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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: S6O-01839

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what was discussed in official meetings that took place on 4 October 2022 between the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and various European delegates.

Question reference: S6W-13728

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether public sector bodies can be subjected to improvement plans if they are not making sufficient progress on (a) reducing carbon emission and (b) meeting net zero targets.

Question reference: S6W-13784

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement in its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan that "many young people are already choosing renewable or low carbon roles" and that "only 12% of the oil and gas workforce is under 30", what its response is to the suggestion that its comments regarding domestic oil and gas production ending and a presumption against new exploration and production in the North Sea, for example by the Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Parliament on 10 January 2023, might be impacting young people’s choices to move into the oil and gas sector.

Data from the industry itself clearly shows that a significant proportion of the oil and gas workforce will retire in the coming years.

As a responsible government, we have set out a pathway to ensure a fair and just transition for our energy workforce, and to bring a new generation of skilled workers into the industry. Given the North Sea basin is mature and production is already in decline, any other course of action would only serve to put jobs and our economy at risk.

Question reference: S6W-13726

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Climate Change Committee's report, Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland - 2022 Report to Parliament, when it will provide information on the steps that it will take to compensate for the carbon emission targets it failed to meet.

Under section 36 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the Scottish Government has a legal duty to produce a catch-up report with additional policies and proposals to compensate in future years for the excess emissions from any missed annual emissions targets. These have already been published for any previously missed targets. The 2020 target, which is the most recent to have been reported on, was met. We are one of only a very few countries to have such a rigorous statutory system which requires us to outperform on future targets when past targets are not met.

Question reference: S6W-13729

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested any meetings with the UK Government to discuss improving collaboration to meet those climate change targets it has failed to meet, as recommended by the recent Climate Change Committee report, Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland - 2022 Report to Parliament.

Under the legal framework set by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and agreed by the Scottish Parliament, a target outcome is determined at the time it is reported, which means that it is not possible to subsequently meet a previously missed emissions target.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with the UK Government to discuss areas of shared interest on climate change, including through the Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-Ministerial Group. Given the significant powers reserved to Westminster, including on energy infrastructure, taxation and borrowing powers, the Scottish Government intend to discuss further with the UK Government how we can ensure our plans aren't delayed as a result of UK Government decisions where shared action is needed to meet our future emissions targets.

Question reference: S6W-13730

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what sanctions are applied, and to whom, as a result of it failing, for three consecutive years between 2017 and 2019, to meet its annual legal emissions targets, as set out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.

The extremely stretching statutory emissions targets framework, set in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (“the 2009 Act”) by the Scottish Parliament, places specific duties on Scottish Ministers in the case that emissions reduction targets are missed. In particular, a missed emissions target triggers a duty on Ministers to bring forward – as soon as reasonably practicable after such a target outcome has been reported - additional policies and proposals to compensate in future years for the excess emissions arising from the missed target.

Under section 36 of the 2009 Act, a statutory catch-up report in relation to the 2019 annual emissions target was laid in Parliament in October 2021 (supplementing the ambitious and transformational commitments in the updated Climate Change Plan, finalised in March 2021)which included measures to make up for the shortfall from the previously missed 2017 and 2018 annual targets.

This approach ensures that the total amount of Scottish emissions over the lifetime of the targets in the Act will remain no greater than would have been the case if all of the annual targets had been exactly met.

Question reference: S6W-13731

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what sanctions could be applied, and to whom, in the event that it breaches the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 as a result of a failure to meet its annual legal emissions targets in 2021.

The outcome of the 2021 emissions reduction target will not be known until statistics for that year are published by early June 2023. In the event that any emissions reduction target is missed, under section 36 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Scottish Government has a legal duty to produce a catch-up report with additional policies and proposals to compensate in future years for the excess emissions. This approach ensures that the total amount of Scottish emissions over the lifetime of the targets in the Act will remain no greater than would have been the case if all of the annual targets had been exactly met.

Question reference: S6W-13827

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which education and training providers, including (a) colleges, (b) universities, (c) energy sector-specific training providers and (d) general independent training providers it consulted as part of the development of its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which was published on 10 January 2023.

Officials regularly engage with institutions with expertise across further education, training, and skills. During the development of our draft ESJTP, we have had input from representatives from Robert Gordon University, Stirling University, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, OPITO, X-Academy, Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, The Business Partnership, and Skills Development Scotland.

We will continue to engage with industry experts and wider stakeholders and encourage the broadest possible range of responses to the formal consultation of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Question reference: S6W-13829

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it consulted (a) The UK Offshore Energies Association (b) Global Underwater Hub (c) Scottish Renewables (d) Liquid Gas UK (e) Energy UK (e) Solar Energy UK and (f) The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board as part of the development of its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which was published on 10 January 2023.

The Scottish Government engaged with a range of industry stakeholders as part of the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including through the Scottish Energy Advisory Board and its Strategic Leadership Groups, as well as engagement with research organisations and independent experts. Officials regularly engage with stakeholders including OEUK, Scottish Renewables, Energy UK and Solar Energy Scotland, and that engagement has informed the development of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. We will continue to engage with industry experts and wider stakeholders, and encourage the broadest possible range of responses to the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Question reference: S6W-13826

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the development of an investment prospectus to support the move to a net zero energy system, as referred to in its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which was published on 10 January 2023, when work on the prospectus is expected to (a) begin and (b) be completed.

The development of an investment prospectus, as mentioned in the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan , originated as a recommendation from the Just Transition Commission, in its ‘Making the Future – Initial Report of the 2 nd Just Transition Commission’ report. Officials are committed to the development of the investment prospectus over the course of this Parliament, with much of the detail emerging through the process of developing our next Climate Change Plan and the Just Transition Plans.

We will be seeking to make use of the Just Transition Commission's expertise as we develop our work. The investment prospectus will also be developed in consultation with key stakeholders, including financial institutions, trade bodies, and business, ahead of the finalised Strategy and Plan.