Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37463

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what total area has been burnt by wildfires in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area in each year since 2015.

Question reference: S6W-37590

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to develop the Scottish supply chain for the subcontract design, manufacture and export of pressure vessels for small modular reactors globally.

The Scottish Government has been clear that it does not support the development of new nuclear under current technologies. Small modular reactors, whilst innovative in size and location, present the same environmental issues as traditional nuclear power stations.

The Scottish Government supports investment in renewables, which is both safer and considerably more cost effective than the production of electricity using nuclear fission.

The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to drive the deployment of renewable energy in Scotland by leveraging private investment, building our supply chain and securing green jobs. This commitment includes our investment of up to £500 million over five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37613

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the public can access performance metrics for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme to show monthly applications and average processing times.

Members of the public can access detailed data, including total applications made, on the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme for the 2023-24 financial year at https://www.gov.scot/publications/home-energy-scotland-grant-and-loan-scheme-awards/. Work is ongoing to release further scheme data, with the next publication expected shortly.

For average processing times, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36322 on 22 April 2025. 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.

Question reference: S6W-37360

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what further submissions officials were instructed to provide following the 26 February 2025 meeting on zonal electricity pricing, broken down by (a) subject matter, (b) directorate responsible and (c) expected completion date.

The purpose of the meeting on 26 February 2025 was to update myself and the Minister for Climate Action on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, the reform options being considered by UK Government, and the potential impact of those options for Scotland.

The briefing paper for this meeting, and list of attendees, including ministers, have already been released under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). It is standard procedure for names of officials to be redacted in all FOIs under Section 38(1)(b), due to protections around the sharing of Third Party Data, whereby personal data is exempt from disclosure if disclosure would contravene any of the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the UK GDPR and in section 34(1) of the DPA 2018.

Upon review of the FOI, section 29(1)(a) was not cited as a redaction used. Information has been redacted under 30(b)(i), however, was redacted due to it relating to the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers to have space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching a settled public position.

In line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded.

Question reference: S6W-37359

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a summary of the key points of the advice that was withheld under (a) section 29(1)(a) and (b) section 30(b)(i) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in relation to FOI/202500459761.

The purpose of the meeting on 26 February 2025 was to update myself and the Minister for Climate Action on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, the reform options being considered by UK Government, and the potential impact of those options for Scotland.

The briefing paper for this meeting, and list of attendees, including ministers, have already been released under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). It is standard procedure for names of officials to be redacted in all FOIs under Section 38(1)(b), due to protections around the sharing of Third Party Data, whereby personal data is exempt from disclosure if disclosure would contravene any of the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the UK GDPR and in section 34(1) of the DPA 2018.

Upon review of the FOI, section 29(1)(a) was not cited as a redaction used. Information has been redacted under 30(b)(i), however, was redacted due to it relating to the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers to have space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching a settled public position.

In line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded.

Question reference: S6W-37378

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential impact of zonal electricity pricing on renewable generation projects located on island communities in the last 10 years, and what the conclusions were.

Decisions on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) are reserved to the UK Government. The UK Government has published impact assessments and is updating its analysis ahead of a final decision this summer. We are awaiting sight of this updated modelling.

In addition, a range of impact assessments have been carried out by consultancies and industry bodies.

We met with researchers, industry and consumer organisations – as well as international electricity market experts – in December 2024 to consider the evidence and have engaged extensively with stakeholders over the past two years to understand all impacts.

This is a complex area and the Scottish Government is clear that UK Government reforms must reduce costs for Scottish consumers, ensure Scotland’s communities feel the benefit of the energy transition and protect investment in our renewables industry and supporting decarbonisation.

Question reference: S6W-37376

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Ofgem regarding the interaction between zonal electricity pricing and transmission network use-of-system charges in the last three years, including the (a) date of each discussion, (b) level of representation and (c) main points raised.

We have had extensive engagement with stakeholders to ensure we understand all perspectives in this debate and represent this in our engagement with the UK Government. The Scottish Government has not had specific discussions with Ofgem on the interaction between zonal pricing and transmission network use-of-system charges. Officials have been, and will continue to, work with UK Government, Ofgem and other industry stakeholders to ensure we fully consider the impacts of potential market reforms.

Question reference: S6O-04722

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the roadworks on the M8 in Glasgow will be completed by 2026.

Question reference: S6O-04724

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies to support Scottish culture and heritage ensure that the contribution of prominent figures, such as trade unionist, Michael McGahey, can be honoured.

Question reference: S6O-04721

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has introduced in the last year to improve road safety across the Highlands and Islands.

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