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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-37388

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness of turbine shutdown on demand systems in mitigating bird strikes at onshore wind farms, and what evidence it has evaluated to reach this position.

The mitigation of bird strikes at onshore wind farms is decided on a case-by-case basis. Any mitigation measures provided in the development's application documentation, specifically the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), is subject to statutory and other relevant consultees analysing the data and providing their technical expertise. If necessary, consultees will request additional ecological, ornithological and environmental data and information that will inform any decisions on mitigations.

Question reference: S6W-37387

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned or funded since 1 January 2020 into technological or operational measures to reduce bird collisions with wind-turbine blades, and what the total expenditure has been on any such research, broken down by project.

Question reference: S6W-37385

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many post-construction ornithological monitoring reports it has received from wind farm operators in each of the last five years, and what summary findings it has identified from any such reports in relation to bird mortality.

In respect of offshore wind farms, six reports have been submitted to the Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team. Reports consider the distribution and abundance of seabirds around wind farms or protected sites and what this may mean in terms of their displacement from wind farm areas, with some reports discussing implications for collision avoidance rates used in modelling.

All information related to determinations made by Scottish Ministers in respect of onshore wind farm developments, which may include conditions such as post-construction ornithological monitoring, is publicly available on our Energy Consents website: https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationSearch.aspx.

Question reference: S6W-37245

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when a decision will be made on reallowing alcohol at certain times on ScotRail services.

The First Minister announced to the Scottish Parliament on 6 May 2025 that we intend to remove the ban on alcohol on trains and replace it with new restrictions which will allow alcohol consumption between from 10am to 9pm every day. ScotRail will reserve the right to implement alcohol restrictions on specific services where BTP and rail industry intelligence indicates it necessary, for example major concerts or sporting events.

The current ban will be lifted and the new rules will come into force on 2 June 2025.

Question reference: S6W-37381

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with consumer representative groups to assess any perceived fairness issues in relation to the potential introduction of zonal electricity pricing in Scotland, and what timeline it has set for any such engagement.

Question reference: S6W-37382

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the workforce and skills requirements associated with the potential implementation of zonal electricity pricing reforms in Scotland, broken down by skills category.

Question reference: S6W-37373

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has supplied to the UK Government to inform the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements on the specific circumstances of Scotland’s electricity network and generation profile.

Question reference: S6W-37361

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding (a) zonal electricity pricing and (b) the proposed reformed national market under the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, broken down by (i) date, (ii) minister or official leading the representation and (iii) format of the engagement.

We meet regularly with the UK Government to discuss the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) and welcome the constructive engagement we have had with them – I last met with Minister Michael Shanks MP on 23 April 2025. In addition, I have formally written to the UK Government to set out Scottish Government’s views on REMA and is planning to do so again shortly in advance of the final decision by UKG in the summer. We continue to engage with stakeholders – including consumer organisations such as Consumer Scotland – to ensure their views are represented in our discussions with the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-37366

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total staff (a) time commitment, expressed in full-time equivalent days and (b) cost has been for work relating to zonal electricity pricing under the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements since 1 June 2021.

Question reference: S6W-37375

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what internal correspondence it holds between the Energy Strategy and Markets Unit and the Directorate for Budget and Public Spending regarding the potential fiscal implications of zonal electricity pricing, since 1 January 2024, and whether it will publish a summary of any such correspondence.