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The Scottish Government does not hold data on the annual spend for oil and gas workers specifically for net zero training. However the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) ran from 2016 to 2019 to help workers affected by site closures to re-skill and retrain to find employment. The total spend against the fund is listed in the following table:

(i) I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01431 on 4 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

(ii) The number of new build completions in Scotland fitted with heat pumps from 2016-2020 are as follows:

• Houses: 6,950
• Flats: 820

Source: Management information as extracted from the EPC database (December 2020, 2020 data accessed July 2021), published and available at

Through our membership of the Energy Skills Alliance, we are working collaboratively with the industry, trade bodies and unions to ensure the right skills and training are in place to protect and create jobs as we become a net-zero economy. Our Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan puts knowledge and skills at the heart of a systematic approach to retaining skills and expertise as we transition to becoming a net-zero economy and, this year, the first wave of our £100 million Green Jobs Fund got under way.

In 2020 we launched our £62 million Energy Transition Fund to support the oil, gas and energy sectors grow and diversify, accelerating its transition to net-zero emissions. Fair Work principles are being applied across projects funded by the Energy Transition Fund, supporting the creation of green jobs and training individuals with the skills they need to ensure a just transition to net-zero that puts people’s wellbeing at the heart of our net-zero economy. By capitalising on our strengths in energy, innovation, and our skilled workforce, Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done – and ensure our people, businesses and communities are at the forefront of our new green economy.

We have also introduced the National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) to support individuals at risk of Covid-19 related redundancy to move into new industries. A number of colleges are delivering courses to support the transition to net zero. In the coming weeks we will set out how NTTF will continue to address the impact of Covid-19, but also take account of the impacts of EU exit, and support upskilling or retraining for the transition to net zero.

We will also invest an additional £500 million over the next parliament to support new jobs and reskill people for the jobs of the future.

Data on the number of heat pumps in Scotland can be found on page 27 of the ‘Renewable Heat in Scotland, 2019’ report, which was published in October 2020: . The report states that there are, as of 2019, 17,140 heat pumps in Scotland. The next report is due to be released in October 2021.

While the regulation of consumer protection is reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government supports this right for consumers in relation to faulty goods. It provides clarity to businesses about their obligations to their consumers and helps businesses to ensure that any complaints are handled quickly and easily. The UK Government published an Impact Assessment in January 2014 which estimated the net annual cost to UK businesses at £2.78m. No separate impact assessment was carried out for Scotland.

Live music performers should follow the performing arts guidance, available . This was developed with a wide range of performing arts practitioners and looked ahead to outline details for the eventual resumption of live public performances. This guidance was last updated on 19 July. This update confirmed the move from 2 metre physical distancing to 1 metre in all indoor settings including in performing arts venues.

Separate guidance is available for live music performances which take place in hospitality settings. This reflects the different considerations that need to make in hospitality settings. The for live entertainment in hospitality was updated on 16 July. The main purpose of the update was to indicate that live entertainment would be possible in general hospitality from 19 July.

With regards to live performances in events and stadia settings, the First Minister’s statement on 13 July confirmed maximum attendances as 2,000 in seated outdoor settings and 1,000 in standing outdoor settings, and indoors to 400. Organisers can apply to local authorities for higher attendance capacities.

To assist event organisers the Scottish Government has developed guidance for the sector, last update on 20 July:

The next review of restrictions will be in the week before 9 August when we hope to be able to move beyond Level 0 with baseline mitigations in place. We have consulted with the live performance sector widely on these mitigations to ensure we understand the impact they will have on businesses and their likely effectiveness.

Live entertainment can take place in general hospitality from Level 0 where physical distancing in indoor public spaces is standardised at 1 metre. If live entertainment is provided in dedicated events spaces in hospitality, such as a function hall or conference room, then this can be planned under and or . Live entertainment must still only be offered in line with a premises’ licensing conditions and, where necessary, engagement with the local authority. More details can be found in the .

If we continue to move in the right direction following our review on 19 July, we intend to move beyond Level 0 from 9 August and lift the Levels system of restrictions and remaining physical distancing measures. Nightclubs should be able to reopen from this date if the evidence supports it at the next review point.

The Scottish Government is planning to provide an update on the leasing and planning process and associated timescales for the sectoral marine plan for innovation and decarbonisation in summer 2021. This planning exercise will be in addition to the sectoral marine plan for offshore wind energy published last October but will be based upon the findings therein.

The Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP), published in 2020, set the upper limit for pre-commercial scale projects at 100 MW. The ScotWind leasing process has allowed for all scales of projects, from 100 MW upwards, to progress in Scottish waters. Scottish Ministers are committed to building a strong Scottish supply chain which deliver economic benefit to Scotland. As a result, all of these projects must commit to Supply Chain Development Statements which set out the anticipated level and location of supply chain impact that their project will have. This provides visibility of a pipeline of contracts for the Scottish supply chain and encourages developers to engage locally, earlier in the development process of their projects.

The SMP 2020 also identified that there may be further opportunities for projects looking to specifically decarbonise oil and gas infrastructure or deliver innovative test and demonstration projects, in locations not identified in the 2020 plan. The Scottish Government is now developing a planning process to allow these types of project to proceed, including opportunities for small scale (100 MW) specifically targeting oil and gas decarbonisation through electrification of offshore oil and gas platforms.

We envisage beginning public engagement on this planning process shortly.

I can confirm that construction cost for this project is currently estimated to be £18m, which is well within the 2014 construction cost estimate of £26m.

Construction cost updates for the project are published on the Scottish Government website every 6 months via the Major Capital Projects update.