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-06459

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05508 by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022, in light of it not being able to detail what impact the closure of Hunterston B and Torness nuclear power stations will have on consumer energy bills, whether it can state what the price of electricity generated by each of them is.

Question reference: S6W-06524

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S6O-00736 by Ben Macpherson on 9 February 2022, during which the minister referred to the "greater provision of renewable energy - which...has had a significant positive impact on the reliability of supply here in Scotland", whether it will set out in detail what this definition of “renewable energy” is; what the generation source is of the energy that has had a positive impact on reliability, and whether it will publish any data that (a) shows an increasing "reliability of supply", as opposed to an increasing amount of energy supplied, and (b) shows a correlation and direct "impact" of the greater provision of renewable energy, as defined, on the reliability of supply.

This is a reserved policy area. Responsibility for security of supply sits with National Grid ESO (the GB electricity system operator).

Renewable capacity in Scotland includes onshore and offshore wind, hydro, solar, marine technologies, bioenergy and waste. Other sources of power generation and interconnection to the rest of GB electricity system are also critical in terms of maintaining secure electricity supply, particularly at times when renewables output is low.

The UK government has now included renewables in the Capacity Market to recognise their “measurable contribution” to security of supply. Renewables sites in Scotland have been successful in securing contracts in the latest T-4 and T-1 Capacity Market Auctions.

The equivalent of 98.6% of gross electricity consumption in Scotland (around 30 GigaWatt hours, GWh) comes from renewable sources.

Question reference: S6O-00808

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with EU governments regarding the use of gene editing in agriculture.

Question reference: S6W-06257

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05501 by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2022, what its position is on the National Grid ESO's analysis in its publication, Future Energy Scenarios, that Scotland will require to use energy generated by nuclear power to achieve net zero.

Scotland has long been a net exporter of electricity. In 2020, Scotland exported 20.4 TWh, equivalent to powering every household in Scotland for 26 months.

We expect that we will maintain our position as a net exporter even as demand from electrification of heat and transport increases particularly given the recent announcement by Crown Estate Scotland to offer option agreements to support the development of 25GW of offshore wind power.

This is consistent with the forecasts from National Grid’s Electricity Ten Year Statement as well as the recently published Network Options Assessment.

National Grid ESO has also conducted a study of the effects of the earlier than expected closure of nuclear generation in Scotland which concludes that the system will remain secure.

In order to meet Net-Zero, our priority continues to be to support energy efficiency, develop Scotland’s huge renewable resource and to promote storage and flexibility.

Question reference: S6W-06371

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 21 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of housing stock in the private rented sector it anticipates will not be upgraded to at least an EPC rating of C by the required deadline; whether, as a result, such housing stock will be unavailable to rent, and, if so, what advice it will provide to people about where to find a suitable property to rent.

The Scottish Government expect all stock within the Private Rented Sector to meet any energy efficiency standard set by regulations or to have a valid exemption. The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce, subject to consultation, such regulations, where that is technically feasible and cost effective from 2025. We plan to consult during 2022 on these regulations, and this will include details of any exemptions including those linked to cost, tenant rights, what might be technically feasible, and matters relating to compliance and enforcement.

In general, private landlords or letting agents will advertise available properties through a range of ways including online property website portals, property centres, letting agencies and student accommodation services. The Scottish Government does not provide direct advice or support to people who are looking to find a suitable property to rent. General advice regarding renting from a private landlord is however available at . Where a person is unable to access suitable accommodation in the private rented sector, individuals should approach their local authority housing department for support if they are homeless or to go onto the housing list. Registered Social landlords can also be approached to go onto the housing list.

Question reference: S6W-06182

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05499 by Lorna Slater on 26 January 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding how a ban on plastic packaging for most fruit and vegetables could potentially operate in Scotland.

We have not undertaken any specific work relating to the French ban introduced on New Year’s Day and its operations. However, as set out in my response to S6W-05499, we are working with the other UK administrations to introduce extended producer responsibility for packaging, which will encourage more sustainable packaging design, and are supporting industry-led efforts to reduce plastic packaging, through the UK Plastics Pact.

The Scottish Government is also keeping under review the impact of existing actions in train or planned as well as evidence from other countries. As part of our commitment on the waste route map we are working with industry, local government and environmental groups to identify further actions to accelerate progress towards waste prevention and recycling targets.

Question reference: S6W-05850

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05226 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, when it expects to set the objectives and key deliverables for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding, and when the referenced "programme of engagement" will conclude.

There is no distinction between objectives and deliverables of the £500 million Just Transition Fund for year one, and the £20 million allocation for year one.

Detailed policy design work and implementation planning, supplemented by a programme of engagement, is underway ahead of the new financial year. This will inform the objectives and deliverables of the Just Transition Fund. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops. We will work collaboratively, continuing to engage and co-design this Fund with partners in region throughout the lifetime of this ten-year £500 million commitment to the North East and Moray.

Question reference: S6W-06125

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05226 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, whether it is the case that the objectives and key deliverables for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding (i) were not set prior to the announcement of each funding stream, (ii) are yet to be set and (iii) will not be set until the "programme of engagement" has concluded.

The ten-year £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray is a single initiative. The initial £20 million announced for the 2022-23 is a mixture of Capital and Financial Transactions, but should not be regarded as distinct ‘funding streams’ with separate objectives and deliverables.

As specified in the draft Shared Policy Programme, and as specified in this year’s draft Budget, the strategic objective of the Fund is to support and accelerate the development of a transformed and decarbonised economy in the North East and Moray and support the role of Aberdeen and the wider north east as one of Scotland’s centres of excellence for the transition to a net zero economy.

Detailed policy design work and implementation planning, informed by a programme of engagement with partners in the region, is underway ahead of the new financial year. This will inform the specific objectives and deliverables of the Just Transition Fund in a) year 1 and b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops. We will work collaboratively, continuing to engage and co-design this Fund with partners in region throughout the lifetime of this ten-year £500 million commitment to the North East and Moray.

Question reference: S6W-05858

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05303 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, whether a more detailed breakdown exists of what specifically the £49.1 million for the Climate Action and Just Transition Fund is allocated toward, beyond the information contained in the NZ, E & T tab on Row 90 of the spreadsheet, Scottish Budget: 2022-23 - Level 4 Data, and, if so, (a) whether it will provide this more detailed breakdown and (b) for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.

Of the £49.1 million allocated toward the Climate Action and Just Transition Fund, £20 million has been allocated toward the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray. The remaining £29.1 million is split across a wide range of policies and programmes as detailed in the level 4 budget spreadsheet. The exact allocation between these policies and programmes will be confirmed once the Budget Bill has completed its passage through Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-05908

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what options appraisal has been carried out of a range of low and zero carbon space and water heating technologies suitable for off-gas-grid homes.