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The Scottish Government supports a wide range of research projects investigating the impacts of water abstraction, including on river dynamics and water flow.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme (2022-2027) is modelling future drought risks and ecosystem service impacts using water abstraction data. Between 2023-2025, the Scottish Government funded Centre of Expertise for Waters completed three research projects providing evidence considering the effect of impoundments on river dynamics and water flow.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) conducts its own assessments which evaluate the effects of licenced abstractions. These include borehole monitoring to assess groundwater levels and impacts on river flow.

The Scottish Government does not hold carrying statistics for individual vessels. Contractual reporting is by route. However, CalMac have provided the following data as requested:

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Contractual reporting is by route. However, CalMac have provided the following data as requested:

The total cost of MV Alfred’s time charter for the period between 18 April 2024 and 12 June 2025 was £11.1m.

The current estimated cost of repairs to MV Caledonian Isles between 4th January 2024 and 31st May 2025 is £10.8m.

The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with the Clan Donald Lands Trust regarding identifying a new owner for the South Sleat Estate.

Police Scotland does not have a primary role in providing security at military bases in Scotland. RAF Lossiemouth is protected by several units operating within the Royal Air Force (RAF).

However, the North East Division of Police Scotland has a long standing and close working relationship with RAF Lossiemouth and have been in close liaison following the incident at Brize Norton. As a result, there have been increased high visibility police patrols of the area around the base.

A number of other facilities within Scotland are protected by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP), a specialized armed police force tasked with protecting the UK's defence assets, including military bases, nuclear facilities, and government sites.

Police Scotland have very occasionally assisted with security operations at or near military bases, but these have largely been related to major events or incidents.

Responsibility for managing and resolving the RTS switch-off is fully reserved to the UK Parliament and is regulated by Ofgem. However, given the disproportionate impact on the people of Scotland, the Scottish Government is in daily contact with the UK Government and Ofgem to press them to take the necessary steps to protect consumers.

Households and businesses who have not yet upgraded should not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water from 30 June. The Scottish Government understands that energy suppliers will contact all affected customers in advance of any phase out activity in an area, allowing sufficient time to book and receive a meter upgrade. We expect suppliers to deliver on their commitment to increase the number of upgrades significantly and quickly in Scotland. We will continue to do everything possible to raise awareness and hold those responsible to account through formal and informal channels, including the RTS Taskforce.

While we welcome the decision to take a phased approach to the switch-off, the announcement has come too late and with insufficient detail to reassure consumers who have not yet managed to secure a meter upgrade. We remain concerned about the potential impact on vulnerable consumers, communities, local authorities, and emergency responders, and the First Minister has now escalated these concerns to the Prime Minister. The Scottish Government, local authorities, and other devolved services must be provided with full details of the phase-out timetable detailing which local authority areas will be impacted and when.

Any consumers experiencing difficulties with their supplier can contact Advice Direct Scotland (ADS). Funded by the Scottish Government, ADS runs the free national energy advice service and can be contacted on 0808 196 8660 or at Energy Advice | Energy Advice | energyadvice.scot.

The Scottish Government recognise that lowering the production cost of green hydrogen is a key factor in the development of the hydrogen economy in Scotland. We are supportive of innovation and technological advances that could support this aim.

The Scottish Government is committed to helping the Scottish hydrogen sector develop and grow to realise an ambition of generating 5GW of green and low-carbon hydrogen by 2030 and 25GW by 2045. Working with our Enterprise Agencies, we are actively engaging with developers to support and encourage hydrogen production projects across Scotland. Given the nascent nature of the sector, and the pace of the developing global hydrogen economy, future production capacity levels are subject to many factors and are challenging to forecast.