- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S6O-00801 by Jenny Gilruth on 2 March 2022, for what reason the minister did not provide the information requested regarding whether all of the new buses supported by the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund will be built in the UK, and whether it will confirm whether those buses not already cited as being built by Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) in Falkirk will be built in the UK, or whether these orders will go abroad.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) is awarding £62 million to support bus operators to acquire 276 new zero emission buses and associated infrastructure. Bus operators are free to choose which manufacturer they purchase from and we do not seek to influence this, in order to ensure a level playing field.
Level playing field provisions in trade agreements ensure that competition is open and fair, and that businesses from one trading partner to not gain an unfair advantage and undercut rivals from others. The success of the bus manufacturing industry in Scotland and the UK requires that the industry makes available high-quality products for bus operators at competitive prices and which can compete in the international market.
ADL will manufacture their buses in Falkirk, Wrightbus, Switch and Orion manufacture elsewhere in the UK (with Orion chassis being manufactured in Italy, Poland and Turkey), EVM manufacture in the Republic of Ireland (with the chassis manufactured in Germany) and Yutong manufacture in China. In total, 137 buses will be manufactured in Scotland, 23 in the rest of the UK, and 116 in China.
The following table shows how many buses from which manufacturer ScotZEB is supporting operators to acquire:
| | ADL | Yutong | Wrightbus | EVM | Switch | Orion | TOTAL |
Stage-coach | 84 | 25 | | | | | 109 |
First Bus | 50 | 24 | | | | | 74 |
McGill’s | | 41 | | | | | 41 |
Ember | | 26 | | | | | 26 |
West Coast Motors | | | 10 | | | | 10 |
Shuttle Buses | | | | 2 | | 3 | 5 |
Dumfries & Galloway | | | | | 4 | | 4 |
Houston’s | | | | 4 | | | 4 |
Stirling Council | 3 | | | | | | 3 |
Totals | 137 | 116 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 276 |
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 23 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether Circularity Scotland has entered into signed contracts with partners to deliver the Deposit Return Scheme's logistics, operations and IT systems, in line with the timescale that it set out in December 2021.
Answer
The timescale set out in December 2021 was for such contracts to be signed by the end of March 2022. I am aware that Circularity Scotland Ltd is currently in commercial negotiations and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on ScotRail on 9 February 2022, during which the minister stated that "success for Scotland's rail services...includes ensuring that they...generate increased revenue", by what date the "increased revenue" is required to be delivered; what base level of revenue is being used; what level of "increased revenue" will it consider a success, and what action it plans to take in the event that the required level of "increased revenue" is not achieved by its target date.
Answer
As we recover from the pandemic ScotRail Trains Limited will adapt its rail services to meet passenger demand and travel patterns, the latter of which is likely to be markedly different to that experienced previously.
Though there has not been a specific date nor target level set for the increased revenue Transport Scotland will continue to monitor the revenue situation as it is reported on a period by period basis so as to enable Ministers to make informed decisions at all times.
Encouragingly, patronage levels on our railway are improving. In the middle of last year (week ended Saturday 3July), reported demand stood at about 831,000 journeys. By the week ended Saturday 5 March 2022, reported demand had increased to 1,183,000 journeys.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-06524 by Michael Matheson on 25 February 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether it will set out in detail what definition of “renewable energy” was used by its minister; what the generation source is of the energy that has had a positive impact on reliability, and whether it will publish any data it has that shows (a) an increasing "reliability of supply", as opposed to an increasing amount of energy supplied, and (b) a correlation and direct "impact" of the greater provision of renewable energy, as defined, on the reliability of supply, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06524 on 25 February 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what assessment it has made of GP numbers and surgery provision in the north east.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken legal advice on whether it is legally competent to tax the same piece of property under both the business rates scheme and the workplace parking levy.
Answer
The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides local authorities with a discretionary power to set up workplace parking licensing (WPL) schemes.
Under a WPL scheme, a local authority can require a licence to be obtained by employers for each workplace parking place provided. A charge may be levied for such a licence on the basis of the number of parking places specified in the licence. Non-domestic rates (business rates) is a charge for the occupation and use of non-domestic property.
