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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-25460

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-01780 by Angela Constance on 6 February 2024, what evidence was used to support its decision not to retender the contract for HMP Kilmarnock, and whether the current operator's reported offer to construct a new 240-bed wing at no public cost was considered as part of this process.

The 25-year contract for HMP Kilmarnock under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) for a privately constructed and operationally managed prison expires on 16 March 2024. The decision to bring HMP Kilmarnock into public management and ownership and not to tender for a new private contract was taken in 2021. This decision was based on the Scottish Government policy, which has been in place since 2007, that prisons should be owned and managed by the public sector and public safety, rehabilitation and wellbeing should not be driven by private profit.

Procurement regulations mean that it was not possible to extend the existing contract. Scottish Government would have had to tender for the management of the prison, and for any expansion in capacity, if that had been the preferred option.

At no stage was there an offer of building a new houseblock at no cost to the public purse.

Question reference: S6W-25459

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03036 by Angela Constance on 31 January 2024, what assessment it has made of the anticipated (a) safety, (b) security, (c) care and (d) rehabilitation implications of its decision to bring HMP Kilmarnock into public ownership, and whether it will publish any such assessments.

Question reference: S6O-03036

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it used as the basis for its decision to bring HMP Kilmarnock into public ownership.

Question reference: S6W-24065

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ClimateXChange report, Clean heat and energy efficiency workforce assessment, finding that "Most small businesses interviewed had a low awareness of current funding available for training and upskilling/reskilling, only mentioning the Flexible Workforce Development Fund and the Skill Development funding", what action it is taking to increase awareness of such funding among businesses.

Question reference: S6W-24245

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-23685 and S6W-23686 by Graeme Dey on 21 December 2023, in light of the budgets for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) being reduced in the Scottish Budget 2024-25, what its position is on how the Scottish Budget will impact its engagement with SFC and SDS to monitor enrolments and destinations after course completion for courses that impact the energy efficiency and low-carbon heating sector.

In 2024-25 the Scottish Government is investing over £2.4 billion to support our colleges, universities and skills system, this includes funding for Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

As set out in the answers to previous questions S6W-23685 and S6W-23686, the Scottish Government will continue to engage with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and post-school learning and training providers to better understand those who complete courses that are relevant to the sector. This engagement will not be impacted by budget allocation.

Question reference: S6W-24467

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the planning application currently being considered by the Energy Consents Unit under reference ECU00004523.

In June 2022, Scottish Ministers received an application from Naturalis Energy under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the proposed Knockkippen Wind Farm, to be located within East Ayrshire. Currently, discussions are ongoing between the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit, the developer and several consultees in relation to addressing outstanding issues. Until these matters are resolved, Scottish Ministers are not yet in a position to determine the application.

Question reference: S6W-24187

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average processing time is for a Home Energy Scotland (a) grant and (b) loan application, (i) nationally and (ii) broken down by local authority area.

In the most recent reporting period, which covered from start October 2023 to end November 2023, under the contract between Scottish Government and Energy Saving Trust, 92% of applicants had their applications processed within 15 working days. Several schemes are delivered through this contract, including the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme, the SME Loan Scheme, and the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme.

This figure is only tracked and reported for all applications and cannot be broken down by local authority or between schemes, nor is average processing time tracked and reported on.

Question reference: S6W-24186

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time is that it takes for a Home Energy Scotland (a) grant and (b) loan to release funds to customers from the point of installation, (i) nationally and (ii) broken down by local authority area.

In the most recent reporting period, which covered from start October 2023 to end November 2023, under the contract between Scottish Government and Energy Saving Trust, 85% of customers had their payments issued within 10 working days of submitting of a fully completed claim with all relevant paperwork. Several schemes are delivered through this contract, including the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme, the SME Loan Scheme, and the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme.

This figure is only tracked and reported for all applications and cannot be broken down by local authority or between schemes, nor is average processing time tracked and reported on.

Question reference: S6W-24468

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how long the Energy Consents Unit takes on average to determine applications following referral from local authorities.

Scottish Ministers determine applications for consent made under the Electricity Act 1989. The Scottish Government does not collate data on determination timescales following a planning authority’s response to an application consultation. Progression to determination is not solely dependent on the planning authorities’ consultation responses. Other consultation responses, representations and relevant material information factor into the decision-making process.

Average timescales for determination vary depending on the type of development. Electricity Act windfarm applications, for the last 5 years, where there is no public inquiry, have been determined within an average of 24 months. Windfarm applications, with a public inquiry, have averaged 44 months to determination.

Question reference: S6W-24060

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23433 by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 December 2023, what its response is to reported concerns that (a) local authority planning teams are unable to process planning applications for renewable technologies beyond onshore wind, such as hydrogen, due to gaps in knowledge around these new types of technology and (b) current legislation, including the National Planning Framework provisions of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, is not keeping up with the development of new technologies.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of an efficient and effective planning system to enable quality development and infrastructure delivery. We are working in close collaboration with COSLA, Heads of Planning Scotland, the key agencies and industry stakeholders and, in our Budget, have committed to publish a consultation paper early this year setting out options to accelerate planning.

National Planning Framework 4, approved by the Scottish Parliament and adopted by Scottish Ministers in 2023, has given clear support to all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emissions technologies. We will also publish a consultation paper early this year on the statutory processes to be set out in regulations for making any future amendments to the National Planning Framework.

To support skills and capacity building within planning services in relation to energy development, the Scottish Government and the Improvement Service host knowledge and information sharing events. That has included a specific event for planning authority staff in relation to renewable and low carbon hydrogen production.

The Scottish Government is progressing with additional measures to support planning authorities and consultees as they plan for and consider applications for hydrogen projects. This includes the preparation of planning and consenting advice. The Scottish Government has also commissioned Edinburgh University to design and deliver bespoke training to be made available free of charge to all planning departments.