- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05499 by Lorna Slater on 26 January 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding how a ban on plastic packaging for most fruit and vegetables could potentially operate in Scotland.
Answer
We have not undertaken any specific work relating to the French ban introduced on New Year’s Day and its operations. However, as set out in my response to S6W-05499, we are working with the other UK administrations to introduce extended producer responsibility for packaging, which will encourage more sustainable packaging design, and are supporting industry-led efforts to reduce plastic packaging, through the UK Plastics Pact.
The Scottish Government is also keeping under review the impact of existing actions in train or planned as well as evidence from other countries. As part of our commitment on the waste route map we are working with industry, local government and environmental groups to identify further actions to accelerate progress towards waste prevention and recycling targets.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05226 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, when it expects to set the objectives and key deliverables for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding, and when the referenced "programme of engagement" will conclude.
Answer
There is no distinction between objectives and deliverables of the £500 million Just Transition Fund for year one, and the £20 million allocation for year one.
Detailed policy design work and implementation planning, supplemented by a programme of engagement, is underway ahead of the new financial year. This will inform the objectives and deliverables of the Just Transition Fund. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops. We will work collaboratively, continuing to engage and co-design this Fund with partners in region throughout the lifetime of this ten-year £500 million commitment to the North East and Moray.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05226 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, whether it is the case that the objectives and key deliverables for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding (i) were not set prior to the announcement of each funding stream, (ii) are yet to be set and (iii) will not be set until the "programme of engagement" has concluded.
Answer
The ten-year £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray is a single initiative. The initial £20 million announced for the 2022-23 is a mixture of Capital and Financial Transactions, but should not be regarded as distinct ‘funding streams’ with separate objectives and deliverables.
As specified in the draft Shared Policy Programme, and as specified in this year’s draft Budget, the strategic objective of the Fund is to support and accelerate the development of a transformed and decarbonised economy in the North East and Moray and support the role of Aberdeen and the wider north east as one of Scotland’s centres of excellence for the transition to a net zero economy.
Detailed policy design work and implementation planning, informed by a programme of engagement with partners in the region, is underway ahead of the new financial year. This will inform the specific objectives and deliverables of the Just Transition Fund in a) year 1 and b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops. We will work collaboratively, continuing to engage and co-design this Fund with partners in region throughout the lifetime of this ten-year £500 million commitment to the North East and Moray.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05303 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, whether a more detailed breakdown exists of what specifically the £49.1 million for the Climate Action and Just Transition Fund is allocated toward, beyond the information contained in the NZ, E & T tab on Row 90 of the spreadsheet, Scottish Budget: 2022-23 - Level 4 Data, and, if so, (a) whether it will provide this more detailed breakdown and (b) for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.
Answer
Of the £49.1 million allocated toward the Climate Action and Just Transition Fund, £20 million has been allocated toward the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray. The remaining £29.1 million is split across a wide range of policies and programmes as detailed in the level 4 budget spreadsheet. The exact allocation between these policies and programmes will be confirmed once the Budget Bill has completed its passage through Parliament.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates the closure of (a) Hunterston B and (b) Torness nuclear power station will have on consumer energy bills, and whether it will provide details of its projections.
Answer
We do not have modelling explicitly calculating the potential impact of the closures of Hunterston and Torness however we believe that nuclear power represents poor value for consumers. There remains considerable uncertainty around the economics of new nuclear generation, and the long-term storage of nuclear waste remains a difficult issue. The latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction delivered offshore wind at £39.65 per megawatt hour – substantially below the £92.50 awarded to Hinkley. Internal analysis tells us that in 2030 alone Hinkley could add almost £40/year to a consumer bill, whilst the equivalent offshore wind farm would reduce consumer bills by £8/year.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a strategic transition plan from Scottish-generated nuclear energy to renewables, and, if so, whether it will publish this.
Answer
The Scottish Government is developing an Energy Strategy & Just Transition Plan which will be published in 2022. This document will serve as a plan to transition from today’s energy sector to an new, net-zero sector which meets the 2030 and 2045 climate targets in a fair and just way for all of Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what options appraisal has been carried out of a range of low and zero carbon space and water heating technologies suitable for off-gas-grid homes.
Answer
The Scottish Government published an analysis of the suitability of low and zero emissions heating systems across the whole housing stock, including off-gas-grid homes. The report can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/technical-feasibility-low-carbon-heating-domestic-buildings-report-scottish-governments-directorate-energy-climate-change/
Chapter 2 of the Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out further considerations, uncertainties and evidence pertaining to the suitability of different technologies in different contexts. https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/pages/3/
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of infrared panels as a low carbon heating technology for new homes and off-gas-grid homes.
Answer
The Scottish Government has previously commissioned research which considered the capital and operational costs associated with zero direct emissions heating (ZDEH) technologies within new homes, which encompassed various types of air source heat pumps and direct electric heating. The report, however, did not specifically consider infrared heating panels. A copy of this research is available here: Costs of zero emissions heating in new buildings (climatexchange.org.uk)
As set out in the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are developing regulations to ensure that new homes, applying for a building warrant from 2024, must use ZDEH systems. We consulted on initial proposals for these regulations during 2020-21, and have published an analysis of the consultation responses, which will inform the final design of the regulations. It is our intention for these regulations to be technology-neutral, to ensure developers have flexibility in achieving compliance. At the introduction of these regulations, a full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) will be published – which will set out the costs and benefits of the policy options considered. We will also undertake a range of impact assessments, including a BRIA, on our proposals to regulate heating systems in existing homes (including off-gas grid homes) when we separately introduce the necessary legislation to achieve this.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what low and zero carbon space and water heating technologies are promoted by Home Energy Scotland for off-gas-grid homes.
Answer
Home Energy Scotland (HES) deliver the Home Energy Scotland Loan Schemes on behalf of Scottish Government. Home Energy Scotland does not recommend measures to customers, but instead offers funding for measures recommended on an EPC or renewables report.
A number of zero carbon space and water heating technologies are available for funding through Home Energy Scotland:
Water Heating Systems
Heat Pumps (either air source to water, ground source to water, water source to water or hybrid air source to water)
Biomass boilers or stoves (non-automated, non-pellet stoves or room heaters are not eligible)
All the above measures attract cashback under the HES Renewables Loan Scheme.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what cost benefit analysis has been carried out of central/ducted air-to-air heat pumps as a technology to deliver low and zero carbon space heating and summer cooling, for new homes and off-gas-grid homes.
Answer
The Scottish Government has previously commissioned research which considered the capital and operational costs associated with zero direct emissions heating (ZDEH) technologies within new homes, which encompassed various types of air source heat pumps and direct electric heating. The report, however, did not make a distinction between ducted or ductless heat pumps. A copy of this research is available here: Costs of zero emissions heating in new buildings (climatexchange.org.uk)
As set out in the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are developing regulations to ensure that new homes, applying for a building warrant from 2024, must use ZDEH systems. We consulted on initial proposals for these regulations during 2020-21, and have published an analysis of the consultation responses, which will inform the final design of the regulations. It is our intention for these regulations to be technology-neutral, to ensure developers have flexibility in achieving compliance. At the introduction of these regulations, a full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) will be published – which will set out the costs and benefits of the policy options considered. We will also undertake a range of impact assessments, including a BRIA, on our proposals to regulate heating systems in existing homes (including off-gas grid homes) when we separately introduce the necessary legislation to achieve this.