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-43131

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what briefing materials were provided to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy in advance of the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance, broken down by subject matter.

As per my response to S6W-42965 on 21 January 2026, the First Minister made the decision to transfer ministerial responsibility for determining energy consents. No briefing materials were provided to Ministers in advance of the decision.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-43132

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether briefing materials provided to the Minister for Public Finance in advance of the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents included information on (a) overhead transmission line developments, (b) undergrounding alternatives and (c) community impact assessments.

Question reference: S6W-43113

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that there is operational separation between decisions on Electricity Act 1989 consents and decisions relating to capital investment, infrastructure financing or budget allocation.

The Minister for Public Finance has no role in decisions relating to funding, financing or financial guarantees for electricity transmission infrastructure projects that are subject to Electricity Act 1989 consents.

Legislation and regulations relating to electricity networks are reserved to the UK Government, with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) responsible for the strategic approach to the development of the electricity system across Great Britain.

Regulation of the electricity network including approval of investment in infrastructure is carried out by the independent energy regulator Ofgem.

Question reference: S6O-05476

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy will engage with community groups affected by new energy projects now that she is no longer responsible for energy consent decisions.

Question reference: S6W-43134

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government who has ministerial oversight of the Energy Consents Unit and the associated development portal, following the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance.

Question reference: S6W-43121

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on how any impacts on the environment, landscape and communities are balanced against financial considerations in Electricity Act 1989 consent decisions following the change in ministerial responsibility.

Question reference: S6W-43122

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will notify the Parliament of any future changes to ministerial responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents.

Question reference: S6W-43129

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place between the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy and the (a) First Minister and (b) cabinet secretary with responsibility for planning regarding the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance.

Question reference: S6W-43138

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it made an assessment of any potential risk that transferring Electricity Act 1989 consent decisions to the Public Finance portfolio could increase the weighting given to capital cost considerations.

Question reference: S6W-43140

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any objections were raised by officials during the process of transferring responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance and, if so, at what level.