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-30438

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings and correspondence it has had with Heathrow Airport since signing a memorandum of understanding in 2016, and whether it will place copies of this in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Question reference: S5W-30433

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5F-03404 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2019, in light of the First Minister's comments regarding the Scottish Government's position about the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport and that the Scottish will " look at all our policies across all areas of [its] responsibility through that new lens of climate change" (Official Report, c.18), when this work in relation to Heathrow Airport expansion (a) began and (b) concluded, and whether it will publish the findings.

Question reference: S5W-30434

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5F-03817 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2020, (Official Report, c.18), when it will conclude the review of its position on the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport; whether it will place a copy of its conclusions and all supporting documents in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), and whether there is a requirement for the result of the review to be announced in the updated climate change plan.

Question reference: S5W-30360

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Scottish Renewables' call for it to use its trade, export and investment powers to boost skills exports to nations seeking to undertake green recoveries to the COVID-19 crisis.

Scotland is already an experienced exporter of energy and related skills and services with many international companies already benefiting from our long-standing expertise and experience in renewables and other energy related sectors. This government and its trade and investment agency, Scottish Development International, actively seek to promote a business environment which encourages growth through partnership, co-investment, and sharing of experience with other countries. We make it easy for companies to access our experts and talent and know this will stand Scottish companies in good stead internationally, with those countries seeking to make a green recovery to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5W-30363

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 10 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how the declaration of a climate emergency and the need to achieve net-zero targets (a) is currently, and (b) will in future be taken into account by the planning system, and whether this will be a material consideration in applications made in (i) advance of, and (ii) after the National planning Framework 4 comes into force.

Scottish Planning Policy and National Planning Framework 3 were published in 2014. Given when it was published, the current policy does not expressly refer to the Global Climate Emergency, but does aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and includes a vision for Scotland to be a low carbon place.

Since then, the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 sets out six outcomes to which a future National Planning Framework (NPF) should work towards, one of which is meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. We are developing proposals for radical change to our national planning policies and spatial strategy to support a transition to net zero by 2045 and economic recovery, as well as adaptation to the long term impacts of climate change.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Planner and I published a letter on 29 May (available from the Scottish Government’s website: ) which set out that the draft NPF4 is anticipated to be laid before the Parliament in autumn 2021. That draft will set out the proposed approach, for discussion and public consultation.

In the meantime we will update stakeholders by publishing a NPF4 Position Statement this autumn. This will highlight potential policy changes and reflect on what planning can do to help societal and economic recovery as well as addressing the climate emergency.

In all cases, it is for decision-makers to identify relevant material planning considerations on a case-by-case basis, and what weight to attach to each material consideration in determining the application.