-  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government when the ScotRail consultation on alcohol on trains will be completed, and when a decision will be made on reallowing alcohol at certain times.
                                Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer to question S6F-02532 on 16 November 2023. Which can be found at  Meeting of the Parliament: 16/11/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website 
 
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government how much diesel has been consumed by the current fleet of Class 43 High Speed Trains (HSTs) in the last 12 months.
                                Answer
                                    This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
 
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has done any modelling of any increase of HGV vehicles on the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, in light of Cromarty Firth being awarded freeport status.
                                Answer
                                    The Scottish Government has not done any modelling of any increase in HGVs on the A96 as a result of the Cromarty Firth Freeport announcement. However, the areas currently proposed for development as part of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport largely align with those that were allocated for development in the 2015 Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan. The A96 Corridor Road Assignment Model (CRAM) which is the transport model applicable to this stretch of road, was last updated in 2019 and includes these allocations.
 
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates that all of the Class 43 High Speed Trains (HSTs) will be replaced.
                                Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24336 on 30 January 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
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government when the lease for the Class 43 High Speed Trains (HSTs) ends.
                                Answer
                                    I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18441 on 15 June 2023. 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
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                                Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government when the results from Police Scotland’s Proportionate Response to Crime pilot in the north east will be published.
                                Answer
                                Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Gillian Martin on 21 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs have been created in the renewables sector in the (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council area in each of the last five years.
                                Answer
                                    Statistics from the ONS Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy (LCREE) survey provide estimates of renewable employment statistics in Scotland. No data is available to provide additional geographic breakdowns below the Scotland level at present.
As the following table shows, the estimated number of direct jobs in renewable electricity was 9,200 in 2021, up from 5,600 in 2017.
 
Employment (Full-time equivalent)  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021  | 
Scotland  | 5,600  | 5,400  | 5,400  | 6,500  | 9,200  | 
The LCREE estimates presented in the table above are survey-based and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty.
 
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Gillian Martin on 20 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government when the final Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will be published, in light of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan being published on 10 January 2023.
                                Answer
                                    Following a comprehensive consultation process, the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will be published by Summer 2024. It will set out our vision for a future net zero energy system that delivers affordable, secure and clean energy and provides high quality jobs and economic opportunities. We are engaging with key stakeholders as we work towards publication.
 
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Monday, 19 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                                Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government still has a policy of a presumption against any new oil and gas licences.
                                Answer
                                Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024
                         
                        
                            
                                
                                
                                        -  Asked by:     Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
 
                                        - 
                                            Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
                                        
 
                                    - 
                                        Current Status:
                                            Answered by   Mairi McAllan on 19 February 2024
                                    
 
                                
                            
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the participatory budgeting awards from the Just Transition Fund for the north east and Moray on a just transition.
                                Answer
                                    The Scottish Government works closely with the north east Just Transition Participatory Budgeting Fund partners who co-ordinate and deliver the fund. Officials carry out mid and end of year reviews to ensure the effective management of the fund and the principles of a just transition are followed. Partners produced a report on  Year 1  and will produce a summary at the end of Year 2.
We will also undertake an evaluation of phase one of the Just Transition Fund in the 2024-25 financial year aiming to commence the next phase in the following financial year.