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: S6F-03540

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03553

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported calls to widen access to Scotland’s Redress Scheme to allow survivors of abuse at Fornethy House to seek redress.

Question reference: S6F-03539

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03541

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-31111

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the decline in the proportion of businesses in the north east forecasting revenue growth, as reported in Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce's Energy Transition 40th Survey report.

We have noted the latest Energy Transition survey report published by Aberdeen and Grampian Chambers of Commerce and the launch of a North Sea Transition Taskforce. We acknowledge the concerns that businesses are raising through the survey, however we also note the difficulty of measuring change at a regional level over short periods of time.

The energy transition presents an opportunity as well as a challenge to our existing energy sector and Scottish Government is committed to realising that opportunity, especially by securing a just transition for the north east. We have already committed significant funding to the region through our Just Transition Fund and our Energy Transition Fund. We will continue to support growth of our world-leading renewables sector and to enable our existing oil and gas sector to transition.

In September, we published our Green Industrial Strategy, which aims to ensure that Scotland gets the maximum possible economic benefit from the opportunities created by the net zero transition. We are taking steps to support businesses to capitalise on these opportunities.

For example, we have committed up to £500 million strategic investment over five years to support market certainty and facilitate the development of the offshore wind sector in Scotland. The Offshore Wind Supply Chain Development Statements process, carefully designed and managed by Crown Estate Scotland, ensures focus is maintained on supply chain capacity and capability to develop and deliver offshore wind projects in Scotland.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) presents a particular opportunity for the north east region. The UK Government recently announced £23 billion funding to support Track 1 CCUS clusters over 25 years. We urgently need a similar announcement for Track 2, including the Acorn project; continued UK Government delays are impacting investor, developer and supply chain confidence, and we continue to call for a meaningful update on this.

Question reference: S6W-31131

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29940 by Ivan McKee on 24 September 2024, for what reason the National Electricity Supply Contract prohibits clients from replacing a proportion of their single supply with a proportion of locally produced renewable energy.

The National Supply of Electricity Framework does not prohibit customers from using locally produced renewable energy.

If a client wishes to use locally produced renewable energy then they can advise the Scottish Procurement Team and the Supplier. The volumes generated by the locally produced renewable energy provider would no longer be included in the overall framework volumes and the reduced demand will be taken into consideration and future demand will be reshaped accordingly. Any withdrawal of buildings/sites from the framework are subject to the terms and conditions set out in the framework agreement.

Question reference: S6W-31129

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29944 by Ivan McKee on 24 September 2024, whether it is possible to amend the current National Electricity Supply Contract to include provision for clients to reduce their demand for electricity from the single supplier within the framework, if they choose to buy locally produced renewable electricity, in order to further community wealth building.

Question reference: S6W-31094

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is engaging with the UK Government to ensure that a fair share of the (a) £400 million allocated in loans for community energy and (b) £600 million for community development via local authorities proposed as part of the Local Power Plan will be available for communities in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners to continue to grow the community and local energy sector and ensure the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland.

On 17 October the Scottish Government signed a Joint Vision Statement with the UK Government which set out a commitment to work together to explore opportunities for GB Energy to support community & local energy in Scotland. This includes considering the role of the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES).

In line with this Vision Statement, the Scottish Government continues to work with the UK Government to explore opportunities, including for community energy and community developments via local authorities, offered by the Local Power Plan.

Question reference: S6W-31127

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29945 by Ivan McKee on 24 September 2024, for what reason it did not make provision for community energy suppliers to be added to the generation mix in the contract awarded to EDF, in light of its support for community wealth building, and how the policy approach adopted supports community wealth building.

The national electricity framework covers circa 300 organisations across Scotland, covering all sectors – Local Government, Central Government, NHS, Universities and colleges. Any energy supplier needs to have the capacity to supply and service all organisations by providing the ability to pre-purchase electricity and also provide a billing service.

The mix of energy used is the suppliers decision, the energy mix cannot be decided by Scottish Procurement.

The community energy element was not raised as a requirement in the scoping of the procurement strategy which is developed by the framework users, who are representatives from across the public sector.

Question reference: S6W-31110

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce's Energy Transition 40th Survey report.

We have noted the latest Energy Transition survey report published by Aberdeen and Grampian Chambers of Commerce. Offshore oil and gas licensing and consenting, as well as the associated fiscal regime, are currently reserved to the UK Government. We continue to call on UK Government to listen carefully to the concerns being expressed by businesses around risks to jobs and investment in the transition.