- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 8 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Sistema Scotland in the financial years (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.
Answer
Answer expected on 8 May 2024
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on when it will make a decision on the continued ban on the consumption of alcohol at all times on trains, in light of ScotRail's confirmation in evidence to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that the consultation findings have been passed to Transport Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2024
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs have been created in the renewables sector in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Statistics from the ONS Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy (LCREE) survey provide estimates of renewables employment in Scotland. No data is available to provide additional geographic breakdowns below the Scotland level at present.
As the flowing table shows, the estimated number of direct jobs in renewable electricity was 8,000 in 2022 and 5,400 in 2018.
Employment (Full-time equivalent) | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Scotland | 5,400 | 5,400 | 6,700 | 9,700 | 8,000 |
The LCREE estimates presented in the table above are survey-based and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty.
Other estimates of FTE employment in the renewable sector exist, such as those in the linked 2023 study by Fraser of Allander Institute (totalling around 42,000 FTE in 2021). This also includes indirect and induced employment estimates. FINAL-The-Economic-Impact-of-Scotlands-Renewable-Energy-Sector-1.pdf (fraserofallander.org)
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any economic impact analysis regarding an energy policy that has a presumption against any oil and gas exploration.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25575 on 7 March 2024. 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: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what workforce modelling has been carried out regarding an energy policy that has a presumption against any oil and gas exploration.
Answer
Oil and gas continue to play an important part in Scotland’s energy transition. The Scottish Government’s focus is on reducing emissions in line with climate change goals, meeting our energy security needs and ensuring a just transition for workforces as North Sea oil and gas resources decline. As part of this approach, our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) consulted on a presumption against new exploration for oil and gas. Fields that are already identified and progressing through the licensing process towards production would be subject to a robust Climate Compatibility Checkpoint. Following a comprehensive consultation process, the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will be published by Summer 2024.
In support of the draft ESJTP, the Scottish Government commissioned Ernst and Young to undertake a programme of work to better understand energy requirements as we transition to net zero. This programme of work, which was overseen by an independent panel of experts and has been published in full ( Publication of the outputs from a programme of work to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero - Energy system and Just Transition: independent analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ), includes detailed economic analysis and projections of jobs for Scotland’s offshore energy transition. Findings include that, with the right support as part of a just energy transition, the number of low carbon jobs in Scotland is projected to rise from 19,000 in 2019 to 77,000 by 2050 - delivering a net gain in jobs across the energy production sector overall.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the workforce was unemployed in each of the last five financial years, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Estimates for the unemployment rate for people aged 16 years and over in Scotland, broken down by local authority, are shown in the following table for the last five financial years.
Area | Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 |
Aberdeen City | 4.9 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
Aberdeenshire | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.4 |
Angus | 3.7 | 2.6 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
Argyll and Bute | 3.1 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
City of Edinburgh | 3.8 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
Clackmannanshire | 4.3 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 4.7 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 3.0 | 2.7 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
Dundee City | 5.8 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
East Ayrshire | 5.5 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
East Dunbartonshire | 2.9 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
East Lothian | 3.6 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
East Renfrewshire | 3.5 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 2.5 |
Falkirk | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
Fife | 4.6 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
Glasgow City | 5.5 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 4.7 |
Highland | 2.9 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
Inverclyde | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
Midlothian | 3.5 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
Moray | 3.7 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 2.5 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
North Ayrshire | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 4.0 | 3.4 |
North Lanarkshire | 4.4 | 4.0 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
Orkney Islands | 2.0 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.0 |
Perth and Kinross | 2.9 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
Renfrewshire | 4.8 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
Scottish Borders | 3.2 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
Shetland Islands | 2.1 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.9 |
South Ayrshire | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 4.5 |
South Lanarkshire | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
Stirling | 3.7 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
West Dunbartonshire | 4.8 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
West Lothian | 3.9 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
Scotland | 4.1 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
Source: Annual Population Survey, April to March data, ONS and Claimant Count, ONS
Notes:
1. Unemployment figures for local authorities are model-based, except for the Scotland estimates which have been taken directly from the ONS Annual Population Survey (APS) dataset. The model-based estimates improve on the APS estimates by borrowing strength from the claimant count to produce an estimate that is more precise.
2. Data is subject to sampling variation.
3. Rates are based on unrounded numbers.
4. Rates are rounded to the nearest decimal point.
5. Estimates are based on those aged 16 and over.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were unemployed in each of the last five financial years, also broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Estimates for the number of unemployed people aged 16 years and over in Scotland, broken down by local authority, are shown in the following table for each of the last five financial years.
