Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35895

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing regulations that would require people purchasing a property to comply with a prohibition on polluting heating in a specified amount of time following the completion of the sale.

As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory target to decarbonise our buildings by 2045, as far as possible.

We recognise that this will involve a mix of heating types, and that different solutions will be needed in different homes and non-domestic buildings.

We do not now intend to immediately take forward proposals that would have placed an obligation on those purchasing a property to transition that building to a clean heating system within a specified period of time following the completion of the sale.

This decision has been taken following analysis of the more than 1600 responses we received to our public consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, extensive engagement with stakeholders, and consideration of research commissioned by the Scottish Government into the impacts of these proposals on the Scottish housing market.

Question reference: S6W-35897

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on legislating to give (a) it and (b) local authorities the power to require buildings in a heat network zone to end their use of polluting heating systems by a certain date, with a minimum notice period.

As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

The final decision on the provisions of the Bill will be made collectively by Cabinet ahead of its introduction. This decision will take account of the analysis of responses received in reply to our public consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, but it is our strong intention that this Bill will help build the investment case for new district heating projects in Heat Network Zones.

Question reference: S6W-35896

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to cap the installation costs of clean heating systems.

As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as possible.

We understand that achieving this target will require a mix of technologies, and that different solutions will be needed in different types of buildings and for different people.

We also know that, while this Bill may not intend to legally require individuals to change their heating system now, any future ask of individuals must be fair and reasonable. That is why our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill last year recognised that a cost cap could play a key role in supporting any future heat in building standard. This was to ensure that homeowners and businesses were not required to pay unreasonable costs, as well as providing an understanding of the maximum costs individuals may face in complying with regulations.

We will continue to consider the need and appropriateness of introducing a cost cap for any proposed legislation that introduces requirements on individuals.

Question reference: S6W-35894

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of whether the target for all (a) properties of private landlords reaching a minimum standard equivalent to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least band C by the end of 2028, (b) properties of homeowners reaching a minimum standard equivalent to an EPC rating of at least band C by the end of 2033, (c) building owners ending their use of polluting heating by 2045 and (d) buildings owned by a public authority using clean heating systems by the end of 2038, remains achievable.

As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as possible.

We know that improving energy efficiency is vital in reducing heat demand in buildings, and that it makes buildings warmer and easier to heat, and can reduce bills. For this reason, we also intend to include powers in the Heat in Buildings Bill to introduce regulations in the future for non-domestic and domestic owner-occupied buildings to reach a minimum energy efficiency standard, should this be appropriate.

To accompany this, we intend to progress now with a minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector using existing primary powers in the Energy Act 2011. This means that all privately rented homes in Scotland would be required to meet energy performance certificate band C, on reformed energy performance certificates, as far as possible, by a specific date. This date is yet to be finalised but will not be as soon as 2028. This is to reflect the need to give the sector sufficient notice ahead of making required changes. Any proposed regulations will be consulted on, and engagement with stakeholders will be prioritised, to ensure regulations are achievable.

In terms of the public sector, where available, the public sector will be required to take action to connect to heat networks in line with build-out of the heat network. For the rest of the public sector estate, the target date of 2045 will apply. This is to account for any potential additional challenges of decarbonising buildings outside of heat network zones, for example in more remote areas.

Question reference: S6W-35949

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings and recommendations in the Shelter Scotland report, In Their Own Words: Children’s Experiences in Temporary Accommodation, whether it will improve guidance on Education Maintenance Allowance policies so that children experiencing homelessness do not lose this benefit when their ability to fulfil the terms of their learning agreement, such as on attendance, is compromised by their housing situation.

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) guidance is revised annually to set guidelines for local authorities and colleges to deliver the programme effectively and fairly; whilst using their own discretion in line with both local and national policy. It encourages flexibility in the local administration arrangements for vulnerable young people including those experiencing homelessness.

The Scottish Government encourages delivery partners to continue working collaboratively when considering a young persons’ personal circumstances and their eligibility to receive an EMA award. However, in light of this report, the Scottish Government will ensure the next version issued for AY 2025-26 includes strengthened guidance on applying flexibility in attendance specifically for those who are experiencing homelessness.

Question reference: S6W-35984

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a breakdown of total university funding per student, including teaching grants and other financial support, in each of the last 10 years.

As part of the annual budget process the funding for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), is announced. The 2025-26 Budget includes over £1.1bn of investment in teaching and research in Scotland’s universities.

