- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how reported proposals by Abellio ScotRail to reduce services will impact on COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
Answer
ScotRail, when proposing the May 2022 timetable, has examined in detail previous, current and expected passenger demand. ScotRail has developed a proposed timetable that offers an increase in the number of services compared to current service levels as well as service patterns that meet demand, with scope for growth, while recognising the need for financial and environmental sustainability as we work towards Net Zero.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, what its response is to ATM providers reportedly being charged a higher level of business rates by local authorities for operating so-called through-the-wall machines, and, in light of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling for England and Wales, which said that no additional business rates could be charged on ATMs for having them onsite, what measures it is taking to support ATM providers in Scotland facing such business rates.
Answer
The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for the independent assessors, who follow applicable statute and case law in making their decisions on non-domestic property valuations. The 2020 Supreme Court ruling for England and Wales is not binding in Scots law, although I am aware that dialogue is ongoing between assessors and agents regarding the rating of ATM sites following that decision.
The Scottish Government provides the most generous non-domestic rates regime in the UK, and in 2021-22 delivered an unprecedented reduction in the poundage mid-revaluation; returning it to pre-COVID levels, which saves Scottish Businesses over £120 million compared with a standard inflationary increase.
The Scottish Government have continued to ensure that the sites of standalone ATMs in rural areas are exempt from rating. Other ATMs may benefit from as much as a 100% rates relief through the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, each local Council has wide-raging powers to create rates reliefs to reflect local needs. This may apply to a sole business, sector or area. The relief may be an adaptation of an existing national relief scheme or a unique standalone scheme.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01907 by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2021, by what date it plans to phase out the installation of new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems in (a) off-gas-grid homes and (b) homes connected to the gas grid.
Answer
As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we will phase out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems, in off-gas grid homes from 2025 and in on-gas areas from 2030, subject to technological developments and decisions by the UK Government in reserved areas.
The Scottish Government will consult further on this proposal during 2022.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01907 by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2021, whether there was a public consultation on its decision to phase out the installation of new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems in off-gas-grid homes five years earlier than homes connected to the gas grid.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s draft Heat in Buildings Strategy proposed that any regulations requiring the installation of zero emissions heating systems would be phased in, with all building owners being required to comply by 2045.
The draft Strategy specified that it may be appropriate to require earlier compliance from, for example, those using high emissions fuels like heating oil or coal (which are more prevalent in off-gas grid areas).
The draft Strategy was subject to consultation from 5 February to 30 April 2021, and questions 48 and 49 specifically asked for views on the regulatory actions and timescales proposed.
An analysis of the consultation responses can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802014464 .
As set out in our final Heat in Buildings Strategy, published on 7 October 2021, the Scottish Government will consult in further detail on our commitment to phase out the installation of fossil fuel heating systems during 2022.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what role the proposed public energy agency will have in supporting local authorities to create local public energy companies and/or cooperatives that develop, own and deliver zero-carbon heat and energy.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03384 on 27 October 2021. 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: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed public energy agency will have a stated objective to coordinate, support and create more local public energy companies and/or cooperatives to develop, own and deliver zero-carbon heat and energy efficiency infrastructure.
Answer
The priority for the new National Public Energy Agency will be to accelerate the transformational change in how we heat and use energy in homes and buildings in Scotland. We need to see the decarbonisation of heating systems of 1 million homes and 50,000 non-domestic premises between now and 2030.
We remain supportive of the future potential for a public energy company in Scotland - and, through the Agency, will support others with an interest in exploring options to take this forward, including those with a local focus.
Development of the agency will be a collective effort, requiring input from a range of stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors. We will continue working collaboratively with local authorities as part of this process, given their key role in supporting local heat and energy efficiency measures. This will facilitate existing shared ambitions to further empower local communities and to develop new zero carbon heating solutions to be rolled out through both national support, and regional and local approaches.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01907 by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2021, what assessment it has made of the delivery of its fuel poverty target in relation to its decision to phase out the installation of new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems in off-gas-grid homes five years earlier than homes connected to the gas grid.
Answer
The Scottish Government will publish a series of impact assessments which, amongst a range of other issues, consider the effect that the actions we have set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy will have on fuel poverty.
These impact assessments have been taken into account in the development of the Heat in Buildings Strategy, and will inform our programmes and specific policies – including in our commitment to phase out the installation of fossil fuel heating systems.
Any subsequent legislation required to deliver on our commitment to phase out the installation of fossil fuel heating systems will also be subject to appropriate impact assessments and consultation. This will allow the Scottish Parliament the opportunity to fully scrutinise the impacts of our proposals.
We will also publish our Fuel Poverty Strategy later this year and, as per the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019, we will publish a report on our progress towards meeting the statutory fuel poverty targets every three years.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue is raised each year in business improvement district levies.
Answer
Business Improvement Districts are business partnerships which vote to invest collectively to deliver local economic growth. There are currently 38 operating in Scotland covering town and city centres as well as themed areas such as digital, food and drink, and tourism. Business Improvement Districts in Scotland have consistently raised just over £6 million on average per annum in core levy.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights has had with the Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work regarding its decision to phase out the installation of new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems in off-gas-grid homes five years earlier than homes connected to the gas grid.
Answer
The Scottish Ministers take collective responsibility for all decisions reached by the Scottish Government, and will continue to do so in future, including on our commitment to phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers, in off-gas areas from 2025 and in on-gas areas from 2030, subject to technological developments and decisions by the UK Government in reserved areas.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01907 by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2021, for what reason it has decided to phase out the installation of new or replacement fossil fuel heating systems in off-gas-grid homes five years earlier than homes connected to the gas grid.
Answer
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is the statutory advisory body to the Scottish Ministers in respect of meeting their duties under climate change legislation.
The CCC has stated that, with respect to the decarbonisation of heat, our short-term priorities should be a reduction in demand through improved energy efficiency and the installation of renewable heating systems in off-gas buildings where the carbon intensity of displaced fuel is greater than on-gas areas.
This advice is set out in the CCC’s ‘Next Steps for UK Heat Policy’ publication, which can be found at: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/next-steps-for-uk-heat-policy/ . This advice has informed our proposed approach to heat decarbonisation set out in our final Heat in Buildings Strategy, published on 7 October 2021.