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-31555

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that communities can benefit from pumped storage hydro projects.

Through our Good Practice Principles for Onshore Developments, the Scottish Government continues to encourage developers to offer community benefits as standard on all renewable energy projects. This includes pumped storage hydro projects, and we welcome the recent announcement on new community benefit funding to support community projects within areas that host existing hydro power infrastructure across Scotland.

Community benefits are a well-established and integral part of renewable energy projects in Scotland, with over £26 million of community benefits offered to Scottish communities in the last 12 months. The Scottish Government continues to work with industry and communities to build on this success. We are currently considering feedback from stakeholders on the potential for a review of the Good Practice Principles for a wider range of technologies.

Question reference: S6O-04080

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to increase access to diabetes tech for patients in NHS Lothian.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing access to diabetes technologies. We have provided significant investment to all NHS boards and this year alone will support over 2000 people to receive hybrid closed loop systems. This funding from the Scottish Government means that any child or young person that wishes to utilise a CLS is now able to do so.

We recognise that patients in NHS Lothian and some other areas are still facing long waits to access hybrid closed loop systems. We are working closely with all NHS boards to determine the most efficient and effective ways of increasing access to this life changing technology. We have also invested in a National Onboarding Service to increase the number of people who can be ‘onboarded’ to a hybrid closed loop system. I am aware that NHS Lothian has already made a number of referrals to this service and I anticipate that this will begin to reduce waiting times.

Question reference: S6W-31966

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30029 by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2024, whether any of the listed flood prevention schemes have since been completed.

Question reference: S6W-31554

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent it measures social value in determining planning consent for energy projects.

Applications relating to the construction and/or operation of a generating station which may require section 36 consent, are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with legislation, which includes the Electricity Act 1989, and in some cases, the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. The benefits and impacts of any proposal, such as they are material to an application, are particular to each case.

Question reference: S6W-31553

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent it prioritises any wider system benefits, including the level of affordable community benefits, of onshore renewable projects when assessing planning applications.

Applications relating to the construction and/or operation of a generating station which may require section 36 consent, must be considered on a case-by-case basis in line with any applicable legislation, which includes the Electricity Act 1989, and in some cases, the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. The benefits and impacts of any proposal, such as they are material to an application, are particular to each case.

Question reference: S6W-31929

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will review restrictions on using recorded footage from the Chamber for social media purposes.

Question reference: S6W-31556

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it can ensure that pumped storage hydro schemes (a) maximise power generation and (b) minimise water usage, and whether it would prioritise the most water-efficient schemes.

Large-scale, long-duration electricity storage, such as pumped hydro storage, will play a critical role in lessening our dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation, supporting our net zero ambitions.

It will help to maximise our significant renewable energy generating capacity by providing flexibility to the grid, ensuring that there is a continuous resilient and secure supply of electricity to households and businesses.

Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and makes clear our support for all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emission technologies, including energy storage. Potential impacts on communities, nature and other receptors are important considerations in the planning process. All applications are subject to site-specific assessments.

Question reference: S6W-31552

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what level of consideration it gives to hydraulic head height when determining planning consent for pumped storage hydro projects.

The assessment of any impacts of a proposal, relating to the construction and/or operation of a generating station which may require section 36 consent, must be considered on a case-by-case basis in line with legislation, which includes the Electricity Act 1989, and in some cases, the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.

Ministers must not prejudice the conclusion of any Environmental Impact Assessment or the outcome of any application.

Question reference: S6W-31856

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20007 and S6W-20008 by Fiona Hyslop on 14 August 2023, whether ScotRail considers (a) climate and sustainability objectives and (b) the potential for greater modal shift when making operational decisions about service patterns and potential consumer demand, on services such as "Rail and Sail" tickets served by the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry route.

Question reference: S6W-31855

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20007 and S6W-20008 by Fiona Hyslop on 14 August 2023, how many meetings have taken place between (a) ScotRail, (b) the Scottish Ministers and (c) Scottish Government officials and Stena Line since 1 April 2022, and whether any such meetings involved discussions regarding increased connectivity on the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry route.