- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02344 by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service have been responded to (a) within (i) under 10, (ii) 10 to 29, (iii) 30 to 59 and (iv) 60 to 120 and (b) after over 120 minutes in each calendar year since 2007, also broken down by NHS board area.
Answer
The information that has been requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Official statistical reports relating to the Scottish Ambulance Service can be found on the following link. .
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00243 by Kevin Stewart on 4 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many suicides have been recorded in each year since 2007.
Answer
The total number of deaths by suicide recorded by National Records of Scotland (NRS) from 2007 to 2020 are detailed in the following table. Finalised statistics for deaths by suicide in 2021 are not yet available. NRS these on 2 August 2022.
Year of registration | Suicides registered in Scotland (old coding rules) | Suicides registered in Scotland (new coding rules) |
2007 | 838 | - |
2008 | 843 | - |
2009 | 746 | - |
2010 | 781 | - |
2011 | 772 | 889 |
2012 | 762 | 830 |
2013 | 746 | 795 |
2014 | 659 | 696 |
2015 | 656 | 672 |
2016 | 697 | 728 |
2017 | 664 | 680 |
2018 | 753 | 784 |
2019 | 819 | 833 |
2020 | 802 | 805 |
For completeness, these statistics show suicide deaths registered under old and new coding rules. NRS changed their coding rules in 2011 for certain causes of death to take account of changes made by the World Health Organisation. Some deaths previously coded under 'mental and behavioural disorders' are now classed as 'self-poisoning of undetermined intent' and consequently are classified as suicide deaths.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00749 by Shona Robison on 29 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many homes in each local authority area in the South Scotland parliamentary region have been returned to use with support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, in each year since 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold a breakdown of the requested figures by local authority area. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership was formed in 2010 and the annual figures from 2011 onwards are shown in the following table:
Year | Number of homes brought back into use |
2011-12 | 4 |
2012-13 | 76 |
2013-14 | 278 |
2014-15 | 560 |
2015-16 | 697 |
2016-17 | 859 |
2017-18 | 742 |
2018-19 | 1,128 |
2019-20 | 1,412 |
2020-21 | 851 |
2021-22 | 1,152 |
Total | 7,759 |
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to East Lothian Council to assist with the redevelopment of the former Cockenzie Power Station site.
Answer
The site is identified as a national development in the current National Planning Framework 3 (2014). The draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) (November 2021) does not propose a national development designation for Cockenzie, however its spatial strategy notes that there are existing assets and infrastructure at coastal former baseload power generation sites that can be repurposed to form the basis of new proposals. At Cockenzie it identifies ongoing work to develop the Climate Evolution Zone.
The comments received through the Parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation processes are being analysed prior to laying a revised NPF4 in the Scottish Parliament in the autumn.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Lothian Council regarding the redevelopment of the former Cockenzie Power Station site.
Answer
Officials have discussed the site with East Lothian Council in relation to the development of the Draft National Planning Framework 4. The site was last discussed with East Lothian Council in July 2021.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00750 by Shona Robison on 29 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many empty (a) private and (b) public sector residential properties there have been in each local authority area in the South Scotland parliamentary region, in each year since 2007.
Answer
The information requested can be found here: . Please note the figures provided for each local authority area do not differentiate between the different types of empty property.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00751 by Tom Arthur on 5 July 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many empty commercial properties there have been in each local authority area in the South Scotland parliamentary region, in each year since 2007.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of empty commercial properties. Data is collected on properties eligible for and claiming non-domestic rates reliefs, including reliefs or exemptions for unoccupied properties, on specific snapshot dates.
The following table shows the number of properties receiving a non-domestic rates relief or exemption from rates for unoccupied properties since 2011. Data for years before 2011, as well as for 2014 and 2017, is not available. The figures are as at the snapshot date and may therefore underestimate final numbers of recipients in a given year, and include entire local authority areas as data by parliamentary region is not held.
Data for 2022 is expected to become available in late 2022.
Local Authority | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 400 | 590 | 590 | 560 | 520 | 540 | 490 | 460 | 460 |
East Ayrshire | 400 | 450 | 440 | 290 | 330 | 190 | 190 | 160 | 160 |
East Lothian * | 290 | 270 | 230 | 230 | 210 | 260 | 260 | 280 | 250 |
Midlothian * | 140 | 260 | 260 | 190 | 190 | 140 | 200 | 120 | 140 |
Scottish Borders | 650 | 640 | 580 | 560 | 570 | 530 | 510 | 460 | 450 |
South Ayrshire | 480 | 480 | 430 | 420 | 410 | 350 | 290 | 280 | 320 |
South Lanarkshire * | 1,100 | 1,070 | 900 | 850 | 600 | 300 | 250 | 10 | 130 |
Data: Billing System Snapshots provided to the Scottish Government by local authorities. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
* Some parts of these local authorities are not in the South Scotland parliamentary region.
