- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much additional workload the energy infrastructure consenting reforms will place on Transport Scotland.
Answer
Transport Scotland are a key stakeholder in the consenting process.
The ‘Verity House Agreement’ and the ‘New Deal for Business’ have set out how the Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with local authorities and others to deliver a just transition to net zero.
The reform process launched by this consultation creates an opportunity to re-set the expectations on the bodies providing essential support to the application process, taking account of their views, suggestions and their specific circumstances.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met NatureScot to discuss the potential impact of the energy infrastructure consenting reforms.
Answer
Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much additional workload energy infrastructure consenting reforms will place on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Answer
Scottish Environment Protection Agency are a key stakeholder in the consenting process.
The ‘Verity House Agreement’ and the ‘New Deal for Business’ have set out how the Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with local authorities and others to deliver a just transition to net zero.
The reform process launched by this consultation creates an opportunity to re-set the expectations on the bodies providing essential support to the application process, taking account of their views, suggestions and their specific circumstances.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Historic Environment Scotland to discuss the impact of energy infrastructure consenting reforms.
Answer
Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential risks of the proposed powers to allow it to revoke, suspend or vary consents for energy infrastructure projects under specific circumstances, without a new application being made.
Answer
At present there is no mechanism by which consents for large overhead electric lines may be varied, or by which consents may be varied quickly in minor ways by the Scottish Government.
These limitations can present barriers to the development of infrastructure which are essential to energy security.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met with Transport Scotland to discuss the impact of energy infrastructure consenting reforms.
Answer
Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met Scottish Forestry to discuss the impact of energy infrastructure consenting reforms.
Answer
Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that the proposed electricity infrastructure consenting reforms will not lead to a reduction in the overall quality of decision-making in the consenting process.
Answer
The proposed reforms are about making the consideration and determination process more efficient, not making it easier for projects to get consent or to reduce the overall quality of decision-making in the consenting process.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that the UK Government's inheritance tax changes for family farms will have on the availability of land in Scotland to build energy infrastructure.
Answer
It is disappointing that there had been no prior indication of this change to Inheritance Tax or engagement with the Scottish Government given that Scotland will be hit by the proposed changes brought in by the UK Government.
The Scottish Parliament recently debated this and agreed to call on the UK Government to reverse the changes – and urgently commit to undertake and publish impact assessments on the cumulative impact of its budget proposals on Scotland.
Given the lack of available data on the impact of this decision, there should now be an immediate review of this policy, informed by close engagement with the agricultural sector and devolved governments.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the reported concerns that the proposed energy infrastructure consenting reforms may prioritise speed over thorough environmental assessments.
Answer
The proposed reforms are about making the determination process more efficient, not less robust. Environmental assessment standards will remain unchanged. Scottish Ministers will continue to determine each proposal on a case-by-case basis, following review of the application information, consultation responses and representations made by members of the public.