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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-44222

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that Great Britain's current gas storage capacity is equivalent to less than two days' supply, and what its position is on whether this is sufficient.

Question reference: S6W-44225

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, and in light of military conflicts and global instability impacting supplies of oil and gas, what its position is on whether there should be improved support for gas-fired power stations, including Peterhead Power Station, which is the last remaining one in Scotland.

Security of supply for gas and electricity is a matter reserved to the UK Government and is delivered by the National Electricity System Operator (NESO) across the whole of GB, under regulation from Ofgem. As we transition to a net zero energy system and reduce our dependence on fossil fuel generation, long-duration energy storage technologies, including pumped hydro storage, will play a larger role in ensuring a secure and resilient electricity system by providing a reliable and flexible electricity supply.

With regards to any specific projects that may require planning approval, Ministers cannot comment.

Question reference: S6W-44231

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any plans it has for an updated energy policy, when it first announced that it would publish an updated policy; what date or approximate date for when the policy would be made public was stated in the announcement, and what the current date is for when it plans to publish any updated policy.

Following the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), the Scottish Government stated in September 2023 that it would publish the final version by Summer 2024. However, since then there have been significant changes in the energy sector.

The judgements and issues in the ESJTP are informed and influenced by ongoing developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and by recent court decisions. We are taking sufficient time to analyse and reflect on those developments and their impact on Scotland. The Scottish Government has published many policy decisions on energy, setting out a clear policy approach.

Question reference: S6W-44369

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43888 by Gillian Martin on 2 March 2026, whether it will provide details of the 450 specialist jobs that SSEN estimates will be supported in each year of the five years of the contract, broken down by seafarer grade.

The Scottish Government understands that SSEN has now put in place its frameworks with contract partners. These frameworks will enable partners to bid for specific projects. This process will define the precise nature and the grade of roles created.

Given the subsea cable upgrades will be delivered through private contracts between SSEN and its partners, the Scottish Government will have no role in the creation or management of jobs resulting from the subsea network upgrades.

Question reference: S6W-44223

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, and in light of reported concerns that conflicts in Ukraine, Iran and elsewhere in the world will continue and other conflicts may start, what its position is on whether there should be more gas storage in Scotland and the rest of Great Britain, and what quantity of gas storage it considers would be sufficient.

Question reference: S6W-44367

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43887 by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2026, what steps it is taking to work with trade unions to promote Fair Work principles in private contracts for domestic (a) production, (b) transmission and (c) distribution of offshore renewable energy.

Question reference: S6W-44228

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that, on 8 January 2025, the National Grid's margin of surplus power over actual demand dropped to 580 megawatts, or just over 1% of peak demand, which was below safety requirements; what level of safety requirements it considers is sufficient to protect the public and businesses in Scotland against brownouts and blackouts; what its position is on the necessity of further investment in (a) increased gas storage and (b) new generating capacity from gas-fired power stations to provide back-up capacity to protect against brownouts and blackouts, and what discussions it has had with the (i) National Energy System Operator and (ii) UK Government regarding the role of non-renewable back-up generation in providing stability to the energy grid.

Question reference: S6W-44230

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what increase in capacity of pumped storage hydropower in Scotland it estimates there will be in each of the next five years.

Long duration electricity storage, such as pumped hydro storage, plays a vital role in providing flexibility services to the grid and ensuring a resilient electricity system.

There is currently 0.74 GW of pumped hydro storage operational in Scotland, with 4.79 GW awaiting construction and 4.20 GW awaiting a planning decision. It is not possible for the Scottish Government to estimate when projects will become operational as these are commercial decisions.

We have co-commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan for Great Britain to provide greater clarity on the shape of our future energy system.

Question reference: S6W-44229

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its position is on what proportion of electricity supplied to Scotland should come from renewable sources, and, with such a proportion of renewable energy supply, whether back-up generation from gas-fired power stations would be required to prevent the risk of blackouts.

Question reference: S6W-44370

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43887 by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2026, what action it is taking to promote the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund for the supply of skilled workers to SSEN Distribution’s five contract partners.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF), currently in its 2025-26 pilot phase and delivered by Skills Development Scotland, supports eligible oil and gas workers with careers advice and funding for training to access roles across a range of sustainable energy sectors. This includes roles in electricity grids, distribution and transmission.

It is for individuals applying to the TTF to set the overall direction of their application and therefore the sector(s) they may wish to access following training. This flexibility allows workers to assess their options, supported by expert careers advice, based on their experience, existing skill set, aspirations and the availability of jobs in their area.

In October 2025, the Scottish and UK Governments announced joint funding of up to £18 million to extend and expand the TTF over financial years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.