Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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-30502

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when its freeze on recruitment commenced, and when it expects it to end.

Question reference: S5W-30501

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its staff have ended their employment with it since lockdown, and how many of those positions remain unfilled.

73 directly employed staff have ended their employment with the Scottish Government since the start of the lockdown. We do not record vacant posts within our central HR system, nor is every post retained after being vacated. We therefore do not have information on how many of these posts remain unfilled. However, we currently have 72 external recruitment campaigns, which includes vacancies created by these leavers.

Question reference: S5W-30564

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the advice and guidance for Social Security Scotland benefits that is supplied to decision makers.

Question reference: S5W-30549

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation with advocacy providers it has had regarding the Independent Advocacy Service that it has set up to help disabled people access social security benefits, and how this differed from the Provision of Social Security Advocacy Services tender DEC375404, which sought a service provider to coordinate and manage a new demand-led service for advocacy support for disabled people requiring an advocate’s help to interact with the social security system

The rescheduling of the introduction of disability benefits as a result of Coronavirus meant that it was necessary to end the tendering exercise which was being undertaken for the provision of a comprehensive advocacy service before it had been concluded.

However, because it was anticipated that there may still be some demand for the service from disabled people who are seeking to apply for the existing Scottish benefits, as well as for Scottish Child Payment once it is introduced, the Scottish Government made arrangements to support that demand as it arises.

To this end, an interim service has been implemented and commenced on 30 June. Due to the tight timescales for this interim scheme’s implementation, it was not possible to engage with advocacy providers in the run up to the launch of the scheme.

We are however currently working with advocacy service providers to support the interim scheme, and will continue to do so during the development of a longer-term solution that will be in place for the introduction of Scottish disability benefits.

Question reference: S5W-30547

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many advocacy providers and/or advocates are being retained to inform the Independent Advocacy Service that it has set up to help disabled people access social security benefits, and what their fee structure is.

Question reference: S5W-30548

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome was of the Provision of Social Security Advocacy Services tender DEC375404, which sought a service provider to coordinate and manage a new demand-led service for advocacy support for disabled people requiring an advocate’s help to interact with the social security system; how many bids it received, and who the bidders were.

The Coronavirus crisis necessitated a change in timing for the introduction of disability benefits being delivered by Social Security Scotland. A decision was made not to proceed with an award of contract for advocacy services as the demand is anticipated to be low until the disability benefits are rolled out.

The procurement exercise was therefore stopped, and a new procurement exercise will be run with service commencement to coincide with the introduction of Scottish disability benefits.

Three bids were received from Citizens Advice Scotland; Money Matters and Voiceability.

Question reference: S5W-30503

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 22 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many positions it had forecast to recruit but has not filled as a consequence of its freeze on recruitment.

The Scottish Government did not have a forecast of the numbers expected to be recruited prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Under normal circumstances, the level of recruitment activities can vary significantly, with the range of monthly recruitment before the lockdown being between 160 to 200 posts within core Scottish Government, its Executive Agencies and Non-ministerial Offices filled by external recruitment. The focus since the outbreak has been on ensuring that Covid-19 related priorities are resourced.

Question reference: S5W-30113

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that personal independence payment appeals during the COVID-19 crisis are conducted by HM Courts and Tribunal Service in a manner that promotes inclusive communication, including offering an option to use videoconferencing, and whether it will continue to offer such options following the pandemic.

Personal independence payment appeals are currently conducted by HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and are subject to their equality and diversity policies. The Scottish Government welcomes any operational steps taken by HMCTS to promote inclusive communication during, and beyond, the COVID-19 crisis.

When the SCTS assumes responsibility for Personal Independent Payment appeals, it will be a matter for the Chamber President, in consultation with SCTS, to decide upon the most appropriate methods to ensure inclusive communications in line with this commitment. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is committed to developing a culture where equality and diversity are firmly established.

Question reference: S5W-30114

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use by HM Courts and Tribunal Service of (a) paper-based and (b) telephone hearings for personal independence payment appeals during the COVID-19 crisis, and whether it has raised with that department any concerns that it has regarding this process.

Question reference: S5W-30145

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what universal credit household characteristic management information it has received from DWP since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how frequently this information has been updated.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have provided the Scottish Government with management information that shows Universal Credit declarations to 4 April 2020 broken down by the following household characteristics: (a) restricted ability to work, (b) fit note, (c) employment status, (d) housing status, (e) children, (f) couples, (g) initial claims, (h) work group and (i) ID verification on the day of declaration. This information is available at Great Britain level only and it has not been updated.