Area | Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 |
Aberdeen City | 6,300 | 3,400 | 5,900 | 4,400 | 5,200 |
Aberdeenshire | 3,700 | 2,900 | 4,900 | 4,100 | 3,500 |
Angus | 2,100 | 1,500 | 2,500 | 1,700 | 1,800 |
Argyll and Bute | 1,300 | 1,100 | 1,600 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
City of Edinburgh | 11,000 | 6,900 | 12,500 | 9,000 | 7,100 |
Clackmannanshire | 1,100 | 900 | 1,200 | 800 | 1,100 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 2,100 | 1,800 | 3,000 | 2,200 | 2,400 |
Dundee City | 4,000 | 3,700 | 3,900 | 3,300 | 3,900 |
East Ayrshire | 3,200 | 2,700 | 3,000 | 2,200 | 2,200 |
East Dunbartonshire | 1,600 | 1,200 | 1,900 | 1,400 | 1,300 |
East Lothian | 2,000 | 1,300 | 2,200 | 1,600 | 1,300 |
East Renfrewshire | 1,600 | 1,100 | 1,800 | 1,300 | 1,200 |
Falkirk | 3,100 | 2,900 | 3,500 | 2,600 | 3,100 |
Fife | 8,500 | 7,100 | 8,800 | 6,100 | 7,000 |
Glasgow City | 16,900 | 14,100 | 18,700 | 14,800 | 15,800 |
Highland | 3,600 | 2,600 | 4,700 | 3,100 | 3,100 |
Inverclyde | 1,900 | 1,700 | 1,800 | 1,300 | 1,400 |
Midlothian | 1,700 | 1,200 | 1,800 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
Moray | 1,800 | 1,300 | 2,000 | 1,500 | 1,600 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 300 | 300 | 500 | 400 | 400 |
North Ayrshire | 3,700 | 3,000 | 3,400 | 2,300 | 2,000 |
North Lanarkshire | 7,800 | 6,800 | 9,000 | 6,100 | 6,500 |
Orkney Islands | 300 | 200 | 400 | 300 | 200 |
Perth and Kinross | 2,300 | 1,800 | 3,200 | 1,900 | 2,300 |
Renfrewshire | 4,300 | 3,400 | 4,000 | 2,900 | 3,200 |
Scottish Borders | 1,800 | 1,500 | 2,400 | 1,800 | 2,000 |
Shetland Islands | 300 | 200 | 400 | 300 | 300 |
South Ayrshire | 2,200 | 1,800 | 2,500 | 1,900 | 2,100 |
South Lanarkshire | 6,600 | 4,900 | 7,500 | 5,200 | 5,500 |
Stirling | 1,700 | 1,400 | 1,900 | 1,400 | 1,600 |
West Dunbartonshire | 2,200 | 1,900 | 2,300 | 1,600 | 1,800 |
West Lothian | 3,700 | 2,700 | 3,800 | 2,800 | 2,700 |
Scotland | 114,300 | 89,200 | 126,800 | 92,600 | 95,800 |
Source: Annual Population Survey, April to March data, ONS and Claimant Count, ONS
Notes:
1. Unemployment figures for local authorities are model-based, except for the Scotland estimates which have been taken directly from the ONS Annual Population Survey (APS) dataset. The model-based estimates improve on the APS estimates by borrowing strength from the claimant count to produce an estimate that is more precise.
2. Data is subject to sampling variation.
3. Levels are rounded to the nearest hundred.
4. Estimates are based on those aged 16 and over.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the remaining £46 million of deferred funding from the agriculture budget will be returned.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2024
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has distributed in flood recovery grants to (a) homes and (b) businesses affected by Storm Babet.
Answer
The Scottish Government has funded Angus, Aberdeenshire, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross Councils to distribute £516,000 in community recovery grants and £240,000 in business recovery grants to eligible homes and businesses affected by Storm Babet, totalling £756,000.
In addition, £100,000 was provided to Angus Council through the Homelessness Prevention Fund to help families who had been flooded to rebuild their lives, and £1.8m was pledged to support farmers to help repair damaged floodbanks. Ministers also activated the Bellwin Scheme to help affected local authorities with revenue and uninsurable expenditure resulting from the storm, and extended the eligibility period of claims from two to four months.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many of its civil servants are currently employed in the Aberdeen City Council area.
Answer
At 30 September 2023 there were 254 directly employed staff within the Aberdeen City Council area.
The Scottish Government publishes employment figures on a quarterly basis. This data, along with a time series back to 2012 and full explanatory notes, can be found here: Scottish Government workforce information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
