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-30419

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 18 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Government to discuss the impact of any funding changes on local skills initiatives for the energy sector in Scotland.

Officials are in regular contact with our UK Government counterparts. We are engaging closely with the newly formed Office for Clean Energy Jobs - set up to tackle workforce and skills challenges in the energy sector - and we look forward to supporting the work this office will drive forward.

Whilst skills are a devolved responsibility, we are committed to working with all the stakeholders necessary to deliver the skills system needed as our energy sector transforms. This includes Scottish Government taking responsibility for skills planning at the national level and working with partners to strengthen regional skills planning.

Question reference: S6W-30408

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Offshore Energies UK report, Energy Industry Skills Landscape Study, and whether it will seek to implement its recommendations.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Energy Industry Skills Landscape Study.

We continue to work with the energy sector to plan for a multi-skilled workforce that can benefit from opportunities across the energy system. This includes enabling skilled offshore workers to carry their experience and expertise into different roles as our energy sector evolves, and ensuring a reliable pipeline of future talent, to support Scotland's renewable energy ambitions.

Question reference: S6W-30388

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with emergency services regarding the safety of battery storage facilities.

Scottish Government officials meet with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) representatives regularly to discuss fire safety issues in Scotland, including the safety of battery energy storage sites (BESS). The role of SFRS in relation to BESS sites is regularly discussed, and SFRS continue to develop and update their operational processes, as appropriate.

In addition, if SFRS receive information about proposed BESS sites they refer those duty holders (site operators) responsible for the plant in any application process to the National Fire Chief Council's best practice guidance for such sites and continue to engage with them around emerging issues and updated guidelines as required. These guidelines detail, amongst other things, minimum standards for fire safety systems and design features, water requirements for firefighting and access requirements.

Question reference: S6W-30389

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the safety of battery storage facilities.

At the recent SFRS Annual Performance Review (APR) on 10 September, the Minister for Victims and Community Safety raised the issue of battery energy storage sites (BESS) with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

Scottish Government officials also meet with SFRS Prevention, Protection and Preparedness representatives regularly to discuss fire safety issues in Scotland, including the safety of BESS sites, most recently on 3 October.

Question reference: S6O-03817

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is engaging with local arts organisations to address any current challenges they face in maintaining their operations.

Question reference: S6W-29908

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27175 by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2024, on what date it will publish the recommendations of the Transmission Network Short Life Working Group.

Question reference: S6W-30104

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what economic analysis it has undertaken regarding the potential early closure of the Forties Pipeline System.

The Energy System and Just Transition: Independent Analysis published in support our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan highlights the need for careful management of the North Sea energy transition, including the fields linked to the Forties System.

Offshore oil and gas licensing and consenting, as well as the associated fiscal regime, are reserved to the UK Government.

Publication of the outputs from a programme of work to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero - Energy system and Just Transition: independent analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-29587

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue (a) has been raised by and (b) it has withdrawn from Crown Estate Scotland’s first round of offshore wind leasing in each year since the round concluded in 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-29586

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue remains from Crown Estate Scotland’s first round of offshore wind leasing, following the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government of plans to withdraw £460 million from this to support the 2024-25 budget.

Question reference: S6O-03750

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how its Green Industrial Strategy will encourage companies to remain in Scotland.