- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that it will deliver the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan by 2035, and whether it will propose a ministerial statement on this issue.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 March 2025
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what distance of rail electrification will need to be delivered by 2035 as part of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 March 2025
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 31 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29942 by Gillian Martin on 27 September 2024, in light of the minister's comment that "where communities have an ownership stake in energy production, we are seeing surpluses being used to support local employment and other initiatives", whether the proposals in the community wealth building bill will support the expansion of community-owned energy.
Answer
The 2024-25 Programme for Government confirmed the intention to introduce Community Wealth Building legislation in this parliamentary year.
Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise a Bill following introduction, and I look forward to engaging with colleagues on how we can ensure the legislation has the maximum, beneficial impact for the people and communities we serve.
We have undertaken detailed analysis of respondents’ feedback to our public consultation, which has informed the development of Community Wealth Building legislation and our overall approach to Community Wealth Building as an economic policy with strong relevance to other policy areas.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to PetroIneos toward Project Willow at the Grangemouth refinery site, and whether all material in relation to the project will be made publicly available.
Answer
As set out in our Draft Just Transition Plan, the Scottish Government is committed to supporting a long term and sustainable future for the Grangemouth industrial cluster.
Alongside the UK Government, we have jointly funded £1.5m to support the development of ‘Project Willow’ which has identified a shortlist of low carbon alternatives which could be deployed in the future at the Refinery site. These alternatives include low carbon hydrogen, eFuels and sustainable aviation fuel.
The work is due to conclude shortly and key outputs and recommendations will be made available via a public communication. As I set out in my reply to S6W-31864 on 10 December 2024, the Scottish Government will provide an update to Parliament on the findings of Project Willow in due course.
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: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 January 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the next Scottish House Condition Survey.
Answer
The results and key findings report from the 2023 Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) were published at 9:30am on Tuesday 28 January 2025 and will be available on the SHCS homepage at: Scottish House Condition Survey - gov.scot.
A 12 month calendar of forthcoming official statistical publications is available in spreadsheet format at Official statistics: forthcoming publications - gov.scot.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 15 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much any delays to the construction of a new eye hospital in Edinburgh, since 2018, have added to the cost of completing the project.
Answer
The Scottish Government have confirmed that the replacement of the Eye Pavilion is a strategic priority and the 2025-26 Draft Budget has provided the necessary funding to allow the development of the business case to restart.
NHS Lothian’s Eye Pavilion replacement program had progressed to an Outline Business Case, the second of three approval stages, and therefore no Full Business Case or final estimate of costs has ever been produced.
We also do not yet have an updated cost estimate of a new eye hospital in Edinburgh, therefore it is not currently possible to answer this question. NHS Lothian are in the process of re-establishing the project team and will provide an updated forecast in due course.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to spend the £11.4 million allocated in its draft Budget 2025-26 towards the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) to support an increase in community owned energy projects.
Answer
The CARES allocation of £11.7 million for 2025-26 announced in the draft budget represents an increase on the budget allocated to CARES in 2024-25. Plans for CARES in 2025-26 will be informed by lessons learnt from the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund pilot. This fund supported community groups with up to £1.5 million to develop their own community energy projects.
The Scottish Government is committed to growing the community energy sector and communities are at the heart of our renewable energy ambitions. CARES funding for 2025-26 will include dedicated development funding and support to help communities with the early stage development of community owned energy projects, increasing the accessibility of community energy and helping to ensure communities see the benefits of our energy transition.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to achieve its ambition to spend £500 million on the Just Transition Fund over 10 years, in light of only £15.9 million being allocated towards the fund in its draft Budget 2025-26.
Answer
The proposed allocation of £15.9 million capital to the Just Transition Fund for 2025-26 announced in the draft Budget demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting a just transition in the North East and Moray and will enable us to build upon what’s already been delivered through the Fund.
To date, the Fund has allocated £75 million, supporting projects and communities across the region to create jobs, support innovation, and secure the highly skilled workforce of the future.
The Fund sends a clear signal of our support, but we recognise that it needs to be part of a wider stream of investment from the UK Government and others, including the private sector, to deliver a just transition to net zero.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30029 by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2024, whether any of the listed flood prevention schemes have since been completed.
Answer
Local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of flood protection schemes.
Five flood protection schemes were due to complete in 2024 and the relevant local authorities have advised that Millport Coastal, Upper Garnock and Stranraer are complete. Campbeltown and Hawick FPS are at an advanced stage and nearing completion.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20007 and S6W-20008 by Fiona Hyslop on 14 August 2023, how many meetings have taken place between (a) ScotRail, (b) the Scottish Ministers and (c) Scottish Government officials and Stena Line since 1 April 2022, and whether any such meetings involved discussions regarding increased connectivity on the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry route.
Answer
The Rail and Sail service is managed by Stena Line who makes decisions regarding the provision of the service on a commercial basis. There have been no meetings, since 1 April 2022, including all parties mentioned by the Member in their question.