Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is currently prioritising support for those households facing the greatest barriers to EV adoption, including those in rural and island communities who often face higher travel costs. This helps ensure limited public funding is directed where it can have the greatest impact. Eligibility criteria are reviewed and updated annually.

The former Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work visited the Dalzell steelworks on 8 August 2018.

Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance made a statement to Parliament on 11 September 2025 regarding GFG Alliance operations in Scotland, including Dalzell.

The priority of the Scottish Government is to see the plant operational and Ministers are committed to updating Parliament on developments.

On 12 September 2025, the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee, wrote to me to discuss the £20m portion of the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding for Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) projects across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. This included potential projects and how to access the funding to address issues arising from reinforced autoclaved concrete (RAAC) in the Torry Area of Aberdeen City.

On 23 October, I responded explaining the RAAC proposal was not eligible for HIF Funding and that agreement had been reached with Aberdeen City Council to offer flexibility and apportion an appropriate share up to £10 million of the MoU commitment and to re-purpose this towards meeting the cost of delivering new-build social housing projects through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. This would free up an equivalent amount of their own resources to tackle RAAC issues they face. The response also confirmed that projects approved through this route would reduce the notional commitment entered into through the MoU.

HIF continues to operate and remains open for applications. Any correspondence received from the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee will be considered and responded to in the usual way.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03360 on 29 September 2026. 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.

Scottish Government engages with the UK Government regularly on the steel industry. Our priority is to see the plant operational.

Any recommendations made by the Office of Rail and Road regarding these matters are for train operators to consider.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02426 on 2 September 2026. 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.

Where contingency analysis is prepared in relation to strategic businesses in Scotland such plans are not published to protect commercial interests.

The Scottish Government is not responsible for the regulation of companies in the United Kingdom and does not have statutory powers to determine the suitability of owners of privately owned businesses.

This government is committed to maintaining Scotland's domestic steel capacity and fully appreciates the economic importance of Dalzell to the local area. The priority of the Scottish Government is to see the plant operational.