Seòmar agus comataidhean

Petroineos first approached the Scottish Government in early 2024 to seek support for Project Willow. The Scottish Government has supported this with £799,000 of funding and has successfully leveraged the UK Government to do the same.

The Project Willow cross site study is examining the enablers and blockers to deploying low carbon technologies at Grangemouth that will support our commitment to secure a long term and sustainable future for the industrial cluster. Petroineos has contracted Ernst & Young Parthenon (Ernst & Young) to undertake this study which commenced in August and is due to report early in the New Year.

The Scottish Government, UK Government, Scottish Enterprise, Petroineos and INEOS have a joint governance function for the study and Unite the Union engage via regular standing committee meetings.

The programme of work has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement including businesses, sector specialists, the local community, and the public sector.

Consideration was given to over 80 technologies at different levels of readiness before developing a shorter list of viable alternatives - including sustainable aviation fuel, e-fuels, and low carbon hydrogen - which are now being scrutinised through the following lenses: technical; economic; commercial; regulatory; climate/environmental; community; and skills. Feedstock availability and scalability are two of several key criteria being considered by Ernst & Young.

The Scottish Government will provide an update to Parliament on the findings of Project Willow upon its conclusion.

To support the development of, ‘A Trading Nation: Realising Scotland's Hydrogen Potential - A Plan for Exports’, Scottish Government officials engaged extensively with stakeholders, including key policy leads within the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (‘the Continuity Act’) provides Scottish Ministers with a power to help meet the Scottish Government’s commitment to align with future developments in EU law, where it is appropriate and meaningful to do so. This is important to maintain and advance regulatory standards in Scotland.

HMRC undertakes an on-going programme of activities to ensure Scottish taxpayers are accurately identified. Scottish Government scrutinise this work through a joint quarterly income tax board.

This work includes, comparing PAYE submissions with HMRC’s own records to identify cases where employers are not correctly applying Scottish tax codes and checking address data against third party sources. Individuals who complete a tax return come under greater scrutiny and are required to confirm address details annually.

HMRC view the risks associated with Scottish-specific non-compliance as being small, whilst we are reassured with this assessment - we are not complacent and continue to focus on scrutinising HMRC performance in identifying the Scottish tax base.

Through the Peatland ACTION partnership we are funding the restoration of our peatlands. We are also working hard with our Peatland ACTION delivery partners to tackle the many barriers to upscaling peatland restoration in this relatively young sector.

The Scottish Government wants the people of Scotland to see maximum benefits from Scotland’s energy transition, including the scaling up of the hydrogen industry.

The Scottish Government is actively engaging with the other UK nations to explore opportunities to update and strengthen the current battery recycling regulations. This collaborative approach ensures that any future measures are both effective and consistent across the UK, providing a clear and efficient framework for businesses and consumers alike. We recognise the importance of working together to improve public awareness, enhance recycling infrastructure, and address the environmental risks associated with improper battery disposal.

The current regulatory framework, the UK Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, has been instrumental in establishing recycling systems over the past decade. However, with the increasing use of batteries in consumer electronics and emerging technologies, we are keen to modernise these regulations to better address current challenges and future demands. As part of this, we are considering a range of policies to improve battery recycling rates and reduce environmental harm, including a potential deposit return scheme for batteries and battery-containing products. While such a scheme could bring significant benefits, we recognise the need to address practical and logistical challenges to ensure its feasibility and effectiveness.

Before implementing any new measures, we are currently looking into drafting a consultation with the other UK nations. This will provide an important opportunity for stakeholders, including businesses and the public, to contribute their views and consider the options for improving battery disposal and recycling practices.

We continue to explore a wide range of measures to support sustainable solutions, including encouraging innovation in recycling technologies, enhancing public awareness initiatives to promote responsible recycling behaviour, and working with manufacturers and retailers to improve collection and disposal systems. These efforts are aligned with Scotland’s broader environmental priorities, including the transition to a circular economy and achieving net-zero emissions.

Through collaboration, innovation, and public engagement, the Scottish Government remains dedicated to addressing battery disposal challenges and delivering effective, sustainable solutions for Scotland’s communities and environment.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering clean heat and improved energy efficiency whilst ensuring foremost that tenants are not negatively impacted by the costs of this clean heat transition.

Regulation of consumer protection remains a reserved matter, and Ofgem will be the future regulator of consumer protection for heat networks. In November, the UK Government and Ofgem jointly published a consultation on consumer protection proposals that would require heat networks to meet new consumer standards similar to those that already apply to gas and electricity customers. We welcome these standards as the major step needed to protect consumers, and are working with UK Government to help inform them.

Consumer Scotland will carry out consumer advocacy and advice services for Scottish Heat Network consumers from April 2025 ahead of the implementation of the regulatory framework, anticipated in January 2026.

Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) may also be able to procure fuel for their heat networks, such as natural gas, through public sector utility frameworks, which could result in lower fuel costs for tenants.

Through the Peatland ACTION partnership, the NatureScot-led Peatland Skills Action Plan focuses on increasing workforce capacity for design of restoration schemes and growth in the contracting sector to ensure delivery towards our future restoration targets. The current focus is being directed towards supporting ongoing skills development and ensuring the most effective use of the workforce available.

Achieving our Hydrogen Action Plan target of 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, and wider plan aims, requires significant investment.