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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: S6W-22670

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide (a) further information on the demographics of the 1,900 funding offers through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme since its launch in August 2023 and (b) a breakdown by (i) the age of applicants, (ii) the median household income of applicants and (iii) local authority area.

The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme was launched in December 2022. The figures provided show the number of heat pump funding offers issued between this launch date and the end of August 2023.

The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme is available to all domestic owner occupied households in Scotland, therefore data on household income and age of applicants are not collected during the application process. In the following table, the data requested has therefore been supplied for local authority area only.

Local Authority Area	Heat Pump Funding Offers
Aberdeen City	32
Aberdeenshire	144
Angus	62
Argyll and Bute	218
City of Edinburgh	132
Clackmannanshire	8
Dumfries and Galloway	71
Dundee City	21
East Ayrshire	25
East Dunbartonshire	33
East Lothian	45
East Renfrewshire	25
Falkirk	21
Fife	104
Glasgow City	36
Highland	237
Inverclyde	7
Midlothian	31
Moray	68
Na h-Eileanan Siar	37
North Ayrshire	28
North Lanarkshire	38
Orkney Islands	48
Perth and Kinross	93
Renfrewshire	26
Scottish Borders	80
Shetland Islands	34
South Ayrshire	40
South Lanarkshire	75
Stirling	45
West Dunbartonshire	7
West Lothian	52
TOTAL	1923

Question reference: S6W-22674

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its publication, Heat in Buildings: progress report 2023, how much funding was available for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme, and what the total spend in the form of grants and loans was, in the 2022-23 financial year.

For the budget and spend relating to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme (formerly HES Loan and Cashback) in 2023-23, please see the following:

Budget allocation – I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13676 on 19 January 2023.

Budget Spend – I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19954 on 9 August 2023.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-22666

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the current supply chain for heat pump maintenance, including (a) parts, (b) labour and (c) its ability to grow to meet any increasing demand.

The pace of the Heat in Buildings transition requires a substantial growth in supply chains, including heat pump installation and maintenance. Supporting Scotland’s current and future workforce to develop the skills needed for the net zero transition is a priority for this government. Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are aligned at a local level with business needs and future local demands.

Question reference: S6W-22664

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the importance of ensuring that the fabric of homes is repaired prior to completing insultation works.

The Scottish Government remains committed to its fabric first approach, set out in our Heat in Buildings Strategy, which prioritises improving the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes. This is critical to the heat transition, reducing demand for energy, and making homes warmer and easier to heat. However, ensuring that the fabric of a home is in good condition, and adequately repaired if required, prior to completing insulation works is important.

Question reference: S6W-22657

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of future demand for servicing of renewable heating solutions on market rates for (a) labour and (b) parts.

Question reference: S6W-22659

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for homes seeking to install renewable heating systems, but for which current renewable solutions are technically unsuitable for retrofitting on their current heating system in a way that can provide both heating and hot water, in a whole-house heating system.

Our Heat in Buildings Strategy recognises that some properties may have fewer technology options available as a result of location and property type, impact on the fabric of historic buildings and electricity grid capacity.

The cost of converting to a clean heating system is likely to vary according to property type, size and condition. We therefore have a broad range of delivery programmes to provide advice and financial support for householders related to energy efficiency and clean heating.

The Scottish Government funds Home Energy Scotland (HES), administered by Energy Saving Trust, to provide free and impartial advice on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support in Scotland. Within HES there are specialist renewables advisors with training on home renewables systems, home energy efficiency; and solutions for hard to treat and historic buildings. These specialists provide an in-depth service to Scottish homeowners, which can include on-site assessments.

Our Warmer Homes Scotland programme takes a bespoke, whole house approach to support those at risk of fuel poverty through installing insulation and heating measures. A retrofit assessment in accordance with PAS 2035 quality standards is prepared for each home and only where renewables or zero direct emissions heating are technically appropriate, and would not increase running costs, will we offer those to the householder. A wide range of measures is available under the programme and where renewables are not appropriate then the assessor will recommend a suitable package of insulation and/or other heating options.

We will consult before the end of the year on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. Any regulations introduced will be technology-neutral since different homes and buildings will require different clean heat solutions (including heat pumps, heat networks and direct electric heating systems).

Question reference: S6O-02743

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that preventable illnesses have on the Scottish economy.

The Scottish Government has drawn from a range of sources including the Labour Force Survey, the Fraser of Allander Institute and ONS’ Labour Market Statistics as part of its consideration of the impact of preventable illness and long term conditions on the Scottish economy. A range of actions are underway across government to mitigate this including the delivery of No-One Left Behind, reviewing the Health and Work Strategy and working with NHS and PHS to support the delivery of employer and employee work-related support services including Healthy Working Lives and Working Health Services Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02771

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the development of hydrogen fuelling infrastructure for use by heavy goods vehicles and other roadgoing heavy machinery.

Question reference: S6W-22634

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the definition of invasive non-native species to be, and whether this aligns with the definition given by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Scottish Government considers the definition of invasive non-native species to be that provided in the GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy and that this does indeed align with the definition given by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The Strategy defines an invasive non-native species as any non-native species that has been intentionally or unintentionally introduced outside its native range by human actions and which has the ability to spread causing damage to the environment, the economy, our health, or the way we live.

Question reference: S6W-22635

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any non-native tree species seeding from commercial plantations into adjacent or nearby habitats, including any significant adverse impacts on (a) biodiversity, (b) other environmental interests and (c) social or economic interests.

Assessments are made at local level of the potential impacts of non-native species on adjacent or nearby habitats, through implementation of the Forestry Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (EIA), and the implementation of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) and associated guidance.

The EIA Regulations process ensures assessment of the potential environmental and social impact of non-native tree species seeding into other habitats. Where the new woodland proposed is adjacent to European designated site, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) is also required to assess potential impacts. The UKFS and associated guidance also requires appraisals to be made of the potential impact of productive woodland on neighbouring habitats, as part of both woodland creation applications and Long-Term Forest Plans.