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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 MSPs 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: S5W-06296

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is considering to support the geothermal energy industry in North East Scotland following the conclusion of the feasibility projects at Hill of Banchory and the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

All projects were engaged in follow up meetings with the Scottish Government to agree next steps in respect of the conclusions of their individual feasibility reports in order to continue to progress the projects. Where appropriate, financial support was offered on a co-funded basis to the projects. It was a matter for the projects themselves and the project partners (such as land owners and heat off takers, highlighted in the feasibility work) to decide whether or not to pursue development at this stage. We have not had confirmation from either party that they are in a position to proceed. We remain in contact with the developers of both projects and will continue to pursue the development of a geothermal project.

Question reference: S5W-06908

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with oil and gas companies to encourage them to actively recruit young people.

I regularly meet with senior representatives from the oil and gas industry, during these meetings a wide range of issues are discussed in support of the sector, including the industry’s current and future skills agenda.

We are actively continuing to support Scotland's oil and gas industry through the Adopt and Apprentice Scheme. This has allowed businesses to benefit from a skilled trainee, whilst also receiving a financial incentive. This can help cover wage and recruitment costs of taking on a Modern Apprentice who has been made redundant from another employer.

Additionally all funds raised through the Apprentice Levy, will be invested in skills, training and workforce development to meet the needs to employers, the workforce, young people and Scotland’s economy. As a direct result of our consultation with industry we will continue to expand the number of Modern Apprenticeship opportunities as part of our planned growth to 30,000 new starts each year by 2020 alongside an increase in the number of Graduate Level and Foundation Apprenticeships during 2017-18.

The Levy will also look to respond to the immediate skills needs of employers, through the establishment of a new Flexible Workforce Development Fund for employers. The new fund will be developed with the input of employers including the industry-led Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board and shaped by College Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-06299

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund is taking forward its Geothermal Energy Expert Group’s aim of "producing a viable proposal within which geothermal heat or heat and power can be encouraged and developed in a Scottish context".

The Challenge Fund was set up to help support feasibility studies in respect of the capacity of the geothermal resource in abandoned mine workings, hot sedimentary aquifers, and hot dry or wet rocks to support a local market and the viability of the identified location(s) as a self-sustaining, economically attractive investment prospect.

It was launched by the Scottish Government in response to a recommendation from the Geothermal Energy Expert Group. The Expert Group had concluded that financial support for feasibility work could be the first step towards a commercially viable/self-sustaining sector, laying the foundation for potential future work.

A total of £179,131 grant was made available during the 2015-16 financial year to explore the technical feasibility, economic viability and environmental sustainability of the geothermal resource in 4 sites in Scotland.

All projects were engaged in follow up meetings with the Scottish Government to agree next steps. Where appropriate, financial support was offered on a co-funded basis to the projects and we will continue to pursue the development of a viable geothermal heat project.

Question reference: S5W-06300

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact leaving the EU and the single market could have on geothermal exploration in Scotland, in light of the Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund receiving European structural funds support.

The Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund was run as part of the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP) and provided support to four projects during the 2015-16 financial year, before closing.

LCITP receives European Structural Funds Programme support, the funding of which is guaranteed until September 2018. Until Brexit negotiations are complete, we cannot guarantee that EU funds will be available for future low carbon projects, such as geothermal exploration projects.

Question reference: S5O-00723

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to assist people in the oil and gas industry who are facing redundancy.

Question reference: S5W-06910

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits of hydrogen-powered buses in reducing carbon emissions.

The Scottish Government is supporting the ongoing evaluation of hydrogen-powered buses.

In terms of policy development, Transport Scotland commissioned and recently published independent research by Element Energy on a range of low carbon technologies ("Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Potential in the Scottish Transport Sector from Recent Advances in Transport Fuels and Fuel Technologies" - published in January 2017). The report informed the transport contents of the draft Climate Change Plan currently under consideration in the Parliament; and includes emissions reductions scenarios for the bus sector based on the uptake of a range of different fuels and technologies, including hydrogen-powered buses.

In terms of practical evidence-gathering, the Scottish Government is one of the project partners supporting the operation of a 10-vehicle fleet of hydrogen-powered buses as part of the Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project.

Question reference: S5W-06909

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be taking part in the H2 Transport Summit that is scheduled to be held in Aberdeen from 15 to 17 March 2017.

Question reference: S5W-07357

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding recycling targets.

Question reference: S5W-07027

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in each local authority area will be exempt from business rates because of the extension of the threshold.

Some premises are not yet on the valuation rolls and their entitlement to relief cannot be determined at this point. As a result, it is not possible to provide this breakdown at this time, however our overall estimate is that 100,000 properties will receive 100% rates relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2017-18.

However, we are able to provide the following estimate of the number of properties that will see a decrease or no change in their 2017-18 net bills following the revaluation (i.e. after reliefs including SBBS are applied) broken down by Local Authority.

Estimated effect on net bills, by LA

Local authority	No of business properties	% with decrease or no change in bill
Aberdeen City	8,603	38%
Aberdeenshire	11,695	60%
Angus	4,703	78%
Argyll & Bute	8,311	67%
Clackmannanshire	1,532	63%
Dumfries & Galloway	9,013	71%
Dundee City	5,722	80%
East Ayrshire	3,876	70%
East Dunbartonshire	2,345	74%
East Lothian	3,323	63%
East Renfrewshire	1,736	78%
Edinburgh, City of	19,411	62%
Eilean Siar	2,429	66%
Falkirk	4,809	70%
Fife	13,299	77%
Glasgow City	25,582	73%
Highland	17,131	68%
Inverclyde	2,317	78%
Midlothian	2,856	60%
Moray	4,540	57%
North Ayrshire	5,009	72%
North Lanarkshire	9,855	79%
Orkney Islands	2,130	74%
Perth & Kinross	8,273	72%
Renfrewshire	6,343	73%
Scottish Borders	7,247	61%
Shetland Islands	1,986	69%
South Ayrshire	4,679	69%
South Lanarkshire	9,764	75%
Stirling	4,882	71%
West Dunbartonshire	2,855	74%
West Lothian	5,673	68%
Designated utilities	29	45%
Scotland	221,958	69%

Question reference: S5O-00673

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports Scottish firms in the food and drink sector in accessing public sector contracts.