It is the role of the SFC to allocate these funds to individual institutions. The SFC publish details as part of their annual Final Allocation publication. This provides details of the funding for controlled and non-controlled subjects and funded places to each university, as well as the subject price groups.

Question reference: S6W-35660

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the funding that it provides to the Scottish Youth Parliament to support its mission to provide a national platform for young people to discuss the issues that are important to them, whether it considers MYSPs to be representative of Scotland's young people, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), along with other children's and youth organisations, supports the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies to fulfil their legal obligations to promote and protect the human rights of children and young people. The SYP is the democratic voice of Scotland’s young people. Their vision for Scotland is of a nation that actively listens to and values the meaningful participation of its young people. Their goal is to make this vision a reality, in order to ensure young people in Scotland grow up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) champions and promotes diversity and inclusion within their organisation to ensure it has broad representation that reflects the demographics of young people living in Scotland. The current membership includes, MSYPs from a wide variety of backgrounds including minority ethnic backgrounds, with experience of care, from rural and low Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) areas, who are young carers, who are neurodiverse, and from LGBTQIA+ backgrounds.

SYP also aims to ensure the voices of young people whose rights are most at risk are at the centre of their programme. It has a particular focus on women’s empowerment and anti-racism.

These lived experiences help to inform an intersectional representation of young people in Scotland. After each SYP election the organisation publishes a summary of the diversity data. The 2024 data can be found in this document: https://syp.org.uk/members/our-diversity/

Question reference: S6W-35971

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many women have been waiting longer than two years for gynaecological procedures, broken down by NHS board.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes quarterly data on the length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient or admitted for treatment as an inpatient or day case. The latest statistics represent all patients covered by the national standards for these stages of treatment to 31 December 2024. Individual patients are counted more than once if they are waiting to attend more than one scheduled hospital appointment or admission, so the official statistics shown here do not reflect the actual number of individuals involved but the number of waits.

Table 1. sets out the number of ongoing waits over 2 years for a Gynaecology inpatient or day-case admission as of 31 December 2024:

Table 1.

NHS Board of Treatment	Over 104 week waits
NHS Borders	12
NHS Dumfries & Galloway	0
NHS Fife	1
NHS Forth Valley	0
NHS Grampian	314
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	673
NHS Highland	42
NHS Lanarkshire	124
NHS Lothian	10
NHS Orkney	0
NHS Shetland	0
NHS Tayside	186
NHS Western Isles	0
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	11
TOTAL	1,373

Table 2. sets out the number of ongoing waits over 2 years for a Gynaecology new outpatient appointment as of 31 December 2024:

Table 2.

NHS Board of Treatment	Over 104 week waits
NHS Golden Jubilee	0
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	0
NHS Borders	0
NHS Dumfries & Galloway	0
NHS Fife	0
NHS Forth Valley	0
NHS Grampian	195
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	0
NHS Highland	5
NHS Lanarkshire	0
NHS Lothian	31
NHS Orkney	0
NHS Shetland	0
NHS Tayside	32
NHS Western Isles	0
TOTAL	263

We know many people are still waiting too long and this is not good enough. We are determined do more. In 2024-25, we allocated over £450,000 to gynaecology from our £30 million targeted investment in planned care, delivering around 3,500 additional new outpatient appointments.

The 2025-26 Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for Health & Social Care, including a commitment to provide £200 million to help reduce waiting times and improve capacity, and gynaecology is being targeted as a key priority area for additional funding.

Question reference: S6W-35987

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on consultancy and external reviews regarding the viability of Ferguson Marine as a state-owned shipbuilder.

The Scottish Government has created a webpage on www.gov.scot dedicated to documents relating to Ferguson Marine (https://www.gov.scot/collections/ferguson-marine-documents/). This webpage contains links to consultancy documents produced when Ferguson Marine became a state-owned shipyard in 2019 and the ‘Ferguson Marine: Commercial advice information pack’ which was published in February 2025.

Question reference: S6W-35970

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported financial difficulties facing the higher education sector, what assessment it has made of any increases in the salaries of university principals.

Universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own pay and remuneration decisions.

However, the Scottish Government expects universities to exercise restraint in setting senior pay, and senior pay packages should be in step with the salary, terms and conditions offered to other university staff.

Universities are also required to comply with the terms of the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum as a condition of grant funding. This includes compliance with the principles of The Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, such as the expectation that universities’ remuneration committees seek the views of student and staff representatives in relation to the remuneration packages of Principals and senior executive teams, represent the public interest and avoid any inappropriate use of funds.

Chamber and committees