- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its Heat in Buildings Strategy, where it anticipates the £31 billion difference, between the £33 billion cost of the project and its £1.8 billion contribution, will come from.
Answer
The Scottish Government estimates the cost of building-level measures to reach our emissions targets over the 24 year period to 2045 will be in the region of £33 billion. We have committed to investing at least £1.8 billion over the five year period of this parliament. This funding will help kick-start market growth while supporting those least able to pay.
As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are working to develop an appropriate market framework to help consumers overcome the upfront investment costs and to attract and secure further private investment and finance to help meet the costs of the transition. We will establish a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021 to recommend ways the Scottish Government and private sector can collaborate to scale up investment. In addition we will explore other options, including the use of local tax powers, linking the mortgage market to energy performance and emissions, and options for new market mechanisms including potential obligations on market actors. Where action is needed in reserved areas we will work with the UK Government.
Heat in Buildings Strategy – https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of air source heat pumps reportedly running at significantly cooler temperatures than gas boilers, what it recommends (a) older and (b) all homeowners do to maintain their heating at a gas boiler temperature level.
Answer
The Scottish Government commissioned a review to synthesise evidence on the operation of heat pumps with relevance to Scotland. The report is available at https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/research/projects/heat-pump-use-in-scotland-an-evidence-review/
As the report sets out, the temperature output from a heat pump or boiler is different from the temperature rooms are heated to: heat emitters, such as radiators, transfer heat into rooms by being heated to a higher temperature than the air in the room. While the output temperature of a heat pump is often lower than temperatures boilers commonly produce, when appropriately configured with building fabric and radiators or underfloor heating they efficiently bring indoor temperatures up to adequate levels. In addition, the report sets out evidence on less common high temperature heat pumps.
The microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) certifies heat pump installers to ensure that systems are appropriately designed to provide sufficient heat.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33523 by Michael Matheson on 4 December 2020, whether it will provide the (a) updated figure for 2020-21 and (b) figure for 2021-22 to date.
Answer
Funding allocations to the E-bike Loan Fund, and unallocated funds for the financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 up until mid-October are summarised in the following table.
Financial Year | Funding | Unallocated | Notes |
2020-21 | £3,786,966 | £879,833 | |
2021-22 | £3,800,000 | £2,553,887 | * up until 14 October 2021 |
The unallocated funds in 2020-21 are made up of loan repayments received by EST throughout the year. These have been taken into account by EST and will form part of any future financial transaction e-bike loan budget.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the developments regarding Aberdeenshire Council’s reported objection to the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme, what the updated timeline is to (a) start and (b) complete the work.
Answer
I can confirm that Aberdeenshire Council’s reported objection to the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme remains extant and would refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02821 on 23 September 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many two-year-olds are currently (a) receiving and (b) eligible for 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare in the (i) North Ayrshire and (ii) Inverclyde Council area.
Answer
The latest annual ELC Census data published in December 2020 as part of the Schools in Scotland Summary Statistics report showed that 178 and 123 two year olds were accessing a funded ELC place in North Ayrshire and Inverclyde Council respectively in September 2020.
In December, the Scottish Government will publish Schools in Scotland, Summary Statistics report for 2021. This report will include figures to show the number of registrations of two-year-olds at national and local authority level in September 2021.
Eligibility criteria for 2 year old funded ELC is largely determined by a parents’ receipt of low or no income ‘ qualifying benefits’ which are administered by UK Government. We do not have robust information on the current eligible population at a local authority or national level due to UK Government restrictions on data-sharing. The Scottish Government is working with UK Government departments and the Office for National Statistics to establish a legal gateway through which we can acquire further UK Government held data which will enable us to measure the eligible population more accurately.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported shortage of bus drivers.
Answer
We are aware that bus operators are reporting increasing shortages of bus drivers which is affecting bus services in some areas. These shortages are linked to wider workforce pressures such as high demand for drivers in the HGV and other sectors as well as ongoing staff sickness due to COVID-19. We are working with the industry to monitor the impact on service levels and officials are also in regular contact with the Department for Transport to identify and address issues delaying licence applications and driver testing which is a reserved matter. We continue to support operators to run services despite continuing reduced demand due to the pandemic with up to £210 million in additional funding being made available since June 2020.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes assessed to be at high risk from fire as part of a home fire safety visit have had a fire and smoke alarm system installed that is compliant with the new standard as a result of the £1 million funding provided through the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in the period 2018-20.
Answer
To protect the most vulnerable, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will fit interlinked alarms into owner-occupied homes where the individuals or households are assessed as high risk through their Home Fire Safety Visit assessment process. As of 20 October 2021, SFRS have installed 9,363 linked smoke alarms, 3,506 linked heat alarms and 1,733 CO alarms. This is a total of 3,482 homes assisted to comply with the new standard.
- Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the University of Dundee about Unite the Union's industrial action over its position that proposed pension changes will disproportionately affect workers on lower pay grades.
Answer
Since August, I have both corresponded and spoken with the Principal at the University of Dundee on a number of occasions to reiterate the need to continue negotiations with all three trade unions involved in this industrial action.
The most recent conversation was on 28 October.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 4 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the number of students studying pharmacy at Scottish universities and colleges, in light of the reported shortage of pharmacists.
Answer
There has been an increase in the overall numbers of students studying pharmacy with more Scottish domiciled students undertaking the course. In 2020/21 there was an increase of 51 undergraduate students accepted in to first year and again an increase of 53 undergraduate pharmacy students in 2021/22.
The two Schools of Pharmacy in Scotland are encouraging applicants from parts of Scotland where there are gaps in the pharmacy workforce and working with schools to promote pharmacy as a career.
The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS National Education for Scotland and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in developing a joint programme to encourage more students, and not just school leavers, to consider careers in pharmacy .
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to protect the autonomy of Scotland’s universities.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021
