Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-30444

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement on 5 February 2020 by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 5 February 2020 regarding its transport strategy (Official Report, c.19), in light of the potential impact on its greenhouse gas emissions targets of any decision reached by the UK Parliament, whether it had any discussions with the SNP group at the UK Parliament regarding an unselected Liberal Democrat amendment to a motion that was scheduled to be debated in the House of Commons that evening, which referred to "cancelling the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport" and whether it discussed with the group how its MPs should vote in the debate.

Question reference: S5W-30437

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-04248 by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2020 (Official Report, c.28) for what reason the cabinet secretary did not refer to the review of its position on the proposed expansion to Heathrow Airport in his response.

Question reference: S5W-30439

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5F-03817 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2020, (Official Report, c 18) and S5F-03986 on 27 February 2020 (Official Report, c. 20), in light of the First Minister's comment in both responses that when the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport was last debated in the House of Commons SNP MPs "did not vote for it" and the potential impact on its greenhouse gas emissions targets of any decision reached by the UK Parliament, what discussions it had with the SNP parliamentary group ahead of that debate and what its response is to the comment made in it by the leader of the SNP group that "100 flights...it is simply not enough" and its transport spokesperson that "I have spoken in favour of expansion before. The Scottish Government have also spoken in favour of it - that is why they have signed a memorandum of understanding...we are just looking for protections and deliverability".

Question reference: S5W-30361

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on its Local Government and Communities and Energy and Climate Change directorates working together to accelerate the transition to renewable heat, as recommended by Scottish Renewables as part of a green economic recovery to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Scottish Government’s Energy and Climate Change and Local Government and Communities Directorates already work together to deliver energy efficiency and renewable heat measures across a range of programmes and support mechanisms, for example in terms of the joint leadership of the Route Map for Energy Efficient Scotland.

This year the Scottish Government has allocated more than £198 million to its domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency programmes and has increased its support for renewable heat to secure accelerated deployment. The Heat Transition Deal will come online in phases over the coming months to support economic recovery in the energy efficiency, heat and low carbon energy sectors.

The following funding invitations were launched on 17 June:

a £1 million LCITP funding invitation to support projects to develop investment grade business cases and;
a £4.5 million CARES funding invitation for local energy and community projects, administered on our behalf by Local Energy Scotland.

Further capital funding invitations will be launched in the coming months.

This is in addition to the support already available, including grants, interest free and low cost loans for renewable technologies and energy efficiency measures, accessible via Home Energy Scotland and the Energy Efficiency Business Support service.

Later this year the Scottish Government will publish a Heat Decarbonisation Policy Statement and an updated Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map setting out a clear vision and pathway for deploying renewable and low carbon heat and reducing emissions from heating our buildings, in line with the climate change targets. As the member will be aware, earlier this year we introduced the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill to Parliament which, we aim, will help support renewable heat investment.

Question reference: S5W-30440

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on 16 June 2020 regarding the greenhouse gas emissions statistics and confirming that the 2018 emissions target was not met (Official Report, c, 17), what assessment it has made of how extra flights arising from an expansion of Heathrow Airport could impact on its ability to achieve its targets.

Routes from Scotland to global hubs like Heathrow and Amsterdam are essential for Scotland’s international connectivity, supporting economic growth in Scotland and helping us deliver our Trade and Investment Strategy. However, we recognise that more needs to be done to reduce emissions. The Scottish Government’s forthcoming update to our 2018 Climate Change Plan, recast as part of a green recovery from COVID-19, will set out a pathway to meeting Scotland’s economy-wide greenhouse emissions reduction targets over the period to 2032. This includes plans to create the world’s first zero emission aviation region and trial low and zero emission aircraft in Scotland. The actual number of flights operating between Scotland and Heathrow in the future will be determined by capacity, demand, and competition from airlines serving other global hubs.

Question reference: S5W-30364

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage the renewable energy industry in developing a green economic recovery to the COVID-19 crisis, and what discussions it has had regarding this.

The renewables sector has a vital role to play in meeting our climate ambitions, as well as creating jobs and contributing to our recovery from Covid-19.

I and fellow Scottish Government ministers have been engaging with the energy industry on a regular basis throughout the pandemic, both via one-to-one meetings with an extensive range of representatives from organisations such as Scottish Renewables, Ofgem, National Grid ESO, SSE, Scottish Power, EDF, EDPR, ADE, Red Rock and with our agencies, Marine Scotland, Crown Estate Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The work of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council, which I co-chair, has continued to discuss progression of renewable energy in the context of both floating and bottom-fixed offshore wind. We have continued to progress work around tackling barriers to deployment represented by military and civilian radar matters. In addition, we have discussed renewable energy opportunities through forums such as the Strategic Leadership Groups that sit as sub groups of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB), upon which I sit, with SEAB being co-chaired by the First Minister and Professor Sir Jim MacDonald of Strathclyde University.

The most recent, virtual meeting of SEAB took place on 16 July where discussion focused on delivery of a green recovery, and steps towards publication of the Climate Change Plan and subsequent update to Scotland’s Energy Strategy. At the meeting, as the Ministerial co-chair of three of the four SLGs, I set out the work of the four Strategic Leadership Groups underpinning SEAB, i.e. those on: Renewable Energy, Networks, Oil and Gas and Energy Transition and the newly established SLG for Consumers. In particular, the Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership group provides advice and recommendations on: the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector; the options for addressing them, and how the sector may go further to support the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy priorities.

We will continue to engage with a wide range of renewable energy stakeholders in the months ahead as we target a green and just transition of our energy system.

Question reference: S5W-30445

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the information provided in FOI/19/02661 on 10 January 2020, which suggested that an expansion of Heathrow Airport could lead to an additional 75,000 flights to Scotland's airports over 15 years that would produce 600,000 additional tonnes in emissions, whether it considers that its position on any expansion is compatible with its declaration of a climate emergency.

Routes from Scotland to global hubs like Heathrow and Amsterdam are essential for Scotland’s international connectivity, supporting economic growth in Scotland and helping us deliver our Trade and Investment Strategy. However, we recognise that more needs to be done to reduce emissions. The Scottish Government’s forthcoming update to our 2018 Climate Change Plan, recast as part of a green recovery from COVID-19, will set out a pathway to meeting Scotland’s economy-wide greenhouse emissions reduction targets over the period to 2032. This includes plans to create the world’s first zero emission aviation region and trial low and zero emission aircraft in Scotland. The actual number of flights operating between Scotland and Heathrow in the future will be determined by capacity, demand, and competition from airlines serving other global hubs.

Question reference: S5W-30446

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of FOI/19/02661 on 10 January 2020, what the basis was for it forecasting "improvements to aircraft emissions efficiency of 0.8% per year".

Question reference: S5W-30442

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5F-00381 by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 October 2016 (Official Report, c 16), in light of the First Minister's comment regarding then proposed expansion to Heathrow Airport n that "the UK Government will have to answer questions [about climate change and emissions] and satisfy people with its answers to those questions" what analysis it has carried out of whether the UK ministers achieved this.

Question reference: S5W-30436

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26605 by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2019, whether it remains committed the memorandum of understanding that it signed with Heathrow Airport, and what consideration it has given to withdrawing from it.

Yes, we remain committed to the memorandum of understanding between the Scottish Government and Heathrow. We are clear that expansion of the UK’s only global hub airport should deliver benefits for all the nations of the UK. Routes between Scotland and global hubs like Heathrow and Amsterdam are essential for Scotland’s international connectivity, supporting economic growth in Scotland and helping us deliver our Trade and Investment Strategy. As these reasons remain valid we have not considered withdrawing from the memorandum of understanding.

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