- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when each of the 32 winning projects of the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, announced on 18 May 2023, received their funding.
Answer
The successful Hydrogen Innovation Scheme applicants were informed throughout April and May 2023. All grants are paid in arrears, and will be awarded on successful completion of key project milestones.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15987 by Patrick Harvie on 23 March 2023, whether it will provide an update on when it will publish the data, in light of reports that it is already being used for policy formulation and implementation.
Answer
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many green jobs currently exist in Scotland, broken down by the region in which they are located, and what the definition is that it uses for such jobs.
Answer
Approaches to measuring green jobs are still under development and as a result estimates on how many green jobs exist differ.
A definition of green jobs was published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in March in 2023 “Green jobs” update, current and upcoming work - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) . ONS will now develop a detailed framework to underpin this definition, including the identification of appropriate activities (what the definition does and does not cover) and grouping them into useful sub-categories.
In the meantime our focus is on extracting the greatest number of job opportunities linked to the net zero transition, including via grants from the Green Jobs Fund to create new green jobs throughout Scotland and the Just Transition Fund to support people’s jobs and livelihoods in the North East.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 31 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13830 by Michael Matheson on 18 January 2023, when it expects to (a) conclude and (b) publish the results of its review of Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments; whether it will provide a list of the (i) dates and (ii) attendees of its stakeholder engagement sessions, and whether it will provide the specific date on which it plans to begin consulting on the draft guidance.
Answer
The review of our Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments is ongoing. We are using insights gathered from recent stakeholder engagement, alongside input from our steering group and wider research, to develop our approach with a view to consulting on draft guidance later this year. A date for public consultation will be agreed in due course.
We have held four regional engagement sessions with community representatives. The makeup of the sessions was shaped by suggestions from steering group members. An initial session was also held with a group of renewable energy developers, with invitations coordinated by Scottish Renewables. Dates and attendee details are included below.
The purpose of these sessions was to raise awareness of the work and to gather early views; we will of course gather wider input and feedback through the formal consultation process.
GPP Offshore Community Engagement Sessions: Attendees |
Highlands and Islands: 5th December 2022 | Shetland Community Benefit Fund | Galson Estate Trust/ Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn | Barvas Estate/ Urras Sgìre Oighreachd Bharabhais | Thurso Community Development Trust | Farr North Community Development Trust | Scottish Islands Federation | Tighean Innse Gall | Shetland Islands Council | Shetland Fishermen's Trust |
West of Scotland: 8th December 2022 | Colonsay Community Development Trust | Colonsay Community Council | Auchinleck Community Development Initiative | Morvern Community Development Company | Carluke Development Trust | Islay Energy Trust | - | - | - |
East of Scotland: 12th December 2022 | Scottish Communities Alliance | Community Climate Action Network | Scottish Fishermen’s Trust | Ekopia Social Investments Limited | Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society | - | - | - | - |
South of Scotland: 19th December 2022 | Nith Valley Leaf Trust | Solway Firth Partnership | 2050 Climate Group | Scottish Borders Community Climate Action Network | South Lanarkshire Council | Glenkens District Trust | Hawick Community Energy Group Limited | - | - |
Developers Session: 19th January 2023 | Orsted | SSE | Northland power | Falck renewables | Ocean Winds | Shell | BizGive | - | - |
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 31 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16202 by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2023, what average contract for difference (CfD) price for an operating (a) offshore and (b) onshore wind farm it uses in its calculations when developing policy and taking decisions related to energy developments.
Answer
As set out in my answer to question S6W-16202 the Contracts for Difference Scheme is a UK Government mechanism. Matters relating to policy decisions around it are therefore for the UK Government.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the Minister for Transport has confirmed that Amey has carried out repairs to potholes on the A90 between Fraserburgh and Peterhead and that the operating company is currently programming permanent repairs, when it expects (a) Amey to have concluded the programming of permanent repairs and (b) the permanent repairs to have been completed.
Answer
As part of the ongoing management and maintenance of the A90 trunk road, Amey Ltd (Transport Scotland’s operating company for the North East area of Scotland) prepares and delivers a 1-year programme of works, based upon the findings from their continual inspections of the network. These can include larger carriageway resurfacing schemes, more localised patching works or individual pothole patch repairs.
This 1-year programme is agreed with Transport Scotland before the start of the financial year and as with all programmes of this nature, remains under review depending on the findings of subsequent inspections and any reprioritisation.
