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: S6W-17803

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to support carbon capture utilisation and storage.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to supporting carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and we have set out a positive vision for this in our Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. Since taking up office, I have held a roundtable with the Scottish Cluster to seek industry’s view on how best we can support, accelerate and scale up CCUS following recent UK Government announcements. I have also met with the UK Government Minister Andrew Bowie to discuss the Energy Bill, to ensure this vital piece of enabling legislation best reflects Scotland’s interests. Yesterday I also met with the Carbon Capture and Storage Association to discuss the opportunities around Track-2 and the development of the sector.

We remain wholly committed to supporting the advancement of the Scottish Cluster and CCUS, and also stand firmly behind our commitment to make available £80 million of financial support. We continue to urge the UK Government to provide a clear timetable for when the Scottish Cluster will be awarded.

Question reference: S6W-17804

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to help households deal with increased energy bills.

While the powers to take meaningful action in regard to energy pricing sit with the UK Government, we are doing everything we can to support households with high energy bills.

We recently tripled our Fuel Insecurity Fund to £30m for 2023-24, to support anyone at risk of self-disconnection, or self-rationing their energy use. That fund continues to provide a lifeline to households at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy. We also made an additional £1.2 million available to help our advice services meet increasing demand last year.

Our new Winter Heating Payment replaces DWP’s Cold Weather Payment and provides a stable, reliable annual £55 which will help around 400,000 low-income individuals with their heating expenses each winter.

We have allocated £350m to heat, energy efficiency and fuel poverty measures in 2023/24, including £119m targeted at fuel poor households, while our £1.4m Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund is supporting those in our island communities who traditionally see higher costs for food and fuel.

We have called repeatedly on the UK Government to provide additional, targeted support for consumers in vulnerable circumstances. I am due to meet with the UK Government Minister for Energy Consumers later this month and will raise again the need for further action to support those who have been most affected by the ending of the Energy Bills Support Scheme ending as well as the need for a social tariff for energy consumers.

Question reference: S6O-02180

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding projects in Scotland that will contribute to meeting net zero targets.

Question reference: S6W-17153

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to engage with the Scottish Connections international community and expand its work with Scottish diaspora networks.

Scotland is an open, connected and outward-looking country with a long and proud history of intellectual, cultural and economic exchange.

The Programme for Government 2021-22 set out plans to “engage with our Scottish Connections international community and expand on our work with Scottish diaspora networks across the world”. This commitment was reiterated in our Global Affairs Framework, published May 2022.

The Scottish Government’s first Scottish Connections Framework is published on 11 April 2023.

https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805256939

This is the first time that work across the Scottish Government and partners has been brought together into a cohesive and cross-cutting approach to diaspora engagement.

Recognising and engaging our diaspora is an objective in itself – not a means to an end. Scotland’s diaspora and our Scottish Connections are an extension of Scotland itself – our living bridge with people, organisations and communities around the world.

The Framework outlines a series of commitments and ambitions to strengthen and expand our relationships with, and between, Scotland’s international communities.

Taking a broad definition of diaspora, we want to strengthen and expand Scotland’s links and networks with Scottish people living elsewhere in the world; those with Scottish heritage; people who have previously lived in Scotland, including alumni; and those with a professional, business, cultural or other links to Scotland.

The Scottish Connections Framework will add value to our diaspora engagement by bringing together the experiences, skills and connections of our existing networks, including GlobalScot and alumni.

We will build on existing work with our established networks, including our own international offices, GlobalScots, alumni groups, heritage diaspora organisations and other public sector partners.

Question reference: S6F-01996

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential impact of the anticipated 1 April rise in energy bills on household finances in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-16205

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 27 March 2023

To ask Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to Environmental Standards Scotland’s improvement report following its investigation into air quality.

Question reference: S6O-02093

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Learning for Sustainability Action Plan in educational settings in the north east.

Question reference: S6O-02026

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is for the migration strategy in an independent Scotland, including how it could address any workforce and recruitment challenges resulting from the withdrawal from the European Union.

Question reference: S6O-01971

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to propose the scheduling of time for a ministerial statement on compulsory sale orders.

Question reference: S6W-15062

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on efforts to recommence operations at Stoneywood paper mill in Aberdeen.

My officials in Scottish Enterprise remain in regular contact with the Joint Administrators and continue to work closely with them to help find a sustainable future for the Stoneywood site in Aberdeen.

The administration process continues to progress and prior to formal marketing of the site, the Administrator has re-engaged with potential interested parties. Any discussions between interested parties and the Administrator will likely take place in the coming weeks.