- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to (a) the role of coal as a strategic reserve or transitional energy source and (b) whether a blanket policy of no support potentially risks undermining Scotland’s energy security during periods of volatility or supply disruption, in light of the publication of its Coal extraction: policy position on 19 June 2025.
Answer
We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position of no support for coal extraction in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The first step in this process was the launch of a call for evidence which ran from 21 June to 2 August 2022, which invited stakeholders’ views and expanded our evidence base in this policy area.
The call for evidence set coal extraction in its wider context of our statutory emissions targets and just transition and highlighted our work to date in relevant policy areas, including energy security, climate change, and just transition.
The policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments, including Strategic Environmental Assessment, before finalisation. This included in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). NPF4 is publicly available here: National Planning Framework 4 - gov.scot. The draft SEA of the draft ESJTP is publicly available here: strategic-environmental-assessment-draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan-environmental-report.pdf.
Coal exploitation is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and the Mining Remediation Authority is responsible for licensing coal mining activity in Scotland. Scotland’s planning system is fully devolved to the Scottish Government. We recognise that there may be circumstances where the extraction of coal is legally required, for example as part of building works or where a seam needs to be removed in the course of preparing foundations. Any holder of a licence issued by the Mining Remediation Authority may submit an application for planning permission for coal mining-related activities.
Where any planning applications come forward, as a matter of law these must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. As a statement of national policy, the finalised policy position on coal extraction would be a material consideration.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed to (a) local authorities, (b) NHS boards and (c) other public sector bodies in the Highlands and Islands region to decarbonise their buildings since 2023, broken down by public body.
Answer
The Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation Scheme (GPSEDS) acts as the main government-led capital funding mechanism to support leadership for decarbonisation of buildings owned by the public sector. A breakdown of GPSEDS funding received per public body is set out in the following table.
Organisation | Organisation Type | Scheme | Financial Year | Amount |
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service | Other Scottish Bodies | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2022-23, 2023-24 | £1,872,916.00 |
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service | Other Significant National Bodies | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2022-23 | £344,849.20 |
Police Scotland | Other Significant National Bodies | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2022-23 | £762,221.53 |
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service | Non-Ministerial Offices | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2023-24 | £72,816.00 |
Sabhal Mor Ostaig | Further Education Colleges | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2024-25 | £2,498,629.00 |
NHS Orkney | Health Boards | Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme | 2022-23 | £4,194,161.59 |
Moray Council | Local Authorities | Scotland's Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund | 2024-25 | £593,880.00 |
Additionally, Health Boards in the region have been supported through direct allocations from the Health Portfolio budget, with NHS Highland receiving £79,000 in 2024-25 and awarded £40,000 in 2025-26. NHS Western Isles has been awarded £80,000 in 2025-26. (Note the amounts for 2025-26 have been awarded but not yet allocated.)
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what definition it applies to its policy of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas extraction, and whether the policy allows for any limited exceptions where production could support local industry or employment, in light of the publication of its Onshore conventional oil and gas: policy position on 19 June 2025.
Answer
We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas extraction in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments, including before finalisation. This included in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).NPF4 is publicly available here: National Planning Framework 4 - gov.scot.The draft SEA of the draft ESJTP is publicly available here: strategic-environmental-assessment-draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan-environmental-report.pdf. The partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment of the draft ESJTP is publicly available here: Regulatory Impact Assessment Template.
Our NPF4 makes clear that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when considering all development proposals. NPF4 Policy 33 sets out a policy of no support for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels, other than in exceptional circumstances aligned with national policy on energy and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This includes our policy position on onshore conventional oil and gas.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed to (a) public, (b) private, (c) third sector and (d) community organisations from the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund since it was established, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund (ICCEF) is distributed to island local authorities, which decide where funding will be directed based on their local knowledge and understanding of the impacts of the cost crisis on their island populations.
The six island local authorities have provided, where possible, a breakdown of how the monies have been distributed.
Several recipients could reasonably be classified as both third sector and community organisations. For the purposes of this question, local authorities have assigned each recipient to the category they consider most appropriate.
In this instance, the Scottish Government has assumed ‘private’ to mean private individuals and families
2022-23 | Public | Private | Third Sector | Community Organisations | Total allocation |
Argyll and Bute | £0 | £169,449 | £0 | £27,551 | £197,000 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | £0 | £227,800 | £0 | £132,200 | £360,000 |
Highland | £0 | £115,000 | £0 | £32,000 | £147,000 |
North Ayrshire | £43,000 | £10,000 | £10,000 | £17,000 | £80,000 |
Orkney Islands | £0 | £0 | £305,000 | £0 | £305,000 |
Shetland Islands | £85,795 | £47,549 | £158,143 | £19,514 | £311,000 |
Total | £128,795 | £569,798 | £473,143 | £228,265 | £1,400,000 |
2023-24 | Public | Private | Third Sector | Community Organisations | Total allocation |
Argyll and Bute | £0 | £125,000 | £0 | £16,000 | £141,000 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | £20,000 | £48,000 | £97,000 | £92,000 | £257,000 |
Highland | £0 | £105,000 | £0 | £0 | £105,000 |
North Ayrshire | £25,000 | £10,000 | £0 | £22,000 | £57,000 |
Orkney Islands | £46,000 | £9,600 | £104,400 | £58,000 | £218,000 |
Shetland Islands | £32,815 | £159,900 | £0 | £29,285 | £222,000 |
Total | £123,815 | £457,500 | £201,400 | £217,285 | £1,000,000 |
2024-25 | Public | Private | Third Sector | Community Organisations | Total allocation |
Argyll and Bute | £0 | £125,000 | £0 | £16,000 | £141,000 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | £0 | £0 | £0 | £257,000 | £257,000 |
Highland* | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | £105,000 |
North Ayrshire | £0 | £0 | £0 | £57,000 | £57,000 |
Orkney Islands | £62,529 | £0 | £105,471 | £50,000 | £218,000 |
Shetland Islands | £13,500 | £195,506 | £0 | £12,994 | £222,000 |
Total | £76,029 | £320,506 | £105,471 | £392,994 | £1,000,000 |
*Note: Information regarding the Highland Council’s 2024-25 distribution of funds has not been provided to date.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund have (a) been approved and (b) not been approved in each year since it was established, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund is distributed as part of the General Revenue Grant to island local authorities which decide where, and how, funding will be directed based on their local knowledge and understanding of the impacts of the cost crisis on their island populations.
