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-28131

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council regarding contracts for the delivery of floating offshore wind sites through the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) programme for decarbonising offshore oil and gas installations.

The Scottish Government discussed INTOG at Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) meeting on 6 March 2024.

As SOWEC chair, stakeholders were notified of the revised timeline for the updated Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind energy (SMP-OWE) which will provide a planning framework for Scotwind and INTOG. Consultation on a draft will commence in Autumn 2024 and a final plan adopted by Spring 2025.

While the updated SMP-OWE is being prepared, developers may continue to submit applications for consent and licensing in the normal way. These will be considered by Ministers on a case-by-case basis in line with the planning, consenting and assessment framework available at the time.

Therefore there will be no delay for any offshore wind project progressing through our licensing and consenting process as a result of the revised timeline.

SOWEC will continue to engage with industry to discuss the key challenges and opportunities related to offshore wind in Scotland including INTOG projects.

Question reference: S6W-28129

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed the skills passport for offshore energy workers with (a) SSE Renewables and (b) other members of the Global Wind Organisation that hold contracts in Scotland’s offshore wind industry.

The Scottish Government has engaged with the industry-led Offshore Energy Skills Passport through the project steering group led by Renewable UK and Offshore Energies UK. This group also includes representation from the Global Wind Organisation (GWO), the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO), the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), Trade Unions and a range of other stakeholders. SSE is not a member of the project steering group.

We have welcomed the recent joint statement from Renewable UK and Offshore Energies UK on progress to date and next steps with the Passport and urge industry partners to continue to develop and roll the initiative out at pace.

Question reference: S6W-28127

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the number of qualified offshore commercial divers residing in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03624

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-02046

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported claims that its net zero targets are at serious risk if solar is not reinstated to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme.

Question reference: S6W-28040

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time is for a section 36 energy consent application for an (a) onshore proposal over 50MW and (b) offshore proposal to receive a determination.

The approximate average length of time, since 2015, for a section 36 energy consent application to receive a determination is as follows.

Onshore proposals over 50MW:

Onshore wind – 33 months
Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) – 14 months
Hybrid (Solar and BESS) – 13 months
Hydro – 18 months
Offshore proposals:
Offshore wind - 11 months
Wave & Tidal - 24 months

It should be noted that these timeframes include the time taken for Public Local Inquiries, should they be necessary, and also any delays caused by missing or additional application information being required from developers, such as that under EIA legislation.

Question reference: S6W-28041

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what systems it has in place to monitor the performance of the Energy Consents Unit.

The performance of the Energy Consents Unit has recently been considered through the Onshore Wind Sector Deal and the Transmission Network Short Life Working Group. Work is ongoing to implement the actions derived from the recommendations of both groups. At an individual level, all members of the Energy Consent Unit have agreed work objectives which are reviewed as part of our performance management process.

Question reference: S6W-28100

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what contaminant analysis work it is undertaking on marine animals in Scottish waters, in light of reports that fish in English waters have been contaminated with prescription and illegal drugs.

The Scottish Government regularly monitors for hazardous substances in the Scottish marine environment. Hazardous substances highlighted to be of particular concern and routinely monitored include heavy metals (cadmium, mercury and lead), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These contaminants are measured in biota (mussels and fish) collected as part of the UK Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme for four biogeographic regions: Irish Sea (Clyde and Solway), Minches and Western Scotland, Scottish Continental Shelf and Northern North Sea.

More information related to the testing for contaminants in marine animals in Scottish waters can be found in the Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 | Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 .

Question reference: S6O-03529

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Scottish justice system is "close to collapse" and that solicitors are taking industrial action.

Question reference: S6W-27386

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which minister will take decisions on any matters relating to the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio that the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture has recused himself from.