- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what options appraisal has been carried out of a range of low and zero carbon space and water heating technologies suitable for off-gas-grid homes.
Answer
The Scottish Government published an analysis of the suitability of low and zero emissions heating systems across the whole housing stock, including off-gas-grid homes. The report can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/technical-feasibility-low-carbon-heating-domestic-buildings-report-scottish-governments-directorate-energy-climate-change/
Chapter 2 of the Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out further considerations, uncertainties and evidence pertaining to the suitability of different technologies in different contexts. https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/pages/3/
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the chair of the review into the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland has met with members of the waste industry and/or their representatives since 1 September 2021.
Answer
Dr Colin Church was appointed as independent Chair of the review into the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland in November 2021.
As independent Chair, it is for Dr Church to determine and manage the process of the review. I am, therefore, unable to respond on his behalf regarding the number of meetings he has held with certain organisations.
However, Dr Church has assured me he wishes to hear from all interested stakeholders during the review and I would encourage anyone interested to respond to the Call for Evidence which is open until 21 February.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to publish a substantive and cross-governmental response to the 81 specific recommendations of Scotland’s Climate Assembly.
Answer
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
The full response is available to view here.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reallocated £45 million from the health budget to the Business Support Fund, and, if so, from which part of the health budget this contribution was taken.
Answer
The Scottish Government had expected to receive £120 million of additional Health consequential funding in respect of additional allocations to the UK Department of Health and Social Care for testing and vaccination costs.
Whilst we have yet to see the final consequential breakdown for UK Supplementary Estimates, indications were in December that this figure was revised down to £75m.
Rather than a reallocation of £45 million within Scottish Budgets to support business, this figure actually represents the shortfall in Health funding against previous expectations – a reduction of £45 million.
However the financial position has moved considerably since then and full details of all budget transfers supporting the recently announced measures will be set out in the forthcoming Spring Budget Revision.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a strategic transition plan from Scottish-generated nuclear energy to renewables, and, if so, whether it will publish this.
Answer
The Scottish Government is developing an Energy Strategy & Just Transition Plan which will be published in 2022. This document will serve as a plan to transition from today’s energy sector to an new, net-zero sector which meets the 2030 and 2045 climate targets in a fair and just way for all of Scotland.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates any changes to ticket office opening hours being implemented prior to 1 April 2022, in light of ScotRail's consultation on the matter.
Answer
Abellio ScotRail has advised that following consultation process, Transport Focus will analyse the results and compile a report. The report outputs will then be considered before any final decisions are reached.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed closure and reduction in opening hours of rail ticket offices has been the subject of an Equality Impact Assessment, and, if so, what the outcome was.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05834 on 4 February 2022. 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: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it or Transport Scotland has made of the potential impact of Abellio ScotRail’s proposals to reduce ticket office opening hours on Scotland’s carbon reduction targets.
Answer
Transport Scotland has not undertaken any assessment however Abellio ScotRail advise that there is an estimated carbon reduction saving of 75 tons per annum if ticket office opening hours are reviewed however we should wait for the results of the consultation before finalising. It is worth noting there will be no reduction in jobs and any change in ticket office hours will be reinvested to visible frontline activity including passenger assistance or ticket checks.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its or Transport Scotland's officials had with representatives of Abellio ScotRail regarding its proposals to change ticket office opening hours, and on what dates these discussions took place.
Answer
Following Abellio ScotRail’s notification on 13 July 2021 of their intention to undertake a review of ticket office opening hours under Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, discussions concerning this consultation were held in the normal course of franchise management business.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many trade union representatives will be on the board of the new company that will run Scotland's Railway.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05865 on 4 February 2022. 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