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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-24376

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place between the Minister for Housing and the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and their officials regarding the proposed reduction to spending on housing in its 2024-25 Budget.

Question reference: S6W-24390

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23572 by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023, by what date it estimates that the draft Climate Change Plan would need to be published in order to allow a final version to be laid in the Parliament in March 2025, and, in determining this date, how many days have been allowed after the 120 days of parliamentary scrutiny for an assessment of that scrutiny to take place and, if appropriate, revisions to be made to the plan, in advance of the March 2025 deadline.

Under the terms of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the statutory deadline for laying a draft of the Climate Change Plan is 22 November 2024. However, statute also requires time for consideration of representations received during the statutory scrutiny period. Exact timings on this matter form part of ongoing consideration on the continued development of the draft Climate Change Plan. I will keep Parliament informed of progress.

Question reference: S6W-24082

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07053 by Mairi McAllan on 18 March 2022, whether it will provide an update on its policy regarding unexploded ordnance disposal at sea.

The current licensing regime already encourages developers to use unexploded ordnance clearance methods which will produce the least underwater noise. The UK Government's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is in the process of updating the existing Joint Interim Position Statement on UXO clearance which sets out an expectation that low noise methods will be prioritised by developers. The current statement is co-signed by the Scottish Government, other UK regulators, and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies. Following updated advice to be received from NatureScot, we will determine whether Scotland will remain a co-signatory to any updated position statement, or produce our own unilateral statement.

Protecting Scotland's marine environment is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. We are moving towards low order techniques being the default method for unexploded ordnance removal in Scottish waters, unless there are extenuating circumstances in which low order cannot be used.

Question reference: S6W-24070

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of public procurement projects within the low-carbon heating and energy efficiency sectors that it anticipates undertaking in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

The information requested is not available. The Scottish Government does not currently plan to directly procure any specific low-carbon heating or energy efficiency projects on behalf of the sector over the time periods specified. Scottish public authorities can access funding and project development support for clean heating and energy efficiency proposals through our Non-Domestic Public Sector Energy Efficiency Framework and Project Support Unit. This framework is designed to provide value for money and a standardised approach for public bodies undertaking improvements to their estate.

Question reference: S6W-24075

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of district heating networks across Scotland.

The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act, 2021 requires a review report to be laid before parliament 24 months after the publication of the Heat Networks Delivery Plan. The Delivery Plan was published on 31 March 2022 and the review report is due by 31 March 2024. The review report will provide an update on the development of district heating networks across Scotland.

Information on heat networks projects that have or are receiving support from the Scottish Government can be found in the Heat Network Quarterly Report, which provides summaries of the projects funded through Scotland’s Heat Network Fund, Scotland’s Heat in Buildings Development Funding Invitation and the Heat Network Support Unit. Support for heat networks has also been provided through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, with its quarterly report providing an updated construction status for its funded projects. These reports can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/collections/heat-network-project-reports/ and https://www.gov.scot/collections/low-carbon-infrastructure-transition-programme-reports/ respectively.

Question reference: S6W-24067

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out an assessment of workforce capability to support all aspects of installation and maintenance of low-carbon heat and energy efficiency measures.

Question reference: S6W-24054

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing a regulatory framework with compulsory qualification requirements in low-carbon heating technologies for installers.

Question reference: S6W-24072

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider publishing the research, Scottish Supply Chain Opportunities in the Low Carbon Heat Sector, which was carried out by Delta-EE for Scottish Enterprise in 2020.

Question reference: S6W-23969

Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to addressing potentially dangerous wooden cladding on residential buildings, including balcony structures that use wooden materials.

The Scottish Government is committed to remediating cladding that poses a fire risk in buildings across Scotland. The Cladding Remediation Programme considers that wooden cladding, including on balcony structures, will be within scope and included as part of the building assessment process. Consideration to wooden balconies is referred to in the Scottish Advice Note (version 2.0), which advises the following: Balconies

The design and construction of balconies should not facilitate fire spread over the external wall to an extent that would pose a risk to life. There are indications that fires on balconies are becoming more common (see following link). The most common causes of such fires are deliberate ignition, careless disposal of smoking material and misuse of barbeques. The severity of a balcony fire can be increased by combustible materials, such as furnishings or discarded materials stored, or used, on the balcony.

Further information can be found in Annex 1 in the following guidance External wall systems in existing multi-storey residential buildings - fire risk: advice note - version 2 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-24064

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22664 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, what its position is on how the proposal that "Owner occupied homes that have ended their use of polluting heating by 2033 will not be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard", as set out in its consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, promotes a "fabric first approach".

Owner occupied homes which no longer use polluting heating by 2033 will have already, as a result of this change, removed all direct emissions associated with the heating of those homes.

This means that there would be no need for a legal requirement to meet an energy efficiency standard; however, there will still be strong incentives for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency and improvements to the fabric of those homes in order to reduce their energy bills.