- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated total income to Scotland is from the proposed network reinforcement of the energy grid to meet the energy demands of the rest of the UK.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no role in the design or regulation of electricity infrastructure, aside from its statutory planning and consenting processes.
The electricity network in Scotland is physically and economically integrated with the rest of Great Britain. Supply and demand across the network needs to be carefully balanced.
Independent analysis commissioned by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) indicates that by 2035 their recommendations for a decarbonised electricity system could add up to £15 billion each year to the UK economy and support an average of 20,000 jobs each year. It is estimated that a third of these benefits are likely to be in Scotland, contributing £5.2 billion to our economy and supporting over 6,000 jobs per year.
The report can be viewed here – https://www.neso.energy/publications/beyond-2030
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any long-term implications of large-scale energy projects in the Scottish Borders.
Answer
Where new energy developments come forward, applications are subject to site-specific assessments by the decision maker. Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) policy 11 (energy) requires that project design and mitigation demonstrate how impacts on communities, landscape, biodiversity and other receptors, including cumulative impacts, are addressed. It also encourages development to maximise net economic impact, including local and community socio-economic benefits.
When an application is ready to be determined, the Scottish Ministers will consider all relevant material available to them before making any decision on an application. The merits of each proposal are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a careful balance must be struck between the potential impacts of the proposed development and the associated environmental, economic, renewable energy and climate change benefits.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Freedom of Information response of 28 February 2025, for what reason there has been a consistent rise in renewable energy applications in recent years.
Answer
There has been a consistent rise in applications due to increased demand from developers seeking consent to build renewable energy developments in Scotland.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps its Energy Consents Unit takes to assess the visual impact and location of renewable energy applications during the consultation phase, in light of tourism reportedly contributing £4 billion to the Scottish economy annually, with 40% of that being nature-based tourism, according to NatureScot.
Answer
Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process.
When an application is received, a full public consultation is carried out. Scottish Ministers invite representations from members of the public, appropriate community councils and other public bodies, seeking their expertise to assist in examining applications.
The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how local communities living in the vicinity of the proposed Cross Border Connection development by SP Energy Networks are being involved in the decision-making process.
Answer
Currently no application for the Cross Border Connection has been submitted to Scottish Ministers by SP Energy Networks (SPEN), and it is important to note that proposals can change significantly during the development phase. As such, it is not appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on potential projects, so as not to interfere with or prejudice any decisions on projects that may come before Scottish Ministers for determination.
It is the responsibility of the Transmission Owner, in this case SPEN, to analyse the impact of their proposals and ensure the views of local communities and the relevant statutory and local bodies are fully considered as the plans develop. I would encourage anyone with views on the proposals to submit them to SPEN directly as part of this process.
Any proposals that do come forward will be subject to robust planning and consenting processes. Scotland has some of the most stringent environmental impact assessment regulations anywhere in the world, and our planning and consenting systems ensure that local communities can have their say. Our fourth National Planning Framework ensures that potential impacts on communities, nature and cultural heritage, including cumulative effects, are important considerations in the decision-making process.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how the proposed Cross-Border Connection development by SP Energy Networks aligns with Scotland's Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
Answer
Under the Ministerial code, it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on the merits or otherwise of any development that is before them, or could come before them, for a decision through the application or appeal process.
On network infrastructure in general, the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan sets out that investment to upgrade Scotland’s transmission network is needed to manage constraints and enable more renewable power to reach where it is needed. The Scottish Government also recognises the need for communities to be meaningfully engaged and consulted, to ensure they can have their say on proposed projects and influence design proposals to minimise potential impacts. Our fourth National Planning Framework ensures that potential impacts on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process.
Legislation and regulations relating to electricity networks are reserved to the UK Government. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for the strategic approach to transmission investment. Regulation of electricity networks, including approval of investment in infrastructure, is the responsibility of the regulator Ofgem. As such, the Scottish Government has no role in the regulation of electricity networks apart from its statutory planning and consenting processes.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its Freedom of Information response of 28 February 2025 stating that no renewable energy projects have been rejected, what steps it is taking to ensure that public consultation processes are given due consideration.
Answer
It is not accurate to state that no renewable energy projects have been rejected.
To clarify, the Environment Information Request response of 28 February 2025 to which the question referred, noted that, of the 7 renewable energy applications received by the Energy Consents Unit in the Scottish Borders local authority area, all were approved.
Other applications for developments located elsewhere in Scotland have been rejected during this time.
When an application is received, a full public consultation is carried out. Scottish Ministers invite representations from members of the public, appropriate community councils and other public bodies, seeking their expertise to assist in examining applications.
The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering implementing a cap on the number of renewable energy applications submitted within a given timeframe, such as an annual Scotland-wide limit.
Answer
The Electricity Act 1989 does not specifically allow for any limit to be placed on the number of applications that Scottish ministers can receive or process. The power to amend the Electricity Act is reserved to the UK Government, so the Scottish Government has no power over this matter.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its work on tackling rural crime and preventing the theft and resale of machinery in Scotland, when it was first made aware of the proposals for the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which applies to England and Wales.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2025
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 16 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender [the Sullivan review]; whether it will implement the recommendations in the review, and what plans it has to meet Professor Alice Sullivan to discuss the findings.
Answer
The Office of the Chief Statistician published guidance for public bodies in Scotland on the collection of data on sex and gender in 2021. This guidance recommends that statistics producers should collect data that best serves the needs of users in their specific context, an approach with aligns with the guidance published by the Office for Statistics Regulation in 2024.
The Sullivan Review specifically recommends that the Scottish Government reviews its guidance in light of its recommendations. The Scottish Government has previously committed to reviewing its guidance on collecting data on sex and gender by the end of 2026 as part of the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan.
Ahead of this review, the Office of the Chief Statistician is engaged with wider-UK work on this topic. The Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonisation Team is currently developing harmonised standards for collecting data on sex and gender identity. The Office of the Chief Statistician is contributing to this work, and will consider its outputs as part of its review of the Chief Statistician’s guidance.
There are currently no plans to meet with Alice Sullivan directly, however the Scottish Government will be attending upcoming events to engage with a range of stakeholders to hear wider views on this topic.
