Chamber and committees

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-01115

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is planning to increase the use of online teaching.

Question reference: S6O-01116

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to dentists in East Dunbartonshire to allow them to take on more NHS patients.

Question reference: S6O-01111

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support a town centre first approach to the development of new housing.

Question reference: S6O-01110

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on which of the key recommendations it is looking to progress from the report State of The Nation: Heart Valve Disease in Scotland by Heart Valve Voice, which was released in December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-08027

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much of its budget has been allocated to support community ownership development of (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind energy projects in each of the last 10 years.

Community Ownership : For the purposes of answering this question Community Ownership is where a community develops owns and operates the renewable energy asset.

CARES Funding : The Scottish Government’s main mechanism for supporting community energy projects is the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) which provides loan and grant funding to assist community groups in developing renewable energy projects which support the growth of community and locally owned energy in Scotland.

Funding for wind energy projects in the last ten years under CARES is as follows:

Community Energy Projects	Value of funding
On-Shore Wind	£7,427.752.92
Off-Shore Wind	nil

EIF Funding: The Scottish Governments Energy Investment Fund (EIF), which closed on 31 March 2022, provided commercial funding for renewable and low carbon energy solutions including support for community owned renewable energy projects and was managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by the Scottish Investment Bank, which is part of Scottish Enterprise.

Funding for wind energy projects provided through EIF in the last ten years is as follows:

Community Energy Projects	Value of funding
On-Shore Wind	£16,267,792.05
Off-Shore Wind	nil

Question reference: S6W-08029

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of the (a) owner and (b) operator of each of Scotland’s (i) onshore and (ii) offshore wind energy projects.

Crown Estate Scotland manage leasing of the Scottish seabed, and we will ask their Chief Executive to write to you directly with this information.

The Scottish Government are aware of the UK Government Renewable Energy Planning Database which will hold information on the operator of individual sites across the UK. This information can be accessed via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract and the most recent update took place in December 2021.

Scottish Renewables, as the renewable industry representative body in Scotland, hold a directory of their members which may be useful in collating this information. The Scottish Government would also suggest that further detail could be obtained by contacting Scottish Renewables directly.

Question reference: S6W-08234

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) adherence to Fair Work First criteria and (b) commitments to supporting domestic supply chains are set out as conditions for applicants for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy licences.

In determining an application for a marine licence (under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009) the Scottish Ministers must have regard to protection of the environment and human health, prevention of interference with legitimate uses of the sea and such other matters as the Scottish Ministers consider relevant. Marine licences do not include conditions in relation to Fair Work First criteria and commitments to supporting domestic supply chains. Such conditions cannot be applied to s.36 consents issued under the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction, operation or extension of generating stations either.

ScotWind applicants were required to submit a Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) setting out the anticipated level and location of supply chain impact for their projects. We have now seen these statements yield commitments by developers to invest an average projection of £1.5bn in Scotland across each of the 17 ScotWind offshore wind projects. Developers can update their Statements throughout the development phase. Failure to deliver the commitments laid out in the final SCDS can trigger remedies ranging from financial penalties to an inability to progress to seabed lease.

Question reference: S6W-08235

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Cerulean Winds and (b) NOV Inc regarding fair work and supporting domestic supply chains, in light of the reported Memorandum of Understanding signed with Lamprell to provide fabrication, assembly and outfitting for three 1GW floating windfarms off the west coast of Shetland and in the central North Sea.

The Scottish Government has not held discussions with Cerulean Winds nor NOV Inc as they do not have consented developments under construction. It is therefore premature to discuss contracts for projects which do not yet exist. Developers will be required to submit a Supply Chain Development Statement with bids for the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas decarbonisation (INTOG) leasing rounds when it opens this year. Similarly to ScotWind, developers will need to outline the supply chain activity they commit to undertaking within Scotland, the UK and overseas.

Question reference: S6W-08236

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that offshore renewables jobs are created in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is determined to maximise the economic opportunity for the Scottish supply chain from our offshore wind potential.

We will drive forward offshore wind skills development – working with stakeholders to focus on the opportunities for diversification and skills transfer from our oil and gas sector, in line with our commitment to a Just Transition.

The introduction of ScotWind’s Supply Chain Development Statements demonstrates how serious the Scottish Government is about holding developers to account if they do not honour their supply chain commitments and create green jobs .

Question reference: S6W-08102

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the current status is of the A82 Tarbet to Inverarnan project.

The Scottish Government remains committed to upgrading the key strategic route along the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan. By improving regional connectivity the proposed scheme will help the economy prosper and promote equality by providing fairer access to the Highlands and Islands.

Transport Scotland recently published an interactive Story Map to provide updated information regarding the scheme and to keep the public informed of progress as the project develops. While there is still a lot of development work to be carried out, which is being informed by our enhanced understanding of the specific complexities associated with improving this iconic route, we continue to push forward the preparation stages to deliver this scheme as soon as possible.

Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set in accordance with the availability of funding.