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-28180

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the reasons for its decision to no longer make house builders eligible for funding from the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme from 1 August 2024.

With sustained demand for the scheme and in the context of the real terms cuts to the Scottish Government’s capital funding – as well as drastic reductions in financial transactions – these changes were necessary to ensure that funding is best focused on interventions which directly decarbonise heat or reduce heat demand in existing homes and ensure the scheme stays within its available budget.

The New Build Heat Standard currently requires new homes and buildings with a building warrant applied on or after 01 April 2024 to install a clean heating system, such as a heat pump. As these systems are now required to be included in the design of a project, it is expected that self-builders take into account the cost of installing a clean heating system into their project budget.

Question reference: S6W-28181

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how much funding is currently available to be allocated as part of the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme.

Question reference: S6W-28178

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress on the allocation of funding from its commitment to spend £1.8 billion during the current parliamentary session on decarbonising Scotland’s buildings.

Scotland’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, outlines our ambitious programme that reflects the scale and the size of the challenge to reduce emissions from our buildings. Our commitment to allocate at least £1.8bn over this parliament will help kick-start growth in the market and support those least able to pay. This includes:

? At least £465m to support those least able to pay, delivered through our Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based schemes.

? £300m for Scotland’s Heat Network Fund.

? £200m Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, investing in a sector already leading the way in the heat transition.

? £200m Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Scheme, supporting leadership for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation right across the public sector.

Of the £1.8bn allocated as part of the strategy, over £1.3bn has been allocated through the budget setting process, of which, over £500m has been spent to the end of May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-28101

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how frequently its ministers receive reports from its Marine Directorate on contaminants in marine animals.

The findings from contaminant testing undertaken in the Scottish marine environment, are reported to the Scottish Ministers in the form of Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 and the OSPAR Quality Status assessments, the most recent of which was published in 2023: Quality Status Report 2023 | OSPAR Commission . Monitoring data collected in 2021 will be used in the UK Marine Strategy 2024 assessment. These reports are compiled over a number of years and are not annual.

Question reference: S6W-28132

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 estimate it has made of the number of jobs that will be created in Scotland by the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) programme.

The potential impacts, including that of job creation, of the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (“INTOG”) leasing round are currently being assessed through the sectoral marine planning process. The INTOG sites together with the commercial-scale sites leased by Crown Estate Scotland through the ScotWind leasing round will form the spatial basis for the updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy. The planning process includes undertaking a plan-level social and economic impact assessment which will provide an estimate of the positive impacts INTOG developments may have on employment opportunities. The assessment will be made available for public consultation, alongside the draft updated Plan, later this year.

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.