The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7W-02764

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 10 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the closure of the Emergency Heating Oil scheme on 30 September 2026, what support it will make available to households that currently rely on heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to retrofit their homes and transition to low-carbon and renewable heating systems.

All households in Scotland can access free, bespoke and impartial advice on energy efficiency and clean heating systems for their homes through the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland advice service, administered by Energy Saving Trust. Through this service, owner-occupiers in Scotland can apply to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme for funding support to install renewable heating systems, including a grant of up to £7,500 and an optional interest-free loan. Households in remote rural and island communities can receive an enhanced grant of up to £9,000. In addition, for those who meet the eligibility criteria, households can benefit from retrofit measures, including heating, installed through Warmer Homes Scotland, the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme; our local council led Area Based Schemes and the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund.

Question reference: S7W-02798

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the increasing number of services moving online, what measures it is taking to ensure that people who cannot afford, or do not have reliable access to, the internet are not disadvantaged or left without access to essential services and emergency communications.

As more services move online, it is important that people are not excluded and that non-digital routes remain available for those who cannot or do not wish to use digital services.

Our Sustainable Public Services Delivery Plan sets out how services will be designed around the needs of people and communities to be accessible and inclusive. To complement this work, we are developing a Digital Inclusion Delivery Plan to be published later this year. This will set out clear actions to address the wider barriers that prevent people from participating digitally and how we will work with partners, including local government, to achieve this.

Since 2024, the Scottish Government has committed more than £870,000 in grant funding to support over 50 local digital inclusion projects across Scotland. We also continue to work with Ofcom and delivery partners to raise awareness of affordable connectivity options, including social tariffs.

Alongside this work, we are continuing to improve access to reliable broadband across Scotland through investment of more than £600 million in the Reaching 100% (R100) programme and our key role in delivering Project Gigabit in Scotland.

The UK Government’s Emergency Alerts service can be used in Scotland to provide warning and advice in a life-threatening emergency. The Scottish Government works with the UK Government and resilience partners to support the use of the system in Scotland where required. People who cannot receive an Emergency Alert can still be informed through other means used by emergency responders, and the system does not replace local news, radio, television or social media.

Question reference: S7W-02526

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact of the proposed Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro development on the objectives of its 30 by 30 commitment to protect at least 30% of Scotland’s land and seas for nature by 2030, particularly in relation to the protection and restoration of designated sites for nature.

It would not be appropriate to comment on the Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro development proposal, as this is a live application under consideration by the Scottish Ministers for determination.

Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process for applications for energy consent.

The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations. In reaching their decision, Scottish Ministers will determine applications in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy.

Question reference: S7W-02528

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration NatureScot gave to the potential loss of rare red-listed lichen species and veteran hazel associated with Easter Ness Woods SSSI and Ness Woods SAC in its submission to the Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro public hearing, and what assessment was made of the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures.

I have asked NatureScot to respond. Their response is as follows:

"Lichens and hazel are considered typical species of the Ness Woods SAC woodland habitats and impacts to these species have been considered in the context of the relevant conservation objectives throughout the assessment process for this development.

"NatureScot has agreed with the conclusions of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal for the proposal in relation to the SAC and also that the required mitigation and compensatory measures would be sufficient.

"These measures included a requirement for dust monitoring and management to mitigate the effects of dust deposition on the lichen species.

"NatureScot therefore did not participate in the public hearing and so did not submit a Hearing Statement, although it has responded to questions from the Reporter."

Question reference: S7W-02472

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Environmental Standards Scotland data indicating a decline in the monitoring of coastal and offshore habitats since 2014, what a) the reasons for this decline are and b) steps it is taking to address it.

Question reference: S7W-02573

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on island connectivity of the proposed inclusion of planned maintenance days in the Sconser–Raasay ferry timetable, and what consideration it has given to the Raasay community's particular reliance on this lifeline service.

As part of the new CHFS3 contract, CalMac is introducing an increased programme of regular maintenance across the network. This is intended to improve reliability and resilience by reducing the likelihood of breakdowns, which can cause significant disruption to island connectivity.

CalMac has been working with the Raasay community, as with communities across the network, to introduce such maintenance in a way that minimises disruption.

Question reference: S7W-02470

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government which a) minister, b) directorate and c) public body will be accountable for ensuring that Scotland delivers its agreed contribution to any UK-wide seafloor integrity targets, and how progress towards meeting those targets will be reported to the Scottish Parliament.

Environmental Standards Scotland's (ESS) report published on 23 June 2026, Protecting Scotland's seafloor: an assessment of Scottish Ministers' implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, contains ESS’ findings and recommendations relating to the Scottish Ministers’ implementation of those Regulations, including in relation to UK seafloor integrity targets.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the ESS report and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report. The lead directorate for this work, which currently sits within the portfolios of the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs and the Minister for Agriculture, Marine, and the Islands, is Marine Directorate. The Scottish Government’s position on the report's findings and recommendations will be set out through that engagement and in its formal response.

Question reference: S7W-02471

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Environmental Standards Scotland's finding of non-compliance with Regulation 13 of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 in relation to the monitoring of marine waters to protect and restore the seafloor, what additional monitoring arrangements it plans to introduce for (a) coastal waters, (b) marine protected areas and (c) wider seas areas.

Environmental Standards Scotland's (ESS) report published on 23 June 2026, Protecting Scotland's seafloor: an assessment of Scottish Ministers' implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, contains ESS’ findings and recommendations relating to the Scottish Ministers’ implementation of those Regulations, including regarding monitoring of marine waters.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the ESS report and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report. The Scottish Government's position on the report's findings and recommendations will be set out through that engagement and in its formal response.

Question reference: S7O-00179

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking following Environmental Standards Scotland's finding that Scottish Ministers have failed to fulfil their legal duties to protect and restore Scotland's seafloor.

Question reference: S7W-02473

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 2 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the spatial extent and intensity of bottom-contact fishing methods by vessels under 12 metres in length in inshore coastal waters, and when it plans to introduce remote electronic monitoring requirements for this type of fishing activity.

The Scottish Government does not currently hold comprehensive data from tracking or monitoring technologies to measure the spatial extent and intensity of bottom-contact fishing activity across the under-12 metre fleet operating in inshore coastal waters.

Improving the availability of spatial fisheries data is a key commitment within the Scottish Government's Fisheries Management Strategy, including the increased use of inshore tracking devices (I-VMS) on under 12 metre vessels.

Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) systems support comprehensive fisheries data collection through the use of cameras, sensors and Global Positioning System technology to independently monitor fishing activity at sea. While REM is a key component of the Fisheries Management Strategy, the Scottish Government is taking a risk based and proportionate approach to its implementation, recognising that the technology is not necessary or appropriate for all vessel types and fisheries, and that alternative approaches, such as vessel tracking technologies, may in some cases provide the data required.

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