, local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide advice and assistance to home owners with work needed to look after their homes, as they are best placed to determine what assistance should be provided in their area. We are continuing to review support people need to make the appropriate changes, including a marketing campaign later in the year to ensure strong awareness of the changes, and we will continue to keep parliament updated.

Question reference: S6W-00167

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, following the mass disruption in George Square on 15 May 2021, what support is available to businesses who were advised to close due to concerns for their welfare.

Operational policing decisions are matters for the Chief Constable, however Police Scotland confirmed that dialogue was maintained with business premises in the relevant locations contacted prior to 15 May 2021 where details of any threats, risks or potential harm were shared with business owners and operators. The decisions were then made by those businesses as to whether or not they remained open.

The Scottish Government worked closely with Rangers Football Club, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council to prepare and provide appropriate communications and support ahead of the proposed march by Rangers supporters following the football club’s Scottish Premiership title win.

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