Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34538

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 14 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much just transition funding has been allocated to the whisky industry in the last three years.

The Just Transition Fund has within the last three years provided £988k in capital funding support to the following projects:

£361,767 over 2022-23 to the Cabrach Trust for development of the Cabrach Distillery. The project aimed to create permanent skilled employment opportunities in the area, attract tourism, and support local economic growth and regeneration.
£626,734 over 2022-24 to Ripcell for its pilot Sustainable Solvent Recovery for EV Battery Recycling project utilising pot ale a whisky waste product.

Question reference: S6W-32666

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work on the prevention and detection of public sector fraud and corruption, how it (a) assesses and (b) responds to any corruption risks associated with financial markets and infrastructure projects linked to foreign governments.

a) The Scottish Government’s Counter Fraud Toolkit within the Counter Fraud Framework contains a range of processes for assessing risks associated with fraud and corruption in all areas of public sector spending. These are aligned with the UK Government's Counter Fraud Standards and international best practice on the effective prevention of public sector fraud and corruption.

b) The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) contains the requirements for assessing and responding to the risk of corruption in all areas of public finance and infrastructure spending. Where the risk of fraud or corruption of any kind is identified, the SPFM requires that appropriate measures are put in place to prevent these risks.

Question reference: S6W-34030

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 14 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33252 by Alasdair Allan on 23 January 2025, who attended each meeting; whether it will publish any formal minutes that were taken, and what plans there are to next meet.

Please find below a table with a list of who attended each meeting. Any formal minutes will be published on the Scottish Government’s website and at the time of writing, there are no meetings with SSEN scheduled in ministerial calendars.

Any meetings that Ministers have with Transmission Owners as part of expected engagement with industry cover a range of subjects relevant to grid management with no discussion of specific developments, in accordance with Section 8 of the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Minister	Date	What	Attendees
Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work	31-01-2024	Meeting with DNOs (SPEN and SSEN)	Minister for Energy and the Environment Head of Market Development and Commercial, SPEN Head of Connections, Policy & Performance, SSEN SG Officials
First Minister	22-02-2024	Meeting with SSE CEO	First Minister CEO, SSE Head of Public Affairs, SSE SG Officials
Minister for Housing	27-02-2024	Meeting with SSEN	Minister for Housing Managing Director, SSEN Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SSEN Official SG Officials
Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work	07-03-2024	Meeting with SSEN	Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Managing Director, SSEN Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SG Officials
Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work	21-03-2024	Meeting with ESO, SSEN and SPEN	Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Director of Networks, NESO Corporate Affairs Director, NESO Network Planning & Regulation Director, SPEN SPEN Official Chair of SSEN Transmission Head of System Planning and Investment, SSEN Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SG Officials
Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work	07-05-2024	Meeting with SSEN, NGET and the NESO	Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Managing Director, SSEN Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN President, UK Strategic Infrastructure, NGET Head of Corporate Affairs, UK Strategic Infrastructure, NGET Director of Networks, NESO NESO Official SG Officials
Minister for Climate Action	16-07-2024	Meeting with SSEN	Minister for Climate Action Managing Director, SSEN Director of Customers and Stakeholders, SSEN SG Officials
Minister for Climate Action	17-07-2024	Meeting with SSEN and SPEN	Minister for Climate Action Network Planning & Regulation Director, SPEN SPEN Official Managing Director, SSEN SSEN Official Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SG Officials
Minister for Housing and Minister for Employment and Investment	25-07-2024	Joint Housing and Economy Roundtable Discussion	Minister for Housing Minister for Employment and Investment Highlands and Islands Enterprise South of Scotland Enterprise Communities Housing Trust South of Scotland Community Housing Highland Council SSEN Prosper Crerar Hotels Salmon Scotland ASSC Scottish Land and Estates North Ayrshire Council SG Officials
First Minister	24-04-2024	Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)	Attendees and minutes available on SG website: Scottish Energy Advisory Board - gov.scot
First Minister	20-09-2024	Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)	Attendees and minutes available on SG website: Scottish Energy Advisory Board - gov.scot
Minister for Housing	23-10-2024	Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan Summit	Minister for Housing Scottish Land and Estates Scottish Empty Homes Partnership Highland Council Perth & Kinross Council Argyll & Bute Council Highlands & Islands Enterprise South of Scotland Enterprise North Ayrshire Council Rural and Islands Housing Association Forum Scottish Land Commission South of Scotland Community Housing Communities Housing Trust SSEN Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Prosper Community Land Scotland Crown Estate Scotland Shapinsay Development Trust Shetland Islands Council Dumfries & Galloway Council Aberdeenshire Council Moray Council East Lothian Council South Lanarkshire Council Stirling Council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar East Ayrshire Council Scottish Islands Federation North Ronaldsay Trust Mull & Iona Community Trust Harris Forum Homes for Scotland SG Officials
Minister for Climate Action	21-11-2024	Transmission Roundtable – Session 1	Minister for Climate Action Head of Transmission Stakeholder Engagement & Communications, SPEN SPEN Official SPEN Independent Net Zero Advisory Committee Member, Head (CEO) of Fuel Bank Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN Ofgem COSLA Community Energy Scotland-Scottish Coalition of Community Energy Development Trust Association Scotland- Scottish Coalition of Community Energy Local Energy Scotland Foundation Scotland Shetland Community Benefit Fund Farr North Community Development Trust Finderne Development Trust The Cabrach Trust East Lammermuir Community Council The 9CC Group Solway Firth Partnership Newcastleton & District Community Trust Glenkens & District Trust CEO, Consumer Scotland Director of Enterprise & Community Support, Highland & Islands Enterprise Head of Energy Transition, South of Scotland Enterprise SG Officials
Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy	28-11-2024	Meeting with SSEN	Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy Director of Offshore Delivery, SSEN Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SSEN Official SG Officials
Minister for Climate Action	03-12-2024	Transmission Roundtable – Session 2	Minister for Climate Action Head of Transmission Stakeholder Engagement & Communications, SPEN SPEN Official Head (CEO) of Fuel Bank, SPEN Independent Net Zero Advisory Committee Member Energy Consumers Commission Head of Corporate Affairs, SSEN SSE Ofgem COSLA Community Energy Scotland-Scottish Coalition of Community Energy Development Trust Association Scotland- Scottish Coalition of Community Energy Local Energy Scotland Foundation Scotland Shetland Community Benefit Fund Farr North Community Development Trust Finderne Development Trust The Cabrach Trust East Lammermuir Community Council The 9CC Group Solway Firth Partnership Newcastleton & District Community Trust Glenkens & District Trust CEO, Consumer Scotland Director of Enterprise & Community Support, HIE Head of Energy Transition, SOSE Scottish Enterprise

