Portfolio Questions

Claudia Beamish S5O-01734 1. To ask the Scottish Government for what reason carers assistance is not included in its proposed uprating amendment to the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. Gordon Lindhurst S5O-01735 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. Rona Mackay S5O-01736 3. To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to empower community councils. Bill Kidd S5O-01737 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging public bodies to do more to promote human rights. Alexander Stewart S5O-01738 5. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the provision of new housing stock to meet future needs. Rachael Hamilton S5O-01739 6. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the provision of social housing. Gordon MacDonald S5O-01740 7. To ask the Scottish Government how it meets the housing demand of older tenants with mobility issues. Rhoda Grant S5O-01741 8. To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it has had discussions with regarding providing alternatives to cash in lieu of disability benefits. Neil Findlay S5O-01742 9. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement in its Programme for Government that the “third sector needs stability of funding and the opportunity for longer term planning and development”, how this is being rolled out across its departments and agencies. Linda Fabiani S5O-01743 10. To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues to local authority education departments regarding race equality. Maurice Corry S5O-01744 11. T o ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that there is consistent support and funding for the voluntary sector organisations that provide it with support and insight. Gillian Martin S5O-01745 12. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to eliminate rural fuel poverty. Liam Kerr S5O-01746 13. To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with local services to implement its social isolation and loneliness strategy. Mary Fee S5O-01747 14. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the voluntary and third sector in promoting healthy and active lifestyles. Ruth Maguire S5O-01748 15. To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish social security system will allow people who have difficulty communicating to receive information and express themselves in ways that best meet their needs. David Stewart S5O-01749 16. To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to local authorities and housing organisations in the Highlands and Islands in order to provide affordable homes that take account of demographics, age profile and economic activity. Jeremy Balfour S5O-01750 17. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the improvement of support services for vulnerable people finding themselves homeless or in temporary accommodation. Johann Lamont S5O-01751 18. To ask the Scottish Government how many bodies in the voluntary sector that carry out an advocacy role are funded by it and its agencies. Colin Beattie S5O-01752 19. To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that there is independent scrutiny of the new social security system and that it meets its aims and expectations. Ross Greer S5O-01753 20. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to use existing medical and other evidence to determine entitlement to devolved disability benefits and reduce the need for in-person assessments.