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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-05391

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on each local authority's annual area-wide, cross-sector target emissions reductions, in order to assess whether Scotland is on track to reach net zero in sectors such as land use, transport and buildings.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, Local Authorities and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency. All 32 Scottish local authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and COSLA recognises the twin climate and biodiversity crisis.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy publishes annual National Statistics setting out the latest estimates of end-user carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions for local authority areas. The purpose of these estimates is to assist those wishing to understand and assess changes in emissions from local authority areas. The Statistics show that between 2005 and 2019 end-user CO ₂ emissions fell by 35% in Scotland. The Statistics also provide information on per capita emissions in each local authority area and information on sector emissions.

Question reference: S6W-05385

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether public bodies are required under legislation to report progress on reducing Scope 3 procurement emissions.

The Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2020 came into force on 9 November 2020. By November 2022, the Order requires Scottish public bodies to report, where applicable, targets for reducing indirect emissions of greenhouse gases. Follow-up guidance, Public Sector Leadership on the Global Climate Emergency , published on 29 October 2021, sets out that public sector leaders must take strong action over the next decade to tackle the significant new challenge of decarbonising the £13.3 billion of annual public sector procurement. The guidance sets out that all relevant and significant areas of an organisation’s indirect emissions should be reported and that, over time, public bodies will be expected to report on their Scope 3 emissions as fully as possible.

Question reference: S6W-05387

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to understand what proportion of local area emissions public bodies have (a) direct and (b) indirect leverage over.

The statutory targets to reduce Scotland’s economy-wide emissions to net-zero, set under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Target) (Scotland) Act 2019, are set at the national level and are not disaggregated to local authority levels.

New regulations, which came into force on 9 November 2020, require around 180 Scottish public bodies by November 2022 to report, where applicable, the body’s target date for achieving zero direct emissions of greenhouse gases (or such other targets that demonstrate how the body is contributing to Scotland achieving its emissions reduction targets) and, where applicable, targets for reducing indirect emissions of greenhouse gases. It is for those public bodies to determine where best to target their resource and effort to support achievement of respective targets to reduce emissions.

Question reference: S6W-05386

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many public bodies’ carbon management plans are assessed annually.

Since 2015-16, around 180 listed Scottish public bodies have been required to report annually on compliance with their statutory climate change duties. To assess progress on emissions reduction, the Scottish Government funds the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) Secretariat to produce an annual analysis of the submitted reports. Reported emissions from the public sector continue to decrease, with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions down 28.5% since mandatory reporting began in 2015-16.

Question reference: S6W-05395

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities responded to the consultation on (a) the Heat in Buildings Strategy, (b) Cleaner Air for Scotland 2, (c) Climate Change - Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy, (d) Establishing a Scottish Nitrogen Balance Sheet, (e) Investing in and paying for your water services from 2021, (f) the Local Energy Policy Statement and (g) Scottish Low Emission Zones: Consultation on Regulations and Guidance.

Scottish Government and some agencies publish all public consultations on the consultation hub. Respondents can decide whether they would like their response to be published on the consultation hub after the closing date. Thereafter, published responses will be visible to the public.

The Scottish Government can confirm the numbers of local authorities who responded to the consultations listed below.

a) the Heat in Buildings Strategy - 20 local authorities

b) Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 - 8 local authorities

c) Climate Change - Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy - 9 local authorities

d) Establishing a Scottish Nitrogen Balance Sheet - 1 local authority

e) Investing in and paying for your water services from 2021 - 10 local authorities*

f) the Local Energy Policy Statement - 6 local authorities

g) Scottish Low Emission Zones: Consultation on Regulations and Guidance - 9 local authorities

* A later consultation 'Investing in and paying for you water services from 2021: final consultation' was responded to by an additional 2 local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-05070

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on photographers in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-04959

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the Energy Saving Trust and Home Energy Scotland have the resources required to provide loans for electric vehicles to the public.

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to the Energy Saving Trust to administer the Low Carbon Transport Loan on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland officials also work closely with Energy Saving Trust to consider the most appropriate structure and approach required to administer the loan.

To manage the demands of the scheme, officials have regular meetings with Energy Saving Trust and service level agreements are also in place to ensure the effective delivery of the loan scheme.

Question reference: S6W-05065

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has offered local authorities to assist in the roll-out of eBikes, in each year since 2018.

The Scottish Government funds Energy Saving Trust (EST) to deliver the EST E-bike Grant Fund. Grants provided to local authorities since 2018 are presented in the following table:

E-Bike Grant Fund - 2018-2021 - Local Authority grants
Local Authority	Year	Grant
Glasgow City Council	2018-19	£176,623.75
North Ayrshire Council	2018-19	£8,259.55
Dundee City Council	2018-19	£50,000.00
Orkney Council	2018-19	£23,748.00
City of Edinburgh Council	2019-20	£3,088.50
Stirling Council	2019-20	£17,600.00
Glasgow City Council	2019-20	£194,500.00
Clackmannanshire Council	2020-21	£22,338.35
Glasgow City Council	2021-22	£100,000.00
East Lothian Council	2021-22	£54,000.00

Question reference: S6T-00388

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it will take in response to the 2020-21 audit of its consolidated accounts by the Auditor General for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04614

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 10 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the future of legal aid funding for housing cases.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that legal assistance continues to be available to all those facing issues such as housing concerns. In our Programme for Government we committed to engage with the legal professionals and other stakeholders to review the Legal Aid system, and to introduce a Legal Aid Reform Bill in this Parliament, ensuring that the system is flexible, easy to access and meets the needs of those who use it.

The Scottish Government has reiterated its commitment to retaining a demand led Fund to support a wide scope of actions. Particular consideration will be given, during the development of the Bill, to how more targeted and planned interventions can support user need.

Apr 15 - Mar 16	£15,741.00
Apr 16 - Mar 17	£5,955.00
Apr 17 - Mar 18	£1,000.00
Apr 18 - Mar 19	£6,430.00
Apr 19 - Mar 20	£16,650.55