Chamber and committees

We recognise the critical role of planning in helping to meet our net zero targets. Our NPF4 Position Statement, published on 26 November, underlines that responding to the global climate emergency will be at the heart of NPF4. It highlights key areas for policy change including: 20 minute neighbourhoods, embedding sustainable travel, low and zero carbon design and energy efficiency, emphasis on re-using existing buildings and previously used land, supporting renewable energy and energy transmission infrastructure. The position statement can be accessed from the Scottish Government’s website: www.gov.scot .

We are aware of concerns around resourcing of planning authorities and the need for efficient handling of applications, particularly those with the potential to support key policy drivers including emissions reductions.

Our programme of planning reform aims to improve the system as a whole and our extensive programme of policy, regulations and guidance will bring greater certainty over consenting and delivery of planned development, supporting economic recovery whilst also delivering social and environmental benefits. We will also consider whether to extend ‘permitted development rights’ which remove the need to apply for planning permission for zero-emission heat networks and micro-renewable technologies.

Plans to revise planning fees are currently paused due to the potential impact on the development sector in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However Ministers remain committed to ensuring that planning authorities are properly resourced and we will bring forward a revised fee structure as soon as the timing is appropriate.

This information is not held centrally.

Information on the number of hospital admissions and ICU admissions where individuals have tested positive for Covid -19 are published daily at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-data-for-scotland/ .

National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish weekly statistics on the number of deaths where COVID-19 was written on the death certificate, either as a suspected or probable involvement in the death. The latest publication was released on 18th November and a link is provided here:

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme
/vital-events/general-publications/weekly-and-monthly-data-on-births-and-deaths
/deaths-involving-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland

Table 1 in the report shows that to date in 2020 (up to week ending 15th November) there have been 5,135 deaths, where COVID-19 was written on the death certificate. Table 3 shows that there have been 4,720 deaths where COVID-19 was identified as the underlying cause of death.

NRS also publish a more in-depth analysis of COVID deaths every month. The latest of these publications was released on 11th November and a link is provided here:

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/covid19/covid-deaths-report-week-45.pdf .

Figures 9 and 10 on pages 17 and 18 of the report shows the main pre-existing medical condition in deaths involving COVID-19, between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020. The report states, "The most common main pre-existing condition among those who died with COVID-19 was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (30%), followed by ischaemic heart disease (13%), chronic lower respiratory diseases (11%), cerebrovascular disease (6%) and diabetes (4%).

The amount of waste exported will be affected by the type, volume, and quality of waste generated in Scotland, as well as the nature of contracts put in place by businesses and local authorities to manage their waste. We have not made projections for the export of waste or material collected for recycling.

We want to build a fully circular economy and be able to manage more of our own waste within Scotland, including the 14% which is currently processed elsewhere. As outlined in our Programme for Government 2020-21, we are working with local authorities to explore options that will unlock reprocessing investments, including pricing and incentive schemes. We are also actively working with potential investors to encourage reprocessing capacity in Scotland.

Students studying abroad who are returning to Scotland should do so in line with our guidance for residents or visitors travelling to the UK. Those travelling from a country not exempt from quarantine requirements must complete a passenger locator form and self-isolate for 14 days. Students and staff who are travelling to and from Scotland should check the Scottish Government website for the latest advice. Our guidance sets out the support available to help people self-isolate.

Scottish Government anticipate that the statutory annual emissions reduction targets set in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 will represent the future national emissions trajectory. A full list of the levels of these targets has been laid in the Scottish Parliament, and can also be found on the Scottish Government website. The Climate Change Plan update, to be published later this month, will articulate our policy pathway up until 2032 to meeting these targets.

The Scottish Government has invested approximately £730m in funding over the last five years to support decarbonisation of heat and improve energy efficiency in buildings. This includes both grant funding and Government backed loans.

For some programmes funding to support decarbonisation of heating has been specifically identified but support for both heating and insulation measures are included as part of our energy efficiency spending (e.g. advice services). Energy efficiency improvements provided or recommended to households reflect individual needs and circumstances. Some pilot programmes have also provided investment to a mixture of domestic and non-domestic projects, for heating and/or insulation on the basis of need and to establish effectiveness of delivery.

Where sub-totals for type of measures funded and sector were specified, the investment can be broken down as follows (rounded to one decimal place):

Decarbonisation of heat in buildings

My colleague, Michael Matheson, wrote to the UK Government on the 31 August this year to highlight a range of issues where we need the UK Government to act in order to support net zero and a green recovery in Scotland. In that letter he specifically called on the UK Government to give Ofgem an explicit statutory obligation to enable the delivery of net zero, and to recognise and support devolved administrations’ statutory targets and policy.

I also raised this issue in more detail when I met with the Gas and Electricity Market Authority’s (GEMA) Board on September 30 th and have raised this with the Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng MP.

Ofgem is currently required by statute to represent the interests of existing and future energy consumers. In my engagement with the Regulator, we discussed whether it would be beneficial, and entirely consistent, if, given the commitment in Ofgem’s Decarbonisation Action Plan to support and facilitate delivery of net zero, Ofgem was to be given a clear, statutory duty to support the delivery of net zero. Delivering net zero will require substantial investment across a wide range of sectors, and it’s vital that we don’t pass on an unfair share or burden to future generations.

Network regulation faces huge and complex challenges. It needs to deliver infrastructure capable of delivering net zero, recognising and rewarding the impact of efficient, timely investment on our economy, on the development of skilled jobs, and the development of a dynamic supply chain. My view remains that the regulator’s remit needs to explicitly incorporate these challenges and requirements.

The Scottish Government has been engaging closely with Ofgem over recent months to highlight the vital role that electricity networks will play in meeting Scotland’s more ambitious decarbonisation and net zero targets.

I responded in October to Ofgem’s consultation on Electricity Distribution Price Control Sector Specific Methodology (RIIO-ED2). This response highlighted the electricity distribution network’s critical role in realising Scottish energy and climate change ambitions, and putting Scotland on a clear pathway to deliver net zero by 2045, including the need for timely deployment of transmission infrastructure and the need for interconnection between the mainland and our island archipelagos.

I have also responded to Ofgem’s Consultation on Price Control Draft Determinations for electricity and gas transmission, and gas distribution. My response made clear that gas and electricity network funding and regulation must take full account of Scotland’s distinct statutory climate change targets, and our wider energy, economic and social ambitions.

I had an opportunity to discuss these issues in more detail when I met with the Gas and Electricity Market Authority’s Board on September 30 th.

Scottish Government officials are part of the oversight structure which regularly discusses issues related to electricity networks and which aims to support the Regulator in developing proposals that reflect consumers’ interests, net zero targets, and, local ambitions.