"Properties" refers to subjects listed as separate entries in the Valuation Roll, and includes shops, offices, warehouses, but also self-catering properties, properties that do not necessarily contain buildings, etc. Figures exclude properties for which the rateable value is zero.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Reliefs and exemptions for empty properties are typically cancelled by local authorities at the beginning of each financial year, with ratepayers required to reapply. Therefore these figures are likely to underestimate the full number of unoccupied properties as at the snapshot dates.
The snapshot dates are: 31 March 2011, 17 May 2012, 1 October 2013, 1 October 2015, 5 October 2016, 1 June 2018, 31 May 2019, 1 July 2020, and 1 June 2021.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01697 by Shona Robison on 16 August 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many property factors have been de-registered in each year since 2011, broken down by whether the factor was de-registered due to (a) no longer being considered to be a fit and proper person to be registered as a property factor, (b) having failed to comply with the obligation to include its registration number in correspondence sent to homeowners and (c) having failed to demonstrate compliance with (i) the property factor Code of Conduct and (ii) any property factor enforcement order made against the property factor by the First-tier Tribunal.
Answer
The updated information requested is contained in the following table:
Year (See Note 1) | Number removed from the register of property factors (See Note 2) | Removed under S4(7) as registration expired after 3 year period without an application for renewal | Removed under 8(1) (not fit and proper - failed to comply with the Code and / or a property factor enforcement order(s) (See Note 3) | Removed under 8(1) (dissolved / no longer a legal entity) |
2011 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2015 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
2016 | 38 | 37 | 1 | 0 |
2017 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 4 |
2018 | 24 | 20 | 0 | 4 |
2019 | 44 | 42 | 1 | 1 |
2020 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
2022 (to 30/06/22) | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
Note 1:
The register of property factors opened in October 2012 so no data is available for 2011.
Note 2:
The Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, allows that a property factor can be removed from the register for the following reasons:
- under section 4(7) (a) - where registrations are removed as no further application is received before expiry of the previous registration.
- under section 8(1) for no longer being a fit and proper person or failing to demonstrate compliance with:
o the property factor code of conduct, or
o any property factor enforcement order.
- under section 8(1) for no longer being a fit and proper person as they are no longer a legal entity (technical removal).
No Property Factor has been removed for failing to comply with their obligations around use of their property factor registered number.
Note 3:
Any non-voluntary removal of registration would be expected to be on the basis of a range of issues and not related to a single issue such as not complying with the requirements around the use of a property factor registered number.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 July 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01695 by Shona Robison on 16 August 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many property factors have been registered, as required by the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, in each year since 2011, broken down by (a) those remaining on the register, (b) those who have been newly admitted to the register, and (c) those who have been removed from the register.
Answer
The updated information requested is contained in the following table:
Year (See Note 1) | Number registered | Number remaining on register | Number newly admitted to register | Number removed from register (see Note 2) |
2011 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2012 | 242 | N/A | 242 | 0 |
2013 | 326 | 242 | 84 | 0 |
2014 | 365 | 326 | 39 | 0 |
2015 | 381 | 365 | 36 | 20 |
2016 | 384 | 381 | 41 | 38 |
2017 | 403 | 384 | 38 | 19 |
2018 | 404 | 403 | 25 | 24 |
2019 | 387 | 404 | 27 | 44 |
2020 | 393 | 387 | 22 | 16 |
2021 | 395 | 393 | 24 | 22 |
2022 (to 30/06/22) | 374 | 395 | 6 | 27 |
Note 1:
The register of property factors opened in October 2012 so no registration data is available for 2011.
Note 2:
The Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, allows that a property factor can be removed from the register for the following reasons:
- under section 4(7) (a) - where registrations are removed as no further application is received before expiry of the previous registration.
- under section 8(1) - for no longer being a fit and proper person or failing to demonstrate compliance with:
o the property factor code of conduct, or
o any property factor enforcement order.
- under section 8(1) - for no longer being a fit and proper person as they are no longer a legal entity (technical removal).
Property Factors are required to apply for renewal of their registration every 3 years and a register entry must be removed if the factor does not submit an application to renew.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to (a) the Institute of Economic Affairs report, The Hangover: The cost of minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland, and (b) the report's conclusions that minimum unit pricing has cost consumers in Scotland £270 million since its introduction and “that there is little evidence of health and social benefits to offset this cost”.
Answer
The Institute of Economic Affairs report is one independent report and should not be used to draw conclusions on the effect of the policy.
Public Health Scotland are leading a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing, details of which can be found on their website. The evaluation is over a five year period and a final report will be produced in 2023. The evaluation will consider a wide range of evidence and reports regarding Minimum Unit Price (MUP).
We will review the final evaluation report from Public Health Scotland before drawing overall conclusions, this will include the impact MUP has had on health and social benefits.