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-27479

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with West Dunbartonshire Council regarding homeless deaths.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with all local authorities to develop and implement their Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans (RRTPs) to ensure everyone is supported into settled housing as quickly as possible.

Part of these plans include the implementation of the Housing First approach, which supports people with more complex needs, such as addiction and mental health issues, by providing them with a mainstream tenancy with wrap around support. This is something that West Dunbartonshire are taking forward through their RRTP and their Homelessness Prevention and Temporary Accommodation Strategy 2017-20.

Their strategy, entitled “More than a Roof”, focuses on prevention and ensures that their transition to Rapid Rehousing and Housing First supports early housing interventions and reduces the overall demand on health services. This was a clear ask of each local authority when we began supporting Councils to develop and implement their RRTPs. We will continue to work in collaboration with West Dunbartonshire Council to help them tackle homelessness and its causes through their Housing Solutions Partnership Group.

Question reference: S5W-27476

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the National Records of Scotland report, Homeless Deaths 2017 and 2018.

The avoidable death of any vulnerable person is a tragedy. We know the reasons that lead to homelessness can be complicated and whilst we do not want to diminish the tragedy of any loss of life, it is also important that we are clear what these statistics show.

They do not represent people dying as a result of being homeless, rather they set out the reasons why people who have suffered from homelessness have died. They highlight that many people who have died while experiencing homelessness often struggle with complex life challenges, including addiction and poor mental and physical health.

That is why the Scottish Government is working in partnership with a range of stakeholders to transform services to ensure our system supports those at risk and to prevent, tackle and end homelessness altogether.

Question reference: S5W-27478

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent homeless deaths.

We have committed a £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Funds to deliver the actions recommended by the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. Given the crucial role of getting people into settled housing as quickly as possible, £32.5 million of this fund has been invested in ending homelessness through the delivery of Rapid Rehousing and Housing First in partnership with local authorities. This includes £24 million over 3 years for Rapid Rehousing for local authorities, £2 million to help them develop Transition Plans and £6.5 million for Housing First pathfinders work.

Housing First supports people with more complex needs, such as addiction and mental health issues, by providing them with a mainstream tenancy with wrap around support. We have also invested over £70 million in the last financial year to help reduce the harms caused by alcohol and drug addiction, including £20 million over the next 2 years to support local services to address drug deaths and provide targeted support for those facing severe and multiple disadvantage. This year, our investment in mental health increased by £27 million from £70.2 million in 2018-19 to £97.5 million – up nearly 39%.

We are doing all this in the face of the UK Government’s welfare cuts and are continuing to do all we can to mitigate against the worst impact of these cuts in Scotland. Last year we invested over £1.4 billion to support low income households and will continue to push the UK Government to reverse this.

Question reference: S5W-27477

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the reported increase in homeless deaths.

One person being made homeless is one too many and that is why the Scottish Government is working in partnership with local authorities and a range of stakeholders to transform services to ensure our system supports those at risk.

While this report is based on experimental statistics which represent a best estimate, its findings will help the Scottish Government to further understand the many issues affecting the most vulnerable in our society and will help us as we redouble our efforts to eradicate homelessness and its causes, in Scotland.

The report highlights that there are similar problems across the UK, with the rate rising more rapidly in England and Wales. There were an estimated 195 homeless deaths registered in Scotland in 2018, an increase of 19% on the estimate of 164 in 2017. This figure increased by 22% in England and Wales in the same period and comes at a time of austerity imposed by the UK Government.

Question reference: S5O-04187

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve transport links in West Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-04146

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve employment levels and economic growth.

Question reference: S5W-27040

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) it and (b) the Scottish Funding Council last assessed and graded the condition of each further education college's buildings; what the outcome was of each review, and what action was taken to address any issues that were identified.

The 2017 estates condition survey provides the most recent assessment of the college estate. A summary of the findings for each college is contained within section 4 of the .

In response to the 2017 condition survey, and through the SFC’s prioritisation framework, additional funding was provided to colleges which were identified as having the highest priority needs.

In 2018-19 colleges were allocated additional funding to address the very high priority works identified in the condition survey, in addition to their annual capital allocation.

The SFC are also producing a medium term capital investment strategy for the college estate which will provide valuable evidence to determine future investment.

Question reference: S5W-27038

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the total capital investment in the further education sector has been since 2007.

Question reference: S5W-27041

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much capital investment there has been in each further education college in each year since 2007.

Since 2007 [i] the Scottish Government has invested £773 million in the college estate [ii]. This investment, broken down by college, is noted in the following table.

Since 2012-13 a further £330 million. has been invested through Non-Profit Distribution (NPD). The Scottish Government also funds the unitary charge on the NPD college projects [iii].

College	Total capital funding 2007-18 (formulaic & projects)
Aberdeen College	22,496,223
Adam Smith College	9,447,958
Angus College	3,168,723
Anniesland College	45,960,931
Ayr College	8,650,699
Ayrshire College	16,884,621
Banff & Buchan College of Further Education	24,386,567
Barony College	1,064,694
Borders College	20,017,053
Cardonald College	5,920,999
Carnegie College	5,615,212
Central College of Commerce	2,981,252
City of Glasgow College	29,686,668
Clydebank College	9,531,475
Coatbridge College	20,607,430
Cumbernauld College	3,562,195
Dumfries & Galloway College	26,292,758
Dundee and Angus College	8,572,695
Dundee College	37,854,197
Edinburgh's Telford College	8,752,227
Edinburgh College	28,110,919
Elmwood College	2,190,438
Fife College	21,033,984
Forth Valley College	89,045,779
Glasgow Clyde College	10,515,655
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies	21,122,641
Glasgow Kelvin College	8,683,551
Glasgow Metropolitan College	5,250,493
Inverness College UHI	13,594,620
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education	11,330,398
Jewel & Esk College	27,396,967
John Wheatley College	2,863,270
Kilmarnock College	6,337,007
Langside College	35,991,485
Lews Castle College UHI	2,542,450
Moray College UHI	4,686,038
Motherwell College	46,428,145
New College Lanarkshire	13,101,648
Newbattle Abbey College	787,815
North East Scotland College	10,938,430
North Glasgow College	24,905,814
North Highland College UHI	6,768,539
Oatridge College	1,260,752
Orkney College UHI	1,488,405
Perth College UHI	4,546,333
Reid Kerr College	6,336,460
Sabhal Mor Ostaig UHI	2,220,257
Shetland College UHI	2,119,019
South Lanarkshire College	10,035,617
SRUC	2,586,789
Stevenson College	6,426,663
Stow College	4,464,718
West College Scotland	12,381,492
West Lothian College	12,213,187
West Highland College	2,307,083
Total	773,467,438

[i] 2007 to 2018 spans the period where the sector underwent major regional mergers: some investments were in campuses which are now part of larger regional colleges.

[ii] That is, since 2007, colleges have received £773 million grant payments for capital from the Scottish Funding Council.

[iii] Since 2012-13 Scottish Government has funded the following unitary charges: Ayrshire College - £11,896,549: City of Glasgow - £57,065,000; Inverness College UHI - £17,156,702.

Question reference: S5W-27039

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) it and (b) the Scottish Funding Council assesses and grades the condition of buildings in the further education college estate.