- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates Transport Scotland will (a) commence and (b) conclude its review of ScotRail's rolling stock.
Answer
The appropriate rolling stock for ScotRail’s services is kept under consideration at all times and changes and investment decisions will be announced from time to time in the normal manner.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when the steering group to implement the recommendations on safety performance in response to the Carmont rail accident will be convened, and when it anticipates it will report.
Answer
Now that the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the steering group have been developed, it is anticipated that the group will convene shortly. The agenda for the first meeting will include endorsement of those ToR by the stakeholders.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether a green industrial strategy is being prepared and, if so, by what date it will be published.
Answer
One of the key pillars of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation is to strengthen Scotland’s position in new markets and industries to generate well-paid jobs and support a just transition to net zero. The Strategy sets out a range of actions to deliver on this vision. We are now developing sectoral and regional Just Transition Plans, which will identify relevant green industrial opportunities. Our first Just Transition Plan will be the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which is intended for publication in draft form in autumn 2022.
Work is also underway to strengthen our supply chains in the renewables energy sector. We're aware, for example, that Scotland’s developing hydrogen economy will require a strong domestic supply chain.
That's why the Scottish Government has announced a Hydrogen Supply Chain Event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 22 September to help build on and explore the opportunities that exist within this emerging sector.
For Offshore Wind, applicants to the ScotWind leasing round were required to submit a Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) that sets out the level and location of supply chain impact throughout the lifetime of projects. These commitments amount to billions of pounds of investment to the Scottish supply chain. Initial projections show an average spend of £1.5bn in Scotland per project.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Scotland's renewable energy suppliers to export to international markets.
Answer
In 2019 we published “Scotland: a trading nation”; a plan to grow Scotland’s exports which highlighted energy as a key sector. This year will also deliver a Renewable Energy Sector export plan showing our long term growth plan for exports.
Scottish Development International is the primary delivery arm for providing in-depth export support to Scottish businesses, both in Scotland and overseas. This is undertaken through a combination of individual company work, industry exhibitions and conferences.
Ministers are supporting Scotland’s renewable energy suppliers by engaging in high level events focused on export. June 2022 will see the next GlobalScot Energy Showcase; an opportunity for Scottish businesses to connect with a community of internationally-based business ambassadors with in market knowledge to support export.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a financial support mechanism for small- and medium-sized supply chain businesses to help them to develop their renewable energy capabilities.
Answer
In line with the Programme for Government, we are helping manufacturing businesses to make the transition to net zero and realise the opportunities of a low carbon economy
The recently launched Low Carbon Manufacturing Challenge Fund will provide research and development funding for projects that result in increased product circularity, reduced waste during the manufacturing process and reduced carbon. Innovative proposals will be supported with £3 million funding this year and a total of £26 million over five years.
We are also supporting supply chains through our supply chain development programme which has an initial focus on net zero and is providing significant public sector procurement to build resilient supply chains.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that near-term net-zero projects are working with Scotland's renewable energy suppliers.
Answer
In 2020, the Scottish Government set up the Scottish Energy Task Force to focus on near-term, collaborative actions, which can stimulate investment in Scotland’s energy sector to support delivery of net-zero.
The Energy Task Force consists of 12 organisations, including renewable energy companies, who have helped to develop the Joint Business Plan for Unlocking Investment in Scotland’s Energy Sector which was published in May this year.
The Plan outlines actions which can be taken to make near-term progress on working towards net-zero. The Task Force will continue to work collaboratively to deliver these actions which support net-zero.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will deliver a supply chain plan to help support the development of the renewable energy supply chain as part of the upcoming Energy Strategy Refresh.
Answer
The Energy Strategy & Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) will be developed not only to ensure the delivery of a viable net-zero energy system but also to provide an action plan that enables the transition to that system in a fair and just way for all of Scotland and maximises the economic opportunity that Scotland’s resource provides.
To ensure the impacts of the ESJTP reflect the challenges and opportunities facing the supply chain, a co-design process is being carried out to ensure the supply chain are able to engage, contribute and help shape the ESJTP.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when residents of Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire who have been directly affected by the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will receive any compensation that they are due.
Answer
As for all major road projects, owners of land purchased for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will receive fair compensation, independently assessed by the District Valuer.
Negotiations are ongoing between the District Valuer and claimants for the remaining compensation cases for land purchased on the scheme. Each of these claims are being considered on a case by case basis on their own individual circumstances to ensure a fair compensation figure is agreed in accordance with the compensation code. Final payment can only be made once agreement is reached between the parties.
The Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973 (as amended) also provides a mechanism for compensation in the loss in value of a property when attributed to the use of new or improved roads. Part I of the Act extends compensation to those who have not had land purchased for the scheme but are affected by the use of a new or improved road. Part I compensation claims relating to the depreciation of property from the use of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route are currently under active consideration by the District Valuer. Negotiations are anticipated to commence with claimants and their representatives in the coming months with payment following thereafter once agreement has been reached.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the conclusion of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the Carmont rail crash, when it will replace the 25 Class 43 HSTs in the ScotRail fleet, and, if Transport Scotland's position remains that this will occur only when "Network Rail has completed the electrification of all or most of the routes they serve", as reported in The Herald on 21 May 2022, when that electrification will be completed.
Answer
The RAIB report into the Carmont accident did not state that the High Speed Trains (HSTs) are unsafe. There is a need to identify the optimum programme of any practicable changes that may emerge from the analysis of duty holders and safety bodies in following the recommendations of the RAIB Carmont Report with respect to HSTs in Scotland.
The aim is to do this in a practical way, and in an appropriate timescale in the context of the Scottish Government’s plans for decarbonisation of the rail network and the development of the future train fleet which will support that objective.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much compensation Transport Scotland has paid to motorists and businesses for vehicle damage sustained on Scotland’s trunk road network, and on which trunk roads these incidents occurred, in each of the last five years.
Answer
Under the terms of their contracts, our Operating Companies have indemnified Scottish Ministers against claims of damage. As such they are liable for all claims and associated costs made in relation to road defects, and are required to deal directly with claimants with respect to all claims in relation to the operation of the trunk road network.