Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. 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

The Scottish Government is committed to land reform and improving transparency of those who own and control land in Scotland is at the heart of our land reform objectives.

The Scottish Government will continue to review any evidence – including that arising from the Scottish Land Commission’s report on land and property taxation – and assess this as part of our wider approach to tax policy

Registers of Scotland are currently working to deliver the benefits of a completed land register through their Unlocking Sasines project. This uses spatial data to help ‘unlock’ the historic information in the Sasine register, which means that they can link Sasine property search sheets to a map for the first time, making it visually more helpful and accessible. Additionally, the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will improve transparency and help ensure that large scale land holdings deliver in the public interest. The Bill will place legal responsibilities on the owners of the very largest landholdings to set out – through Land Management Plans - how they use their land and how that contributes to key public policy priorities, like addressing climate change and protecting and restoring nature.

The Scottish Government publicly consulted on the draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement between October 2021 and January 2022. A final Onshore Wind Policy Statement was published in December 2022 after careful consideration of the 163 responses received during the consultation period. An analysis of the consultation responses can be found on the Scottish Government website – Supporting documents - Onshore wind policy statement refresh - draft: consultation analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The final Onshore Wind Policy Statement set out our ambition for 20GW of onshore wind to be installed by 2030. The Policy Statement also set out measures that the Scottish Government would take to reach our ambition of 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 and to ensure that Scotland’s people benefit from this ambition.

One such measure was the establishment of the Onshore Wind Strategic Leadership Group (SLG), which consists of government representatives, onshore wind industry leaders, Scottish Renewables, relevant Scottish Government agencies, Supply Chain representatives and a body representing issues affecting local communities. The SLG was tasked with the development of the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal. Since the publication of the Sector Deal in September 2023, the SLG monitors and scrutinises the delivery of the deal. There was no direct engagement with trade unions during the drafting of the Sector Deal.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30309 on 28 October 2024. 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

Work is progressing towards finalisation of research after which a report will be published.

The landfill ban and infrastructure capacity report was published by Zero Waste Scotland on 11 October 2024. At the time of the Environmental Information Regulations request (EIR), 19 June 2024, the report was still being reviewed by ZWS. Scottish Government considered outputs and considerations of various draft versions of the report prior to its final publication.

The Scottish Government is aware that the introduction of zonal pricing could have a significant impact on all market participants, including industry, communities and consumers. It is therefore important that any such proposal is considered in the round in wider electricity market reform, which considers how we can establish an energy system that ultimately delivers investment, energy security and translates the lower costs of renewables through to consumers.

The Scottish Government welcomes the constructive engagement we have had with Ofgem, NG ESO, the UK Government and industry on the reform of electricity markets, however, it is crucial that the UK Government urgently provides clarity on the timetable and direction of travel on this key piece of work.

Following the recent resignation of Mark Logan from the role of Chief Entrepreneur, Ministers will now take time to consider how the role can be optimised in future.