- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the James Hutton Institute in each year since 2011.
Answer
Details of Scottish Government funding provided to The James Hutton Institute (JHI) is published in their Annual Financial statements available on their website at
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many rejected applications to the Organic Farming Agri-Environment Climate Scheme have been appealed, and of those how many (a) were upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Organic Farming, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. 63 Organic applications were offered an extension with 55 applications accepting.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Reviewed | Review Upheld (decision changed to approve) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Organic | 5 | 3 | 0 |
2016 | Organic | <3 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | Organic | <3 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | Organic | 3 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | Organic | <3 | <3 | 0 |
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Improving Public Access Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there were, and of those how many (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note that the 2020 round did not include the IPA option and that the 2019 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Improving Public Access is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Submitted1 | Applications Approved | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Improving Public Access | 30 | 17 | 0 |
2016 | Improving Public Access | 54 | 36 | 0 |
2017 | Improving Public Access | 50 | 41 | 0 |
2018 | Improving Public Access | 96 | 53 | 0 |
2019 | Improving Public Access | NA* | - | - |
1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
* Application type not included in Round
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Organic Farming Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there were, and of those how many (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically for Organic Farming options, and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Submitted1 | Applications Approved | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Organic | 82 | 75 | 0 |
2016 | Organic | 121 | 115 | 0 |
2017 | Organic | 86 | 79 | 0 |
2018 | Organic | 48 | 35 | 0 |
2019 | Organic | 76 | 72 | 0 |
1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Slurry Storage Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there were, and of those how many (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically for Slurry Storage and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note that the 2015 round did not include a Slurry Store option and that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Slurry Store is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Submitted1 | Applications Approved | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Slurry Store | NA* | - | - |
2016 | Slurry Store | 4 | 4 | 0 |
2017 | Slurry Store | 62 | 58 | 0 |
2018 | Slurry Store | 61 | 36 | 0 |
2019 | Slurry Store | 62 | 47 | 0 |
1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
* Application type not included in Round.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03472 by Mairi Gougeon on 3 November 2021, when the Private Storage Aid scheme will be put in place for the pig industry.
Answer
The Private Storage Aid Scheme (Pigmeat)(Scotland) Regulations 2021 were laid in the Parliament on the 5th of November. The scheme went live on the 9th of November and is now open for applicants.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many rejected applications to the Slurry Storage Agri-Environment Climate Scheme have been appealed, and of those how many (a) were upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Slurry Store, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Please note that the 2015 round did not include a Slurry Store option and that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Slurry Store is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Reviewed | Review Upheld (decision changed to approve) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Slurry Store | NA* | - | - |
2016 | Slurry Store | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | Slurry Store | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | Slurry Store | 3 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | Slurry Store | 5 | 0 | 0 |
* Application type not included in Round
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many rejected applications to the Improving Public Access Agri-Environment Climate Scheme have been appealed, and of those how many (a) were upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Answer
The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.
Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. IPA is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.
The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.
Year | Application Type | Applications Reviewed | Review Upheld (decision changed to approve) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | Improving Public Access | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2016 | Improving Public Access | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | Improving Public Access | <3 | <3 | 0 |
2018 | Improving Public Access | 10 | <3 | 0 |
2019 | Improving Public Access | NA* | - | - |
* Application type not included in Round
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to address heat pump installations being put on hold or cancelled due to delays in upgrading power supplies.
Answer
The Scottish Government works closely with Ofgem and the network companies to ensure timely network investment adequate to support the transition to net zero across all sectors, including heat in buildings. In March this year the Scottish Government published a set of principles for the development of Scotland’s gas and electricity networks, developed in partnership with Ofgem and network companies. These principles can be found at
We have set up a new Heat Electrification Strategic Partnership with the Scottish Distribution Network Operators and continue to work with them as they prepare to submit final business plans to Ofgem this December. Once approved, these plans would unlock over £3bn investment in local electricity networks to support decarbonisation of heat and transport over the period 2023- 2028.
We are working with local government towards ensuring Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies are in place by the end of 2023 for all local authority areas, providing a strategic plan for network companies to draw on in targeting their investment.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with the UK Government on the delivery of low-carbon alternatives to gas boilers, such as heat pumps.
Answer
The Scottish Government is already working with the UK Government across a number of policies to support delivery of low-carbon alternatives to gas boilers. This includes engagement in relation to the UK Government’s proposed market-based mechanism for low carbon heat. Further details on our work with the UK Government are set out in chapter 10 of our Heat in Buildings Strategy.
Scottish Government Heat in Buildings Strategy –