Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government continues to monitor and consider a range of evidence in relation to the energy sector. We have commissioned and published independent analysis on Scotland’s Energy System and Just Transition, which includes consideration of offshore energy supply chains during the transition.

The regulation of the offshore oil and gas sector, including in relation to decommissioning, are matters currently reserved to the UK Government.

The UK Government has recently launched a consultation on proposed updates to the guidance for assessing and rating wind turbine noise. These updates aim to reflect the latest evidence on turbine noise emissions, advances in turbine technology, and evolving assessment methodologies, while aligning with broader government policies on noise and Net Zero.

The consultation provides an opportunity for members of the public and stakeholders to engage with and comment on proposed updates to ETSU-R-97. Feedback received during the consultation will help finalise the guidance.

The consultation and the Draft Assessment and Rating of Wind Turbine Noise Guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/assessment-and-rating-of-wind-turbine-noise-guidance-proposed-updates

I encourage anyone with an interest in this area to respond to the consultation.

The Scottish Government has committed or already invested £87m in Grangemouth. This includes the newly established £25m Grangemouth Just Transition Fund which will support near term low carbon opportunities that have emerged following the conclusion of Project Willow. A table outlining the full breakdown of the £87m sum has been included in the following table.

The Scottish Government remains committed to making free school meals available for all children in primary schools, saving families taking those meals approximately £450 per child, per year.

Currently all primary school pupils in primaries one to five, all children in special schools, and eligible pupils in Primary 6 through to Secondary 6 can already benefit from free school meals during term-time in Scotland. This policy saves families taking those meals approximately £450 per child, per year.

We are focused on delivering the latest phase of our free school meal expansion programme, taking a targeted approach to support those children most in need in Primary 6 and 7 whose families are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment. This phase began in February of this year. In addition, our test of change policy offering free school meals to pupils in secondaries 1 to 3 whose families receive the Scottish Child Payment will run at selected schools across 8 local authority areas from August 2025 to July 2026.

In order to maximise uptake of free school meals, we have established data sharing arrangements between local authorities and Social Security Scotland. The Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 were approved unanimously by the Scottish Parliament on 30 April 2025 and the legislation came in effect on 19 May 2025. This arrangement enables those eligible pupils to be identified more quickly, therefore allowing them to benefit from the offer of free school meals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38932 on 22 July 2025. 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.

Shipbuilding is a competitive global market and any direct award of a public contract must comply with procurement rules and be capable of withstanding legal challenge.

Ministers will consider future vessel contracts, including those mentioned, from public agencies at an appropriate time and on a case-by-case basis to determine whether any might legally be open to direct award. Under public procurement and subsidy control rules, direct award of public contracts is only possible in strictly limited circumstances.

We are currently considering the business case and next steps in relation to the Lord of the Isles replacement and will confirm these in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39529 on 15 August 2025.

Taking Fergusons into public ownership saved the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde, rescued over 300 jobs and ensured Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa would be delivered in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to supporting Ferguson Marine to competitively bid for future contracts and to securing a sustainable, long term future for the yard.

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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39497 on 15 August 2025. 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.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK Government on a range of issues regarding Scotland’s fuel security and sites of national significance for Scotland such as Mossmorran. We are committed to ensuring that we support businesses as they seek to decarbonise and working collaboratively with the UK Government on these issues.