There is no requirement for local authorities to use an application process to distribute monies, although some may choose to. The Scottish Government does not, therefore, hold this information.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted a full carbon lifecycle assessment between domestically extracted onshore oil and gas and imported fossil fuels, especially in the context of reducing reliance on imports, and, if so, whether it will publish the results, in light of the publication of its Onshore conventional oil and gas: policy position on 19 June 2025.
Answer
We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The first step in this process was the launch of a call for evidence which ran from 21 June to 2 August 2022, which invited stakeholders’ views and expanded our evidence base in this policy area.
The call for evidence set onshore conventional oil and gas in its wider context of our statutory emissions targets and just transition and highlighted our work to date in relevant policy areas, including energy security, climate change, and just transition.
Having considered stakeholders’ views and the evidence received alongside wider Scottish Government energy and climate change policies, our preferred policy position of no support for onshore conventional oil and gas development in Scotland was confirmed in January 2023.
The policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments, including Strategic Environmental Assessment, before finalisation. This included in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). NPF4 is publicly available here: National Planning Framework 4 - gov.scot.The draft SEA of the draft ESJTP is publicly available here: strategic-environmental-assessment-draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan-environmental-report.pdf.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether its policy of no support for coal extraction applies to all current and future forms of coal-based technologies, including those with the potential to contribute to decarbonisation, such as coal-to-hydrogen conversion or carbon capture and storage, in light of the publication of its Coal extraction: policy position on 19 June 2025.
Answer
We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position of no support for coal extraction in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments, including Strategic Environmental Assessment, before finalisation. This included in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).
NPF4 policy 1 makes clear that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when considering all development proposals. NPF4 Policy 33 sets out a policy of no support for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels, other than in exceptional circumstances aligned with national policy on energy and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This includes our policy position on coal extraction.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken a full carbon lifecycle assessment comparing the environmental impact of domestically extracted coal with that of imported coal, particularly for small-scale and specialist users such as the heritage and manufacturing sectors, in light of the publication of its Coal extraction: policy position on 19 June 2025.
Answer
We have undertaken a full policy development process in order to reach a finalised position of no support for coal extraction in Scotland, in line with statutory requirements. The first step in this process was the launch of a call for evidence which ran from 21 June to 02 August 2022, which invited stakeholders’ views and expanded our evidence base in this policy area.
The call for evidence set coal extraction in its wider context of our statutory emissions targets and just transition and highlighted our work to date in relevant policy areas, including energy security, climate change, and just transition.
Having considered stakeholders’ views and the evidence received alongside wider Scottish Government energy and climate change policies, our preferred policy position of no support for coal extraction in Scotland was confirmed in October 2022.
The policy position was subject to statutory and other assessments, including Strategic Environmental Assessment, before finalisation. This included in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), and our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). NPF4 is publicly available here: National Planning Framework 4 - gov.scot.The draft SEA of the draft ESJTP is publicly available here: strategic-environmental-assessment-draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan-environmental-report.pdf.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 23 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to (a) protect and (b) promote access to land-based and rural education courses, in light of reported reductions in college course offerings in these areas.
Answer
The Scottish Government contributes to attracting and equipping skilled people for rural and Island areas, including funding Lantra Scotland’s 2025-26 workplan to promote the rewarding careers available, and the economic and environmental benefits of investing in skills in the land-based, aquaculture and environment.
We are additionally developing our future approach for the sustainable delivery of skills for rural Scotland, following on from the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland (SAPRS) in the context of reform across the education and skills system.
Operational decisions, including course provision and staffing, are a matter for individual colleges, who are best placed to respond to emerging trends in skills needs at local and regional level. However, the Scottish Government is committed to introducing a new Scottish Government-led approach to national skills planning, and strengthen regional skills planning, to ensure that post school provision becomes more responsive to Scotland's strategic skills needs and priorities.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 23 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of reported funding reductions on the provision of animal care and rural skills courses in colleges.
Answer
The Scottish Funding Council’s final allocations to the college sector for 2025-26 provide a 2.6% sector increase in teaching funding compared to last year. Additionally no college sees a reduction in teaching funding in 2025-26 when compared with 2024-25.
Operational decisions, including course provision and staffing, are a matter for individual colleges, who are best placed to respond to emerging trends in skills needs at local and regional level.
