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-07161

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government in what respects the Green Jobs Workforce Academy fulfils the dictionary definition of an “Academy” as "an institution for study or training in a special field".

The Green Jobs Workforce Academy offers information on the career opportunities available, the skills needed to move into them and links to the required training and funding sources to support learners to do so.

As the Academy’s offer develops, it will become a comprehensive source of advice and information about the labour market opportunities coming out of the transition. Users will be able to register to receive personalised updates on their areas of interest, invitations to online and in-person events and information on opportunities which are relevant to them

Phase 1 of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy launched in August 2021, focused on 5 sectors identified by the Climate Change Plan Update and Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan as being crucial to the transition to net zero with. Phase 2, due to launch this year, will include the launch of the Careers Assessment Tool and further enhancement of content and training opportunities that the Academy offers.

Question reference: S6W-07162

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the consultation on its Phase 2 of permitted development rights; when it expects the new regulations will be in place, and what it can do in the meantime to speed up planning permission for supermarkets and other businesses that wish to install EV chargers for the public that are higher than the current 1.6 metre limit.

We intend to issue a consultation paper on Phase 2 permitted development rights (PDR), including extensions to existing electric vehicle charging PDR, in the first quarter of 2022-23. The aim is to have resulting legislation in place by the end of the year.

In the meantime, processing of any required planning applications are a matter for individual planning authorities in the first instance. Current Scottish Planning Policy (paragraphs 275 and 289) sets out the need for planning authorities to support EV charging infrastructure in development plans and development management decisions.

The performance and resourcing of the planning system are key priorities; we are progressing a range of improvements through our planning reform programme and working closely with CoSLA, the Royal Town Planning Institute and Heads of Planning Scotland to address issues from resources to capacity and skills.

Question reference: S6W-07164

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many renewable heating systems it estimates were installed in homes in each of the last five years, and how many such installations will be required annually over the next eight years to meet the 2030 target under its Heat in Buildings Strategy.

The Energy Saving Trust maintains the Renewable Heat Database for the Scottish Government. The following table extracts domestic renewable heat installations over the period 2016-2020. Data for 2021 are not yet available. These data are derived from registrations under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and as such likely underestimate the total number of installations due to lower coverage of new build homes.

	Year
Technology	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Air Source Heat Pump	1,305	1,269	1,737	2,243	2,477
Biomass	388	187	102	74	69
Ground/Water Source Heat Pump	150	193	160	175	430
Solar Thermal	170	164	89	135	79
Total	2,013	1,813	2,088	2,627	3,055

Reaching our emissions targets requires a significant acceleration in installation of zero emissions heat technologies in homes and installation of connections to heat networks, recognising the time needed for supply chains to grow. As set out in the 2021-22 Programme for Government, domestic installations must scale up such that the total number of installations between 2021 and 2026 is at least 124,000. The Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out that installation rates will need to peak at over 200,000 per year in the latter part of this decade.

Question reference: S6W-07166

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Green Jobs Workforce Academy, what the annual budget of the Academy is; how many full-time equivalent teachers and lecturers are employed by the Academy; what the entry requirements are for the Academy; what accredited courses are available, and how many full-time students are enrolled in the Academy.

The Green Jobs Workforce Academy is administered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and is designed to help workers identify and access skills support and training they need to secure green job opportunities as they emerge.

While the Academy does not directly employ teachers or lecturers, individuals can access training courses across a number of sectors including construction, energy, and land use and agriculture, via the greenjobs.scot website, and can arrange to speak with SDS career advisors.

Question reference: S6W-07165

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its consultation on the draft regulations proposed in its Heat in Buildings Strategy to require Scotland’s homes to meet a standard of EPC Band C equivalent.

Question reference: S6W-07163

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much time it will take to carry out the physical works to retro-fit and decarbonise all buildings in Scotland in order to meet the 2030 targets under its Heat in Buildings Strategy.

The amount of time spent on the physical works for each building retrofit can vary and depends on a range of factors. Some of the factors which influence the time taken are: the building type; the types of work needed to improve the energy efficiency of the building; and the type of zero emissions heating installed.

Our workforce assessment, currently underway, will give insight into the drivers of the range of retrofit times and related workforce and skills needs across relevant sectors. In addition, working with industry, we will co-produce a Heat in Buildings supply chain action plan focussed on ensuring industry can deliver at the pace and scale needed.

Question reference: S6W-07073

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the (a) timetable for the delivery and (b) latest estimated overall cost of public money of the two new ferries being built for the CalMac fleet.

Question reference: S6W-07069

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Finance, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport and (c) Minister for Transport last met representatives from Ferguson Marine to discuss the delivery of ferries for the CalMac fleet, and what specifically was discussed at any meetings.

Question reference: S6W-07071

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the two dual-fuel engines ordered by Ferguson Marine for the delivery of two ferries for the CalMac fleet are fit for purpose.

Question reference: S6W-07072

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost is of public money for the two dual-fuel engines ordered by Ferguson Marine for the delivery of two ferries for the CalMac fleet.