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-32857

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £254 million that was committed in its 2016 memorandum of understanding with Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council, for additional investment in housing, transport and digital in the Aberdeen city region, has been spent to date.

To date, £32.2m funding committed through the Memorandum of Understanding has been spent. A breakdown of this figure, along with explanatory detail, is provided below:

Project	Spend to Date (£m)
Improve rail links between Aberdeen and the Central Belt	23.2
Improve the A90/A937 junction at Laurencekirk	4.0
Extend digital infrastructure	5.0

The total invested to 7 December 2024 (Railway Period 9 – 2024) on projects to reduce journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt is £23.2m. Of this figure, £16.4m has been spent on the Aberdeen – Central Belt Service Improvement project, and £6.8m has been spent on the project to improve rail line speeds in the Barnhill area between Perth and Dundee. The scope of the project includes signal enhancements, improvements to station layouts at Dundee, Aberdeen, Arbroath and Montrose, and specific capacity alterations, including freight loops, to facilitate the mixed operation of faster and slower trains on the same route.

Just over £4m has been spent on taking forward necessary design and assessment work to deliver the new grade-separated junction at Laurencekirk. This project is currently going through the statutory authorisation process.

£5m has been spent on digital infrastructure projects which are supporting the enhancement of both public and private service delivery. In total, £7.8m has been committed to support digital projects.

The Scottish Government is actively encouraging Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils to work together to identify Housing Infrastructure Fund projects which meet terms of the Memorandum of Understanding aligned with the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

Scottish Government officials have maintained regular contact and liaison with officials in both Local Authorities to identify potential Housing Infrastructure Fund projects. No proposals which meet the terms of Housing Infrastructure Fund have been received to date.

Question reference: S6W-32978

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Energy Consents Unit plays in balancing national energy policy objectives with the interests of rural communities, and how this is reflected in its assessment processes.

The Energy Consents Unit administers applications made to Scottish Ministers for determination in relation to energy infrastructure. In reaching their decision, the Scottish Ministers will determine applications in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy. The application process allows rural communities to provide views on the development, which are taken into consideration when final decisions are made.

Question reference: S6W-32977

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the criteria used by the Energy Consents Unit to evaluate energy infrastructure projects, in light of reported concerns that net zero contributions are being prioritised over community and environmental considerations.

Question reference: S6W-32980

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that the Energy Consents Unit’s decisions align with the principles of a just transition to net zero, particularly for rural communities.

Question reference: S6W-32971

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the National Planning Framework 4 in relation to energy infrastructure planning, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that rural communities’ views are adequately reflected in the decision-making processes.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was published following extensive consultation and engagement, including with rural communities, and was adopted by the Scottish Ministers in February 2023. While Scottish Ministers can decide to amend the NPF or review it in full at any time, having an established and consistent policy framework enables confidence in the planning system and so we expect to exercise this power sparingly. We have no current plans to amend NPF4.

The Scottish planning system is plan-led, with a focus on involving all interests as early and effectively as possible. There are a range of opportunities for individuals and communities to get involved during both the plan-making and planning application stages of the planning and development process.

Question reference: S6W-32976

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the Energy Consents Unit ensures that factors other than a project’s contribution to net zero targets, such as local environmental and social impacts, are given due weight in its decision-making processes.

Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process. When an application is received, a full public consultation is carried out, and Scottish Ministers invite representations from members of the public and consult the appropriate community councils, alongside other public bodies. The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations.

Question reference: S6W-32981

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the National Planning Framework 4 and Energy Consents Unit jointly address the reported concerns about the cumulative impact of energy infrastructure projects on rural communities and the natural environment.

Question reference: S6W-33188

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many junctions or road connections have been added to the A90 over the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-33169

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the A90 is illuminated by street lighting, and whether there are plans to extend coverage.

Question reference: S6W-33170

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted on the impact of severe weather on the condition of the A90, and what measures are in place to address weather-related damage.

Transport Scotland’s Approach to Climate Change and Resilience (ACCAR) was published in August 2023 setting out a strategic framework to secure a well-adapted future for Scotland’s transport system. It includes an ambitious Vision for “A transport system which is well adapted and prepared for current and future impacts of climate change, is safe for all users, reliable for everyday journeys, and resilient to weather related disruption.” It can be found here: Transport Scotland’s Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience

The ACCAR provides our current approach to adaptation and Strategic Outcomes for Road, Rail, Aviation and Maritime transport networks, to address the key climate risks affecting Scotland’s transport system. A key deliverable of this work is the development of a Trunk Road Adaptation Plan, which is intended to be published in the first quarter of 2025. The Trunk Road Adaptation Plan is based on a climate vulnerability and risk assessment using the latest UK climate projections. This will compliment work of our Vulnerable Locations Group, who have been providing a number of improvements across Scotland’s trunk road network in response to extreme weather-related disruption.