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-24467

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the planning application currently being considered by the Energy Consents Unit under reference ECU00004523.

In June 2022, Scottish Ministers received an application from Naturalis Energy under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the proposed Knockkippen Wind Farm, to be located within East Ayrshire. Currently, discussions are ongoing between the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit, the developer and several consultees in relation to addressing outstanding issues. Until these matters are resolved, Scottish Ministers are not yet in a position to determine the application.

Question reference: S6W-24060

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23433 by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 December 2023, what its response is to reported concerns that (a) local authority planning teams are unable to process planning applications for renewable technologies beyond onshore wind, such as hydrogen, due to gaps in knowledge around these new types of technology and (b) current legislation, including the National Planning Framework provisions of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, is not keeping up with the development of new technologies.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of an efficient and effective planning system to enable quality development and infrastructure delivery. We are working in close collaboration with COSLA, Heads of Planning Scotland, the key agencies and industry stakeholders and, in our Budget, have committed to publish a consultation paper early this year setting out options to accelerate planning.

National Planning Framework 4, approved by the Scottish Parliament and adopted by Scottish Ministers in 2023, has given clear support to all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emissions technologies. We will also publish a consultation paper early this year on the statutory processes to be set out in regulations for making any future amendments to the National Planning Framework.

To support skills and capacity building within planning services in relation to energy development, the Scottish Government and the Improvement Service host knowledge and information sharing events. That has included a specific event for planning authority staff in relation to renewable and low carbon hydrogen production.

The Scottish Government is progressing with additional measures to support planning authorities and consultees as they plan for and consider applications for hydrogen projects. This includes the preparation of planning and consenting advice. The Scottish Government has also commissioned Edinburgh University to design and deliver bespoke training to be made available free of charge to all planning departments.

Question reference: S6W-24468

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how long the Energy Consents Unit takes on average to determine applications following referral from local authorities.

Scottish Ministers determine applications for consent made under the Electricity Act 1989. The Scottish Government does not collate data on determination timescales following a planning authority’s response to an application consultation. Progression to determination is not solely dependent on the planning authorities’ consultation responses. Other consultation responses, representations and relevant material information factor into the decision-making process.

Average timescales for determination vary depending on the type of development. Electricity Act windfarm applications, for the last 5 years, where there is no public inquiry, have been determined within an average of 24 months. Windfarm applications, with a public inquiry, have averaged 44 months to determination.

Question reference: S6O-02999

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcements made in its Budget, what action it is taking to ensure that well-established community mental health services are appropriately funded.

Question reference: S6W-24078

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many people are (a) directly and (b) indirectly employed within the thermal insulation sector.

Question reference: S6W-24076

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the 2022 ClimateXChange report, Clean Heat and Energy Efficiency Workforce Assessment, which scenario the Scottish economy is currently tracking in terms of uptake of thermal insulation measures.

Question reference: S6W-24077

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many (a) insulation engineers, (b) thermal insulation engineers, (c) glaziers, (d) heating and ventilation engineers, (e) plumbing and heating engineers, (f) electricians and (g) Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessors are currently working in Scotland, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Office for National Statistics, Broad Industry Group , provides annual data for employee and employment estimates working in construction areas in Scotland including, but not limited to; plumbing, installation of heating and air-conditioning systems, electrical work and insulation work (water, heat, sound). The most recent data was published on 25 October 2023.

Question reference: S6W-24079

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to make Scotland an attractive place to open businesses within the low-carbon heat and energy efficiency sector.

Question reference: S6W-24081

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that low-carbon heating systems and energy efficiency measures are installed to a high quality level.

Question reference: S6W-24064

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22664 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, what its position is on how the proposal that "Owner occupied homes that have ended their use of polluting heating by 2033 will not be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard", as set out in its consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, promotes a "fabric first approach".

Owner occupied homes which no longer use polluting heating by 2033 will have already, as a result of this change, removed all direct emissions associated with the heating of those homes.

This means that there would be no need for a legal requirement to meet an energy efficiency standard; however, there will still be strong incentives for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency and improvements to the fabric of those homes in order to reduce their energy bills.