The provisions in the Act were subject to legal and policy scrutiny when the Transport Bill went through the Scottish Parliament in 2019 and I do not consider there to be an issue as regards the imposition of this charge alongside any other charge or tax to which businesses may be subject.
This is a discretionary power already available to local authorities in England and Wales under the Transport Act 2000.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with developing the "rail link between Dyce and Ellon and further north to Peterhead and Fraserburgh" referred to in the co-operation agreement between it and Scottish Green Party, and when it expects to carry out a formal feasibility study.
Answer
An option for new rail line between Aberdeen, Ellon and onwards to Peterhead and Fraserburgh was assessed as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). The outcome of this was that this option did not form part of the strategic transport investment recommendations within STPR2. Instead, recommendations set out in STPR2 focus on the decarbonisation of the remainder of the rail network; measures to increase the amount of freight travelling by rail and on improving connectivity between our 7 cities.
However, there remains a path for regional or local rail projects to come forward, and Transport Scotland will consider these subject to a strong business case being developed in accordance with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) and suitable funding being available.
Improving wider public transport accessibility in the North East is a key STPR2 recommendation and Transport Scotland continues to work with Nestrans, Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council in developing plans for Aberdeen Rapid Transit further appraisal of which is already being progressed through our Bus Partnership Fund. The rapid transit system would prioritise buses and connect key destinations on the outskirts of Aberdeen to the city centre via busy radial corridors. Bus priority is also being looked at through the Bus Partnership fund, including to Ellon. The proposed bus based rapid transit system for the region would provide a more competitive and efficient public transport into and around the Aberdeen City region. This would improve region wide connectivity and encourage a switch from car to public transport and other more sustainable travel options.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05508 by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022, whether it will provide its "internal analysis" that led it to conclude "that in 2030 alone Hinkley could add almost £40/year to a consumer bill".
Answer
Using Contracts for Difference published strike prices, the electricity being generated from offshore wind is currently priced at £39.65 per megawatt hour – compared to £92.50 per megawatt hour for the energy generated from Hinkley nuclear power plant. Using these figures, and UK Government estimates of future wholesale electricity costs, it can be seen that in 2030 alone, Hinkley could add almost £40 a year to a consumer bill, whilst the equivalent offshore wind farm would reduce consumer bills by £8 a year. This is due to the fact that in 2030, using these estimates, offshore wind prices will be lower than future average wholesale prices, whilst nuclear prices will be higher..
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that it has only delivered approximately one in 20 of the offshore wind jobs that it forecast.
Answer
We are fully committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2045 and transforming Scotland in to a fairer, greener and more prosperous country, that is why we have committed £2 billion in low carbon funding to invest in new measures to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change and create green jobs. Creating, supporting and monitoring green jobs through initiatives like the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray and the Green Jobs Fund will be vital in helping Scotland to secure a truly just transition to net zero, with no person or region left behind.
These statistics, published by ONS annually, relate to what may be considered a narrower definition of direct jobs in the UK low carbon and renewable energy economy, including the offshore wind sector. Work is ongoing within the Scottish Government to establish a broader measure of green jobs. ScotWind puts Scotland at the forefront of the global development of offshore wind and represents a huge step forward in our just transition to net zero. I welcome the commitments from the winning consortia to invest at least £1 billion, on average, in Scotland's supply chain for every gigawatt of capacity generated. This will generate thousands of new jobs and provide opportunities for diversification and skills transfer from existing sectors such as oil and gas.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to sign up to the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) for Scotland; if so, (a) for what reason it has yet to and (b) when it will do so, and, if not, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The UK Government has not confirmed what the design of the ECO4 scheme will be. Scottish Ministers anticipate that they will be consulted about the new regulations as part of Ministerial write round. The Scottish Government will then assess how effectively the new scheme tackles fuel poverty and supports delivery of our net zero ambitions in Scotland. This will inform our response to the UK Government and any changes that we may propose.
We will also consider the UK Government’s response to any issues raised by Scottish stakeholders about ECO4. For example, we have previously raised our concerns with the UK Government about their failure to respond to stakeholder feedback from remote rural and island communities in Scotland.
Fuel poverty is a devolved matter but relevant powers for these schemes are reserved to the Secretary of State. Nevertheless we remain keen to work in partnership with the UK Government to ensure that changes to the ECO scheme do not cause detriment to Scotland or the rest of the UK.
