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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-24392

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what metrics will be used to consider the effectiveness of its short-term let licensing policy, and, consequently, what information it has requested from local authorities as part of this.

The Scottish Government and licensing authorities have agreed a specification for the collection of data relating to short-term let licensing applications. This is available to view at Short-term lets: data collection specification - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Quarterly statistics relating to this information were published on 30 August and 20 November 2023, which provide trends for short-term let licensing applications and licences including types of let, types of property, and the application status. It also shows the number of any licence applications refused and indicates the reason for the refusal, including if the applicant is not a fit and proper person or the premises is judged to be unsuitable. The next publication, covering the period 1 July to 30 September 2023, is expected to be published in April 2024.

The scope of an implementation update on short-term let licensing was shared with the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on 27 October 2023. Short term lets 27 October 2023 | Scottish Parliament Website . We will provide the Committee with further information about our progress in due course.

Question reference: S6W-24268

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a chapter on seaweed aquaculture in the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) to reflect the value of this activity within the Scottish marine area.

We are committed to the sustainable development of our seas and are working with stakeholders on our updated National Marine Plan (NMP2), a key delivery mechanism for Scotland’s Blue Economy Vision. NMP2 will provide the guiding planning framework to support our future licencing and consenting decisions.

We will work with stakeholders from across the marine sectors on the development of NMP2 planning policies to support management of our marine space, and reflecting our latest policy developments, including our recently published Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture which sets out our long-term ambitions for the sustainable development of the finfish, shellfish and seaweed sectors.

Question reference: S6W-24064

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22664 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, what its position is on how the proposal that "Owner occupied homes that have ended their use of polluting heating by 2033 will not be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard", as set out in its consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, promotes a "fabric first approach".

Owner occupied homes which no longer use polluting heating by 2033 will have already, as a result of this change, removed all direct emissions associated with the heating of those homes.

This means that there would be no need for a legal requirement to meet an energy efficiency standard; however, there will still be strong incentives for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency and improvements to the fabric of those homes in order to reduce their energy bills.

Question reference: S6W-24204

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it has made to grow rail freight capacity in each year since 2016.

The Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our rail freight strategy and put into practice with significant investment and our first of a kind innovative regulatory growth targets. Benefits for rail freight are included in our rail pipeline projects and our mode shift capital and revenue support grants. We have also flexed passenger services on the Highland Mainline to accommodate a longer freight service and the Scottish Government will continue to maximise benefits for freight in its future investment in the rail network. The details Mr Cameron has requested from 2016 are as follows.

Dedicated rail freight projects:-

2012 – 2019 Investment of £13 million to deliver electrification to the Grangemouth freight terminals.

2018 – 2019 Investment of £11.3 million to provide a new rail freight connection at Blackford and improvements to Inverness Needlefield Yard. This also included investment on the Waterloo branch to improve the link with Aberdeen Terminals and the capability of the line to accept more traffic.

2019 – 2020 Investment of £4.2 million for a new crossover at Craiginches (between Aberdeen and Stonehaven), continued work at Inverness Needlefield Yard and trials on the Highland Mainline (between Perth and Inverness) to support longer trains.

2020 – 2021 Investment of £2.5 million including further work on Craiginches crossover and Needlefield yard and a trial to support moving timber by rail.

2022 – 2023 Investment of £3.2 million to provide a new freight connection at Dalcross and a linespeed improvement at Garriongill (near Wishaw), benefiting freight capacity.

2016 to date Investment of £6m inFreight Facilities Grants to support new and updated rail freight facilities.

2016 to date Investment of £4 million in Mode Shift Revenue Support.

Rail pipeline projects with benefits for freight:-

2012 – 2019 Investment of £160 million to deliver electrification and gauge clearance on the Shotts line along with signalling improvements benefiting freight capacity and improving access to Mossend Freight Terminal.

2019 - 2020 Investment of £13.5 million to provide increased capacity between Newtonhill (between Aberdeen and Stonehaven) and Craiginches.

2022 - 2023 Investment of £160 million to renew and modernise Carstairs Junction including the longest freight loop in Scotland, capable of accommodating 775-metre-long freight trains. An additional £6.8 million was invested to remodel Barnhill Junction to increase the speed of trains and provide capacity improvements over the constrained Tay Viaduct, enabling additional freight services. A further investment of £63 million was provided to electrify the route to Barrhead which is the first step in electrifying the Glasgow & South Western route from Glasgow to Carlisle.

Question reference: S6W-24078

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many people are (a) directly and (b) indirectly employed within the thermal insulation sector.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Office for National Statistics, Broad Industry Group Region by broad industry group (Standard Industrial Classification) – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 4 - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) , provides annual data for employee and employment estimates working in construction areas in Scotland including insulation work (water, heat, sound). The most recent data was published on 25 October 2023.

Question reference: S6W-24076

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the 2022 ClimateXChange report, Clean Heat and Energy Efficiency Workforce Assessment, which scenario the Scottish economy is currently tracking in terms of uptake of thermal insulation measures.

Question reference: S6W-24071

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of rural homes it anticipates have the potential to access district heating networks under the current proposals within its consultation on a Heat in Buildings Bill.

The First National Assessment of Potential Heat Network Zones (2022) found that up to 340,000 homes may be located in areas suitable for heat networks in future. This included over 11,000 homes in rural areas, and more information can be found in the First National Assessment here: First National Assessment of Potential Heat Network Zones (www.gov.scot)

Local authorities finalising their Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES), which will identify heat network opportunities across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-24050

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing specific training within colleges and universities to develop skills in the delivery of heat networks.

Question reference: S6W-24068

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to energy efficiency SMEs to (a) identify and (b) apply for support to upskill or re-skill their current workforce.

Question reference: S6W-24553

Current Status: Withdrawn