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I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20144 on 6 December 2018 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20145 on 6 December 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

We anticipate that Scotland’s abundant renewable resources, allied to investment in grid-scale storage and smart-grid technology, will play a greater role once Hunterston B ceases to generate, with subsequent benefits to local economies, potentially including the Scottish island groups.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are around 750 high skill and high wage jobs at Hunterston. A workplace plan is currently being developed by EDF for the period following the end of generation and commencement of the decommissioning process for Hunterston B. Once the workforce starts to reduce there may be opportunities for redeployment to decommissioning roles and to other sites should staff be interested.

It is difficult to anticipate at present the exact nature of the jobs that will be sustained in decommissioning Hunterston B, although experience with existing decommissioning sites in Scotland would suggest employment levels of several hundred people for about 20 to 25 years.

The Scottish Government is aware of the contribution that Hunterston B currently makes to meeting Scottish electricity demand. We continue to work closely with a range of stakeholders, including the UK Government, National Grid, EDF Energy and the wider energy industry to ensure that Scotland’s energy needs will continue to be met when the station ceases to generate.

The Scottish Energy Strategy, published in December 2017, sets out our priorities for the future energy system in Scotland. This comprises a whole-system approach that promotes renewables and other low carbon alternatives as part of a diverse, well balanced energy supply. However, as set out in the Strategy, we do not support a new generation of nuclear stations under current technologies. The economics of these stations are prohibitive, especially given the falling costs of renewable and storage technologies.

Responsibility for maintaining a secure electricity supply is ultimately a matter for the UK Government and National Grid which, as system operator, is responsible for balancing supply and demand across the GB network. While continuing to monitor the impact of the outages of reactors at Hunterston, National Grid has not highlighted any significant concerns with meeting demand in Scotland or across GB in the foreseeable future.

EDF has estimated that both Reactor 3 and Reactor 4 at Hunterston B will return to service in the New Year, on 21 February and 14 January respectively. These dates are subject to Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) agreeing the respective safety cases. The ONR is clear that the reactor cannot be restarted until it is satisfied it is safe to do so.

The Scottish Government holds regular discussions with National Grid on the continued security of Scotland’s energy networks. Despite continued outages at Hunterson B, National Grid remain confident that they have the measures in place to maintain supply throughout this Winter.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with EDF regarding the future of Hunterston B. A delegation of Scottish officials visited the site on 6 November 2018 and met with the Station Director to discuss the current issues with the two reactors and when they may be brought back into service.

We support proposals to extend the operating life of Hunterston B, with the qualification that this is provided that strict environment and safety criteria continue to be met and that the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is satisfied that this can be done safely.

Prolonging the life of this station will enable it to continue playing a part in meeting Scottish demand while we increase the proportion of electricity generated by renewables and cleaner thermal generation technologies.

The Scottish Government is providing £450,000 this year for the Public Library Improvement Fund, enabling libraries across Scotland to undertake a range of pioneering projects for to benefit our communities.

We are investing £1 million over three years through the School Library Improvement Fund, recognising the significant contribution school libraries can make to educational attainment.

Public libraries can access both these funds to support educational initiatives aimed at schoolchildren and are receiving almost £80,000 for such projects this year. They also play an important part in a number of national initiatives, such as the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

Scotland's Economic Strategy sets out the framework for delivering inclusive growth via boosting competitiveness and tackling inequality. At a national level, the Economic Action Plan - published in October of this year - sets out the wide range of actions that we are taking to deliver on our ambitions, including measures focused on place as well as increasing job creation and promoting fair work.

At a local and regional level, the Scottish Government has been working with North Ayrshire Council to undertake an inclusive growth diagnostic exercise to understand the barriers and opportunities for unlocking inclusive economic growth in the area.

We have also been working closely with North Ayrshire Council, and their sister councils in East and South Ayrshire, to develop the Ayrshire Growth Deal. Officials have supported the development and refinement of proposals: with several in North Ayrshire. We hope that the deal will bring significant investment to the region and be key to driving inclusive economic growth over the coming years. Our ambition is to be able to agree that deal, in partnership with the local authorities and the UK Government, in early 2019.

The collaborative working behind the growth deal extends to the Regional Economic Partnership which the Local Authorities have agreed to create: working with our enterprise and skills agencies, academia, the third sector and the private sector in order to ensure that resources and priorities are aligned in order to generate the best possible outcomes for the region. The authorities agreed an outline structure for this in October and November this year, and will be drafting a regional economic plan in consultation with the partners. I look forward to seeing the impact that this partnership can have on driving inclusive growth in Ayrshire.

The Scottish Government recognises that the commitment to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032 is likely to lead to an increased demand for electric vehicles (EVs), although there is little certainty about how future transport systems will evolve. Increasing EV uptake will have a range of impacts on electricity demand and supporting infrastructure. We will work collaboratively to find innovative solutions that avoid unnecessary disruptions and investment.

The regulation of electricity networks is specifically reserved to the UK Government. However, we hold regular discussions with National Grid in the context of its role as System Operator across Great Britain, as well as with the UK Government, Ofgem, and industry partners on how networks need to change to support rising EV uptake and our wider carbon reduction targets. We intend to publish a Networks Vision statement by the end of the year, describing the ways in which the electricity and gas networks will have to change to enable the continued decarbonisation of Scotland’s economy, including transport.

The decarbonisation of transport is an integral part of the whole systems approach set out in our Energy Strategy. The associated target for the equivalent of 50% of energy for Scotland’s heat, transport and electricity to be supplied from renewable sources by 2030 will require changes to the ways in which energy is generated and consumed. We are working closely with Scotland’s network operators and others to consider the ways in which higher demand for electricity arising from EV uptake may vary in different geographical areas during the period up to 2030. Renewables will play a big part in meeting this increased demand, with roles for other sources and technologies, such as battery storage, within a smarter, more interconnected network.