The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7W-03889

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the current dual system of planning and licensing requirements provides a sufficiently proportionate and legally certain framework for small rural tourism businesses.

Question reference: S7W-03454

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it used when deciding that the Emergency Heating Oil Scheme should close on 30 September 2026, including any assessment of the risks facing households reliant on heating oil and LPG during winter 2026-27 arising from continued exposure to wholesale fuel price volatility and the absence of domestic energy price cap protections.

The Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme was launched within a matter of weeks in response to the spiralling prices caused by the Iran conflict and wider instability, such as Russia’s war in Ukraine, undermining energy security across Europe as well as other factors such as the increases to the cost of living due to the UK leaving the EU.

The scheme was put in place to ensure the most vulnerable households are supported during the cost of living crisis, which includes households on means-tested benefits but also those in financial hardship and at risk of self-rationing fuel who have unavoidable additional heating needs, with the first payment made within 24 hours of the scheme launching on 1 April 2026.

The scheme was originally scheduled to end on 30 September 2026 but will now be extended into winter, which was announced on 25 September 2026.

This extension will ensure that vulnerable households are supported through winter as prices remain volatile.

Alongside the extension of the scheme, I would encourage households that use heating oil or LPG to contact Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice on reducing energy bills, improving energy efficiency and exploring clean heating options. Advisers can help households identify the support available to them and navigate funding schemes for home energy improvements.

Question reference: S7W-03453

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the repayment terms attached to the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan adequately reflect the higher costs of installing low-carbon heating systems in rural and island properties, in light of landlords carrying out higher-cost rural installations being subject to the same repayment period as those undertaking lower-cost installations in urban areas.

Question reference: S7W-03452

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide enhanced grant support for the installation of low-carbon heating systems for private landlords providing housing in remote rural and island communities, in line with what is available to owner-occupiers to help lower energy bills for tenants.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce grant funding for private landlords to install clean heating systems.

Registered private landlords can access the Scottish Government funded Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan for eligible energy efficiency and clean heating improvements. The scheme offers funding of up to £38,500 per property. Landlords with five or fewer properties can borrow up to £100,000 at zero per cent interest, while landlords with more than five properties can borrow up to £250,000 at an interest rate of 3.5 per cent APR.

Officials are considering future support for the private rented sector following the conclusion of the consultation on proposals for minimum energy efficiency standards.

Question reference: S7W-03450

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the decision to close the Emergency Heating Oil Scheme on 30 September 2026 was informed by the availability of Winter Heating Payment or other forms of seasonal support, and what assessment it has made of whether those schemes provide equivalent support to households reliant on heating oil and LPG.

The Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme was launched within a matter of weeks in response to the spiralling prices caused by the Iran conflict and wider instability, such as Russia’s war in Ukraine, undermining energy security across Europe as well as other factors such as the increases to the cost of living due to the UK leaving the EU.

The scheme was put in place to ensure the most vulnerable households are supported during the cost of living crisis, which includes households on means-tested benefits but also those in financial hardship and at risk of self-rationing fuel who have unavoidable additional heating needs, with the first payment made within 24 hours of the scheme launching on 1 April 2026.

The scheme was originally scheduled to end on 30 September 2026 but will now be extended into winter, which was announced on 25 September 2026.

This extension will ensure that vulnerable households are supported through winter as prices remain volatile.

Alongside the extension of the scheme, I would encourage households that use heating oil or LPG to contact Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice on reducing energy bills, improving energy efficiency and exploring clean heating options. Advisers can help households identify the support available to them and navigate funding schemes for home energy improvements.

The UK Government has committed to regulating the heating oil sector in response to issues around price volatility and transparency and the Scottish Government expects them to make urgent tangible progress on this, alongside using their reserved powers of regulation over the energy sector to deliver enduring protections for consumers, and to deliver on their promise to reduce household energy bills by £300.

Question reference: S7W-03451

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that, due to factors including larger floor areas, detached construction, older building types and installation costs, rural and island homes are typically more expensive to retrofit for energy efficiency and heating decarbonisation than urban properties.

We are aware that Scotland has a large number of pre-1919 built houses in rural and island communities compared to urban areas. These properties are typically detached and are 32% to 38% larger by floor area than urban dwellings of the same age. These buildings can be more complex to decarbonise and insulate than modern buildings due to increased risk of mould or dampness if the “breathable” nature of the building is compromised.

Due to the complexities of these buildings, the owners, especially in rural and island settings, can see a cost premium due to logistical challenges and characteristics, such as age, size and construction.

The 2024 Scottish House Condition Survey also reflects the challenge to improve energy efficiency of pre-1919 houses in both rural and urban settings, with only 23% achieving an EPC band C or better.

Question reference: S7W-03352

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds regarding the number of people who have used the tennis courts at Moray Sports Centre, in each year since 2021.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on this.

The indoor tennis centre at Moray Sports Centre was developed with support from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund and opened in July 2024. The Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund is a £15 million investment programme and partnership between sportscotland, Tennis Scotland and the Lawn Tennis Association. It is the largest capital investment in tennis in Scotland's history, designed to support innovative projects that address local demand and improve access to indoor tennis facilities in areas where provision is limited.

While the Scottish Government and its delivery partners supported the capital investment in the facility, we do not routinely collect annual court usage data from the centre. Information may be available directly from Moray Sports Centre or the Moray Sports Foundation, who manage the facility.

Question reference: S7W-03425

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that its opposition to new nuclear sites could lead to the loss of a generation of skilled workers in the nuclear sector.

The Scottish Government does not support new nuclear fission power stations. Renewables are delivering jobs and growth for Scotland now – while nuclear can take decades to deliver, with projects in the other part of the UK seeing costs spiral.

The Scottish Net Zero Economy in 2025 report, published by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and The Confederation of British Industry, found that net zero-related industries support 105,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Scotland.

Decommissioning at former sites is expected to continue for decades to come, and will follow at Torness. This work will continue to require a highly skilled workforce.

Question reference: S7W-03427

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the Nuclear Industry Association's Jobs Map 2026, which indicate that 660 nuclear jobs have been created in Scotland since 2014, compared with 47,000 in England.

Question reference: S7W-03428

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the Nuclear Industry Association's Jobs Map 2026, which indicate that nuclear workers in Scotland have to travel out of Scotland to take up opportunities created by new nuclear projects in other parts of the UK.

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Question reference: S7W-03889

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