Question reference: S6W-34067

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 14 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks; what was discussed, who attended, and when the next meeting will take place.

At the time of writing, the Scottish Government last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) on 4 February 2025. Scottish Government officials met with SSEN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Head of Public Affairs and Policy colleagues to discuss recent regulatory and policy developments.

The following items were discussed at the meeting:

Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP)
Upcoming community engagement events for SSEN’s proposed projects
Transition Impact Assessment (TIA) thresholds
Biodiversity funding

The next meeting is scheduled to take place on 26 February 2025.

Question reference: S6W-34096

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what commitments were made during the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy’s recent meetings with German energy companies to support Scotland’s just transition to renewable energy.

Question reference: S6W-34078

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is considering to align public energy policy with the reported findings of the True North survey on domestic energy production and import dependence.

Question reference: S6W-34043

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, how many inspections were carried out on the overbridges and overpasses on the A90 in each of the last three years, and what the main findings of these were.

A total of 102 inspections were undertaken between 2022 and 2024, broken down as follows:

2022 – 18 Inspections

2023 – 52 Inspections

2024 – 32 Inspections

The inspections indicated that all of the bridges are in an acceptable condition. There are a number of new structures on AWPR, which are not yet due their first planned inspection. When these are inspected they are expected to be in good condition.

All trunk road structures and assets are subjected to regular inspections to ensure the continued integrity of the structures and identify any necessary repairs.

Question reference: S6W-34068

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of Energy Consent Unit decisions made in the last year, and which of its ministers made each determination.

All the decisions made by the Energy Consents Unit and determinations made by Scottish Ministers are publicly available on our Energy Consents website: https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationSearch.aspx

Ministers whose responsibilities included making determinations in the last year are: Dr Alasdair Allan MSP as Minister for Climate Action, myself as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Miri McAllan MSP as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, and Neil Gray MSP as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy. Decisions made by Scottish Ministers are done so on the basis of collective responsibility. All decisions reached by the Scottish Ministers, individually or collectively, are binding on all members of the Government.

Question reference: S6W-34107

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of maintaining cat’s eyes on (a) the A90 in the (i) section north of Dundee and (ii) other sections and (b) other trunk roads.

Maintenance/replacement costs for road studs on the A90 from August 2022 can be seen in table A.

Table A

Route	2022-23 (16th August onwards	2023-2024	2024-25
A90 North of Dundee	£48,069	£85,721	£29,746
A90 South of Dundee	£19,696	£14,240	£7,053

The above figures exclude expenditure on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route / Balmedie to Tipperty section of the A90. The contract with the DBFO Company, Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) requires it to fulfil the contractual obligations in respect of maintenance at ARL’s own cost. These associated costs are not shared with Transport Scotland.

The total cost of road stud maintenance/replacement for all trunk roads within the North East Unit (including the A90 but excluding the AWPR/B-T Project) from August 2022 is as follows:

Table B

Unit	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
NE	£109,906	£171,719	£316,325

Question reference: S6W-34091

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress was made on securing partnerships to advance Scotland’s green hydrogen capabilities during the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy’s recent visit to Berlin.

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