In terms of resurfacing works on the A90, schemes at Crimond, South of Crimond and South of St Fergus were completed during the last financial year (2022-23). These schemes provided an investment of £1.2 million on the A90 between Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
Additionally, Amey has programmed the following patching schemes for delivery in 2023-24 in the A90 Fraserburgh to Peterhead area.
Route | Location | Brief Description of project | Construction Start Date | Construction End Date | Value |
A90 | Berryslacks | Machine Patching | 01-08-2023 | 30-08-2023 | £30,000 |
A90 | South of Leask | Machine Patching | 01-08-2023 | 30-08-2023 | £30,000 |
A90 | Lunderton Layby to St Fergus Cemetery | Machine Inlay Patching | 01-09-2023 | 30-09-2023 | £150,000 |
A90 | South of St Fergus | Machine Inlay Patching | 01-09-2023 | 30-09-2023 | £150,000 |
A90 | Logie Lodges to B9033 | Machine Inlay Patching | 01-09-2023 | 30-09-2023 | £150,000 |
A90 | Cortes Village | Machine Patching | 01-11-2023 | 30-11-2023 | £30,000 |
A90 | Philorth | Machine Inlay Patching | 01-11-2023 | 30-11-2023 | £60,000 |
As noted in our recent correspondence, my reply of 20 April referred to thirty Category 1 defects between Fraserburgh and Peterhead, which Amey had temporarily repaired to make safe. Since then, 9 of these were permanently repaired within the following 28 days. For the remaining defects, engineers have reviewed and determined that, on this occasion it is more effective to undertake more substantial patching at these locations. Given the proximity and nature of these locations, this approach will capture a wider area of repair than singular repairs, adding longevity but with less disruption to the travelling public.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee's meeting on 9 May 2023 and the response of the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy to whether the Scottish Government will countenance new nuclear energy generation in Scotland, that "we believe that that is expensive technology with the safety and environmental impacts that come off the back of it", whether it will set out, fully, the calculations and considerations that the cabinet secretary referred to that led him to conclude that nuclear energy generation was "expensive"; against what benchmark or comparator he was measuring this cost assumption, and whether it will set out an exhaustive list of what the cabinet secretary was referring to when he said that nuclear energy generation had (a) safety and (b) environmental impacts.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not support the building of new nuclear fission power stations in Scotland under current technologies.
Under the current Contract for Difference (CfD) awarded by the UK Government to Hinkley Point C, the electricity that will be generated will be priced at £92.50 per megawatt hour (in 2012 prices). Wind is one of the cheapest forms of electricity - electricity generated from offshore wind is priced at £37.65 per megawatt hour in CfD allocation round 4 (in 2012 prices). Additionally, Hinkley Point C’s CfD will last for a 35-year term, which is not afforded to other technologies that only receive guarantees for 15 years.
The UK Government has committed over £700 million to cover 50% of the development costs of Sizewell C – evidence that nuclear can have significant up-front costs to the public purse before construction even begins.
Nuclear power stations require nuclear material for their operation and generate radioactive waste, both of which can involve hazardous radiation and require complex and expensive handling for security as well as public health and environmental protection.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether the 32 winning projects of the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, announced on 18 May 2023, received their funding via the Scottish National Investment Bank, and, if not, whether it will provide the rationale for this decision.
Answer
The Hydrogen Innovation Scheme is part of the Scottish Government’s £180m Emerging Energy Technologies Fund (EETF), which was announced by Scottish Ministers in the Climate Change Plan Update (December 2020). The EETF will support the development of the hydrogen sector and carbon capture and storage (CCS), including Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs) in Scotland by providing capital support until 2026 to accelerate low carbon infrastructure projects that will be essential to deliver net zero. The fund will make £100 million available to support hydrogen projects in line with our Hydrogen Policy Statement. The funding offered to the 32 successful applicants to the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme is the first tranche of this hydrogen funding programme.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 25 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an exhaustive list of which (a) companies and (b) industry bodies from the energy sector the new Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy has met with since taking on this ministerial role.
Answer
I have met with a range of stakeholders in the energy industry since taking on this ministerial role. A comprehensive list of all Ministerial engagements is routinely published online three months in arrears and in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code . It can be found at Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when each of the 32 projects awarded funding from the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, announced on 10 May 2023, were notified that they had received a funding award, and when they each received the funding.
Answer
The successful Hydrogen Innovation Scheme applicants were informed throughout April and May 2023. All grants are paid in arrears, and will be awarded on successful completion of key project milestones.