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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-05502

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government from where specifically it will source energy that is currently generated by the Hunterston B nuclear power station, following its closure.

Question reference: S6W-05510

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates will be the source of energy that replaces that currently generated by nuclear power stations in Scotland; whether this will be from (a) fossil fuels or (b) renewable wind power; where precisely that power will be generated, and whether it will publish its calculations regarding how the current level of nuclear power generation will be replaced by these alternative sources.

Security of electricity supply is a reserved matter and is delivered by National Grid ESO across the whole of Great Britain under regulation from Ofgem. Scotland is part of a GB electricity system that is managed by National Grid in its role as Electricity System Operator. NGESO is responsible for sourcing generation to meet demand.

A mixture of renewables, storage and carbon capture technology – as well as increased interconnection across GB and to the continent – can support a secure and decarbonised power sector in Scotland following the closure of the existing large nuclear generators.

Scotland is currently a net electricity exporter and in 2020 exported 20.4 TWh of electricity, equivalent to powering every household in Scotland for 26 months. It only imported a little over 1 TWh of electricity, meaning that net exports of electricity were 19.3 TWh in 2020, its highest year on record.

Question reference: S6W-05504

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to deliver a fair and managed transition for workers currently working at the Hunterston B nuclear power station, following its closure.

Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is currently being developed. This will include co-design as a key underpinning principle, ensuring workers from across the energy sector have the opportunity to contribute towards this process.

Additionally, we are investing in a green transition for North Ayrshire, supporting the region surrounding Hunterston B. The Scottish Government has invested £103 million in the Ayrshire Growth Deal which will support inclusive growth across the region; and help create good, green jobs.

Question reference: S6W-05568

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government who attended each COBR meeting on its behalf during 2021.

COBR is shorthand for the UK Government Civil Contingencies Committee that is convened to handle matters of UK national emergency or major disruption. COBR ministerial meetings are described as COBR (M).

The Scottish Government can only report on COBR meetings we are invited to attend by the UK Government. The following table sets out the COBR meetings that the Scottish Government was invited to and which Scottish Ministers attended during 2021.

Meeting	Subject	Date	SG representative(s)
COBR (M)	Winter resilience	01-01-2021	Deputy First Minister
COBR (M)	Storm Christoph	19-01-2021	Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Land Reform
COBR (M)	Storm Christoph	20-01-2021	First Minister
COBR (M)	Storm Christoph	21-01-2021	Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Land Reform
COBR (M)	Covid-19	10-12-2021	First Minister Chief Medical Officer Director General, Constitution and External Affairs
COBR (M)	Covid-19	15-12-2021	First Minister Chief Medical Officer Director of COVID Coordination
COBR (M)	Covid-19	19-12-2021	First Minister Chief Medical Officer Director General, Constitution and External Affairs

Question reference: S6W-05394

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the use of the CitizenCard as valid ID for the purposes of the vaccine certification scheme.

Question reference: S6W-05507

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Just Transition (a) Fund and (b) plans will include and support contractor limited companies.

Our Just Transition plans (beginning with the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan due to be published later this year) will set out how the economic and social impacts of our transition to Net Zero will be managed in a way that delivers on our national just transition outcomes.

From this programme of work, and the co-design activity that will be undertaken to support the Plans, we will be able to assess the nature and scale of impacts on workers across the sectors of our economy. This will enable us to assess how we support the full range of businesses and business models currently operating across sectors, including contractors contracting via a limited company.

Our Just Transition Fund is a new financial commitment and is currently being developed. It will be shaped in discussion with regional partners. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops.

Question reference: S6W-05505

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Just Transition (a) Fund and (b) plans will support workers currently working in the nuclear sector (i) in general and (ii) following the closure of the (A) Hunterston B and (B) Torness nuclear power station.

The ten-year £500 million Just Transition Fund has been established to support the North East and Moray region, which does not host any of Scotland’s nuclear power facilities.

Our forthcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will provide a clear roadmap for Scotland’s energy system. It will be co-designed with workers, businesses and communities across the country and establish a shared vision for Scotland’s energy system, identifying concrete steps to manage the economic and social impacts of the transition fairly.

This year we will outline our sequence of Just Transition Plans, including any sub-sectors or sites of the energy system that would benefit from an individual plan.

Question reference: S6O-00728

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to improve the provision of services for NHS Tayside breast cancer patients.

Question reference: S6O-00724

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received free personal care, under Frank’s Law, since it came into effect in 2019.

Question reference: S6O-00744

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it has received on introducing the proposed referendum bill on Scottish independence.