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: S6W-31562

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Leylodge Against Industrialisation.

Question reference: S6W-31566

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the reported concerns that the proposed energy infrastructure consenting reforms may prioritise speed over thorough environmental assessments.

Question reference: S6W-31557

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Deeside Against Pylons.

Question reference: S6W-31619

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that the UK Government's inheritance tax changes for family farms will have on the availability of land in Scotland to build energy infrastructure.

It is disappointing that there had been no prior indication of this change to Inheritance Tax or engagement with the Scottish Government given that Scotland will be hit by the proposed changes brought in by the UK Government.

The Scottish Parliament recently debated this and agreed to call on the UK Government to reverse the changes – and urgently commit to undertake and publish impact assessments on the cumulative impact of its budget proposals on Scotland.

Given the lack of available data on the impact of this decision, there should now be an immediate review of this policy, informed by close engagement with the agricultural sector and devolved governments.

Question reference: S6W-31572

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps will be taken to ensure that statutory consultees have the necessary resources to provide timely and thorough input if they have to deal with an increased number of applications due to the energy infrastructure consenting reforms.

Statutory consultees are key stakeholders in the consenting process.

The ‘Verity House Agreement’ and the ‘New Deal for Business’ have set out how the Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with local authorities and others to deliver a just transition to net zero.

The reform process launched by this consultation creates an opportunity to re-set the expectations on the bodies providing essential support to the application process, taking account of their views, suggestions and their specific circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-31567

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures will be in place to ensure that local communities' voices are heard and considered in the pre-application stage for major energy applications.

The consultation proposes new standardised processes for both onshore and offshore developers to engage with local communities and stakeholders before applying to the Scottish Government for new energy infrastructure.

At present, the Electricity Act has no provisions that compel developers to notify or consult communities or stakeholders before an application is submitted to Scottish Ministers.

This means the public and communities could remain unaware of proposed projects until an application is submitted.

Many developers do consult communities, but the approach is variable – which undermines public confidence and makes the applications more complex.

The consultation suggests a duty to consult communities and other statutory bodies – such as the planning authority – before an application is made.

It also proposes that a “statement of community consultation” is submitted with an application. This would set out how the public will be able to submit views on the development and how those will be considered in the final application.

The consultation also proposes the submission of a final consultation report setting out the steps taken to engage the public and how those views have been considered.

Question reference: S6W-31551

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £62 million Energy Transition Fund, announced in June 2020, has been spent, and whether it will provide a breakdown of this spend.

The Energy Transition Fund provided £45.3m of funding to the end of financial year 2023-24. A further £8.7m is expected to be provided over financial year 2024-25.

The following table provides a breakdown of the funding provided across the four projects, which are all based in Aberdeen and the North East, supported by the Fund:

Project	Funding provided to end 2023-24	Expected funding over 2024-25	Total
Energy Transition Zone	£16.9m	£2.5m	£19.5m
Net Zero Technology Transition Programme	£13.8m	£2.1m	£15.9m
Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub	£10.2m	£3.1m	£13.3m
Global Underwater Hub	£4.4m	£1.0m	£5.4m
Fund Total	£45.3m	£8.7m	£54.1m

Question reference: S6O-04077

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update planning guidance for battery energy storage systems.

Question reference: S6W-31636

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

Question reference: S6W-31638

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Scottish Power.