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-04579

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what quantity of CO2 emissions has the Hunterston B power plant generated in each year of production.

Question reference: S6O-00525

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of GP numbers and surgery provision in the north east.

Question reference: S6W-04439

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to enforce the transition of buildings to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2033, and whether it plans to impose any restrictions or bans on sales of properties that have not achieved an EPC rating of C by 2033.

The recent Heat in Buildings Strategy confirmed our intention to consult upon and deliver regulations by 2025 setting minimum energy efficiency standards equivalent to EPC Band C across private housing, where this is technically feasible and cost effective. We have proposed backstop dates for meeting these standards of 2028 for Private Rented Sector housing and 2033 for Owner Occupied housing.

In relation to enforcement, we will be considering a number of options ahead of a detailed consultation on proposals for regulation during summer 2022, in line with the commitment in our Heat in Buildings Strategy.

On 30 November we launched a call for evidence for a National Public Energy Agency which may have a role on delivery of our proposed heat and energy efficiency standards. However, this is one of a number of alternatives, and subject to detailed investigation and consideration.

Next year’s consultation will also consider proposals for the ways in which any new energy efficiency standards may dovetail with the housing market and conveyancing processes. Our aim will be to work with the market, and to reduce disruption as much as possible.

Question reference: S6W-04560

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make the installation of heating systems, such as heat pumps, more accessible to groups with less technical literacy.

The Scottish Government wants individuals and organisations to see energy efficiency and low and zero emissions heating as a positive choice, to understand the options available, and know where they can get help and trusted advice. The new National Public Energy Agency, as set out in our 2021/22 Programme for Government, will lead on a programme of public engagement to raise awareness and understanding of the changes that people need to make.

In the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government committed to developing and implementing a bespoke public engagement strategy for heat in buildings, with a focus on raising the profile of energy efficiency and zero emissions heating options so that people are aware of the benefits, as well as enabling people to actively participate in shaping the development of policy. This will be underpinned by an inclusive, people centred approach. We have also committed to developing a quality assurance policy statement which will outline our actions for quality assurance and consumer protection in relation to domestic energy efficiency and heat retrofit work in Scotland.

The Scottish Government currently provides significant support to both domestic and non-domestic groups through Home Energy Scotland (HES) and the Energy Efficient Business Support (EEBS) service (Business Energy Scotland from April 2022) respectively. HES is a single point of access for householders, providing free, bespoke, impartial advice and support on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support in Scotland. EEBS currently provides a substantial, free advice and support offering targeted to Scottish SMEs to uptake energy efficiency measures and zero emission heating.

As we accelerate the transformation of Scotland’s homes and workplaces, as well developing plans for the National Public Energy Agency, we are investing in growing our advice services and continuously improving them to meet the needs of householders and businesses.

Question reference: S6W-04440

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03371 by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021, how it defines "renewable heating systems", and what specifically is (a) included and (b) excluded in this definition.

The Scottish Government has set out the range of technologies that it considers to be low or zero emissions heating systems – and which includes a range of renewable heating systems – at page 16 of the Heat in Buildings Strategy.

The Strategy can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/

As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government will consult in detail on our approach to regulating heat in buildings during 2022, which may include further discussion of those technologies which will, or will not, be compliant with future standards.

Question reference: S6W-04441

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03371 by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021, whether "renewable heating systems in off-gas buildings" includes biomass burners.

As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, the Scottish Government considers “low and zero emissions heating systems” to be systems that have zero direct greenhouse gas emissions. This includes individual electric heat pumps and connection to heat networks, or electric systems such as storage heaters, and systems that have very low emissions, such as those that use hydrogen.

In line with the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change, we agree that bioenergy - such as biomass, bio-heating oil and bio-propane - should only be used in those applications where its carbon reduction impact is maximised, where alternative options are not available, and where it comes from sustainable sources.

We recognise that, for a small number of homes, bioenergy might offer the only feasible way to reduce emissions from heating to displacing fossil fuels in off-gas-grid areas, especially where electric heating or heat pumps are unsuitable.

We will therefore consider how such homes may be dealt with under any future regulatory system, including through the potential use of limited exemptions, as part of the consultation on our approach to regulating heat in buildings during 2022.

Question reference: S6O-00481

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards cutting emissions by 75% by 2030.

Question reference: S6O-00425

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to tackle the reported backlog of colorectal cancer screening.

Question reference: S6W-03856

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Scotland's two nuclear power stations provide approximately 34% of Scotland’s daily electricity needs, from where that electricity will be sourced following their closure.

Scottish electricity supplies are currently considered secure. Security of supply is currently provided by a combination of large scale hydro, gas and nuclear power stations as well as the capacity to import electricity from elsewhere in the UK.

Maintaining a secure electricity supply will require increased investment in networks, greater interconnection to the rest of GB, growing electricity storage capacity (in particular pumped storage hydro), and other forms of low carbon generation. The Scottish energy strategy, published in December 2017, confirmed the Scottish Government’s continued opposition to new nuclear stations under current technologies. Our priority continues to be to support energy efficiency, develop Scotland’s huge renewable resource and to promote storage and flexibility.

Question reference: S6W-03855

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's £60 million innovation fund to make clean heat systems smaller, easier to install and cheaper to run, whether it plans to launch a similar fund for Scotland.