Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-23278

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding setting per capita carbon budgets.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions on matters relating to its response to climate change, and has no plans to set per capita carbon budgets. In line with international reporting practice and independent advice from the UK Climate Change Committee, Scotland’s statutory climate change targets are set on the basis of long-term reductions in total net territorial emissions, and also include a share of emissions from international aviation and shipping.

Question reference: S6W-23276

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been undertaken to understand the potential impacts in Scotland of delivering the recommendations on the development of other technologies such as energy storage and private wire, as set out in the Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report on accelerating electricity transmission network deployment.

As set out in the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, we see a vital role for energy storage and flexibility to support efficient matching of energy supply and demand for power from heat, transport and industry.

We recognise that the recommendations in the Nick Winser Report represent a step-change in policy relating to electricity networks and, if implemented effectively, could be transformational for our energy system.

It will be critical that Scotland’s ambitions and devolved responsibilities are recognised as the recommendations are implemented.

We are reviewing available evidence to inform our position relating to electricity storage and flexibility as part of the publication of the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan by Summer 2024.

Question reference: S6W-23274

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with (a) Energy Systems Catapult and (b) the UK Government regarding the potential implications for Scotland of the recommendations of the Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report on accelerating electricity transmission network deployment, and whether it will publish the minutes of any such meetings.

Scottish Government officials engaged with the Energy Systems Catapult in online stakeholder workshops during development of the UK Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report. In addition, the Scottish Government’s Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Division (PARD) and Energy Consents Unit (ECU) attended a meeting with the Energy Systems Catapult on 28 February 2023 to discuss procedures around the consenting of electricity transmission infrastructure. A minute of the meeting was taken by the Energy Systems Catapult.

The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy met the UK Government Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Nuclear and Networks) on 21 November 2023 to discuss the UK Government’s response to the UK Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report, which was published alongside the UK Government’s Autumn Statement on 22 November 2023.

Following the publication of UK Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report, Scottish Government officials have engaged with the UK Government, and other key stakeholders, through the UK Government’s Transmission Acceleration Forum and Stakeholder Working Group. The Scottish Government does not publish minutes taken by other organisations.

Question reference: S6W-23299

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22676 by Neil Gray on 31 August 2023, which exact subsidy control rules were preventing the requested investment in Ferguson Marine.

Question reference: S6W-23275

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what planning policy is in development in Scotland in support of the recommendations of the Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report on accelerating electricity transmission network deployment.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), published and adopted on 13 February 2023, places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and already gives strong support for all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emission technologies, including electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Electricity networks are central to the delivery of the ambitions set out in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. The Scottish Government’s response to the Electricity Networks Commissioner’s recommendations makes clear our commitment to delivering a just transition to net zero emissions by 2045. The UK Government must implement the recommendations swiftly, to ensure the grid is not a barrier to net zero. It is vital that the UK Government builds a high standard of co-design and collaboration with devolved governments to ensure that the recommendations are fit for purpose. It is also important that the Scottish Government is integral to the overall governance structures set up to oversee implementation and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Question reference: S6W-23255

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase domestic energy efficiency.

On 28 November, we launched our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill alongside the social housing equivalent. This includes proposals to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes, which will deliver enduring savings on energy bills and helpmeet our climate change targets.

We have a wide range of grant and loan schemes available, and households can contact Home Energy Scotland to access free, bespoke, impartial advice on making their home more energy efficient. Our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme is open to all domestic owner-occupied households in Scotland and provides grant funding of up to £7,500 for households to install energy efficiency measures. A rural uplift to the energy efficiency grant of up to £1,500 is available as well as up to an additional £7,500 as an interest free loan.

We have also helped over 150,000 households to benefit from warmer homes that are less expensive to heat through our fuel poverty programmes, Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes. We have recently widened the eligibility criteria to the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, allowing a further 100,000 households to become eligible, and relaunched the programme with a significantly increased maximum contract value of more than £700million over up to seven years.

Furthermore, Registered Social Landlords can apply for grant funding from the Social Housing Net Zero Heat fund for the installation of energy efficiency measures and clean heating that deliver both carbon savings and reduction in fuel bills for their tenants. This includes “Fabric First” enhancements which help make homes easier and cheaper to heat.

Finally, we recently consulted on reforming EPCs to make them a more appropriate source of information about the energy efficiency of a building. This included proposals to introduce a metric based on fabric energy efficiency: Energy Performance Certificate reform consultation - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space . These reforms, if introduced, will help building owners understand the energy efficiency of their property, and the steps they can take to improve it . We plan to respond to the consultation in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-23266

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that bus gates, such as those in Aberdeen, do not penalise coach drivers servicing trade and tourism locations by them incurring fines.

Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic. These duties include the making of Traffic Regulation Orders for such things as restricting access on roads to certain types of vehicles as they see fit, such as bus gates.

It is therefore for local authorities to determine what vehicles should be permitted depending on the local specific circumstances and not an area where Scottish Ministers would intervene. Notwithstanding this, Aberdeen City Council has confirmed that the recently opened bus gates in Aberdeen City Centre, supported by Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund, do permit coaches.

Question reference: S6O-02880

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the first meeting of the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board, what progress has been made towards introducing a national smart ticketing scheme.

Question reference: S6W-23256

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to mandating financial rewards to communities that host critical energy generation or transmission infrastructure.

Electricity regulation, generation, transmission and distribution are reserved to the UK Government. This means that mandating financial benefits for communities through the consents process is beyond the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. However we have pressed the UK Government to take action in this area on many occasions, in terms of transmission and generation infrastructure.

While we welcome the UK Government’s announcements on providing energy bill discounts and wider community benefit from upgrades to the electricity transmission network, Scottish Ministers will continue to press the UK Government to explore making such benefits for transmission and generation mandatory, subject to full consultation. I have written to the UK Secretary of State this week to urge the UK Government to ensure there is meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government as these proposals are developed.

Despite the powers to mandate being reserved, community benefits are well-established in Scotland with our national Community Benefits Register indicating that over £25 million worth of community benefits were committed from renewable energy projects in the last 12 months. We continue to explore different avenues within devolved powers that will build on the successes of our Good Practice Principles, the Onshore Wind Sector Deal, and work to develop a solar deployment ambition.

Question reference: S6W-23254

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ban gas flaring.

Where flaring and venting is required as an operational safety feature in onshore industrial activities, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) act as independent regulators at regulated sites in Scotland. SEPA requires operators to prevent, or where that is not possible, to reduce emissions due to flaring and venting by the use of best available techniques.

Policy in relation to flaring and venting on offshore oil and gas platforms is reserved to the UK Government. The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) acts as the regulator with the relevant legislation requiring offshore operators to have the correct consents in place for the flaring and venting during production operations. The NSTA has a goal of reaching zero routine flaring by 2030 or sooner.

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