Sarah Boyack

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition and the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, entitled Further Advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transiti…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: In response to the Just Transition Commission’s letter providing further advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) published on 17 April 2023, the Scottish Government issued a reply on 9 May 2023. This can be found online: Just Tra…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not responded to the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition and the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, entitled Further Advice on the Draft Energy Strategy a…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: In response to the Just Transition Commission’s letter providing further advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan published on 17 April 2023, the Scottish Government issued a reply on the 9 May 2023. The letter acknowledged the Commission’…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the academic environmental research, Delivering net zero in the UK: twelve conditions for success, which was published on 10 July 2023, in particular in relation to any implications for net zero policy in Scotland of the research’s findings that (a) deploying low-…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government welcomes this research and agrees with the need for Net Zero to be implemented in a manner that achieves maximum benefit for all of society. Through our Just Transition Planning and publication of the next Climate Change Plan we will e…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to (a) people over 30, (b) single parents, (c) people on low incomes and (d) carers, to move into green jobs, including in relation to training and upskilling, in light of reports that such training requires significant time commitment and can result in a rea…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets out the need to strengthen Scotland’s position in new markets and industries, generating new, well-paid jobs through a just transition to net zero and a highly skilled workforce is critical to the deliver…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, dated 15 February 2023, whether it will provide an update on the Supply Chain Development Programme, including further detail on (a) target sectors…

Answer · Neil Gray: As noted in the response on 28 March 2023 to the Chair of the Just Transition Commission from the then Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, the Supply Chain Development Programme (SCDP) seeks to maximise the economic benefit from Scotland’s…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following initiatives such as the 2016 Enterprise and Skills Review, its 2017 commitment to improving skills planning, and the 2022 Auditor General for Scotland report, Planning for skills, which stated that the "Scottish Government has not provided the necessary leadership for prog…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government accepted the recommendations in the 2022 Planning for Skills Report and have taken action to improve our assurance and oversight of skills planning, including through the actions taken as part of the Shared Outcomes Framework (publishe…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much private sector investment has been secured, to date, for Scotland’s transition to net zero, as part of the Green Growth Accelerator programme.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The pathfinder projects supported through the Green Growth Accelerator are still at the development stage and, as such, no private investment has been secured yet.  

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the definition of "green jobs" published by the Office for National Statistics, whether it will provide further detail on the allocation of its £100 million Green Jobs Fund, including the (a) amount already allocated and (b) outcomes to date.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) article; "Green jobs" update, current and upcoming work: March 2023, defined a green jobs as: "Employment in an activity that contributes to protecting or restoring the environment, including those that mitigate or ad…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to remove any barriers that make it harder for oil and gas workers to move into the renewables industry, including in relation to how to effectively communicate with local communities that may not be familiar with concepts used in policy-making, such as just trans…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We are committed to a just transition that supports those employed in oil and gas and will continue to work with the sector to remove barriers and seize opportunities offered by the renewable sectors – with no person or region left behind. The Just Transition…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its announcement of the successful projects for year one, whether it will provide further detail on the allocation of the Just Transition Fund to ensure transparency and value for money.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The £500 million Just Transition Fund for North East and Moray has allocated £75 million to date, including a multi-year capital programme supporting 24 projects. The open and competitive bidding round assessed projects against published criteria in line with…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a detailed response to each of the 15 recommendations of the independent review of the skills delivery landscape.

Answer · Graeme Dey: On 28 June the Scottish Government published the Purpose and Principles for post-school education, research and skills . The Initial Priorities paper that was published alongside makes it clear that we agree that significant system reform is required if w…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the stakeholder responses to its public consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and, if so, when it will do so. 

Answer · Neil Gray: The consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan closed on 9 May and we received a very high level of responses. We will shortly publish all consultation responses on the Scottish Government’s Citizen Space website (according to the pref…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the response from the Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work to the chair of the Just Transition Commission on 28 March 2023, which was published on 14 April 2023, whether it will publish further detail regarding the outstanding work required to deliver decar…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We are investing £1.8 billion in this Parliamentary term on zero direct emission heating and energy efficiency solutions. Building on this, the Green Heat Finance Taskforce is continuing with its work to explore which financing and funding products offer the …

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its Climate Change Plan Advisory Group’s policy outcomes will be reported on.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government will produce an Outcomes Report regarding the policy outputs from the Climate Change Plan Advisory Group after the final meeting in October 2023. Policy outcomes from the group will also be used to inform development of the upcoming dr…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Green Growth Accelerator programme, including how much of the £200 million public sector investment has already been allocated.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The aim of the Green Growth Accelerator model is to unlock investment over the medium term in low carbon infrastructure. This unlocking would be supported by payments from the Scottish Government to the local authority which are tied to delivery of a set of p…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work it is undertaking to incorporate the 10 demands of offshore oil and gas workers for a just transition, as laid out in the report, Our Power: Offshore workers’ demands for a just energy transition, published in March 2023 by Friends of the Ea…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government welcomes the report detailing offshore workers’ demands for a just energy transition and agrees that listening to and acting on recommendations from workers is critical to ensure a Just Transition. We must ensure a fair and just trans…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to roll out initiatives similar to the Just Transition Fund, which is primarily focused in the north east and Moray, for communities across Scotland.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is providing £4.3m of funding in 2023-2024 to expand the network of Climate Action Hubs across the country. The Hubs empower communities to engage in collective climate action, supporting peer-to-peer learning and helping groups to tak…

19 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in relation to the work of the Climate Change Plan Advisory Group (CCPAG) and what policy outcomes can be reported as a result of the input from the CCPAG. 

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Climate Change Plan Advisory Group has undergone 4 of 7 plenary meetings and has so far elicited wide ranging input from diverse stakeholders into the next draft Climate Change Plan. This input includes on topics such as our vision for the future of Scotl…

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-19560 by Lorna Slater on 18 July 2023, on what date it began to assume that Circularity Scotland was likely to go into administration.

Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20057 on 15 August 2023. 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-committe…

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19560 by Lorna Slater on 18 July 2023, on what specific date the Scottish Government first informed the UK Government that Circularity Scotland was likely to go into administration.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scottish Government officials were in regular discussions with UK Government officials regarding the Internal Market Act (IMA) exclusion process for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Throughout these discussions officials made it clear that not providing a tim…

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19222 by Lorna Slater on 18 July 2023, whether it will specify the mechanisms that it has in place to assess and monitor the "range of risks relating to the delivery of the Deposit Return Scheme".

Answer · Lorna Slater: We employ methodologies which align to the Scottish Public Finance Manual. These include processes, guidance and techniques for identifying, owning, assessing, reviewing and reporting risks, risk appetite and response.

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to homeowners who are dissatisfied with their property factor.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government will provide general advice to support homeowners, but it cannot provide legal advice and it cannot become involved in disputes between parties. All registered property factors must adhere to the conditions set out in the statutory Co…

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to amend legislation covering the operation of property factors.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government revised the Code of Conduct for Property Factors in August 2021 to make it clearer, to drive up standards and to improve transparency and consistency. There is evidence that the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 is working as inten…

18 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposed Housing Bill will make any provisions regarding property factors.

Answer · Paul McLennan: We remain committed to bringing forward housing legislation to deliver the new deal for tenants and homelessness prevention duties. The majority of the measures being considered for inclusion in the legislation have already been subject to consultation, and w…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met with any former employees of Circularity Scotland, following the organisation going in to administration.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Former employees of Circularity Scotland attended a Deposit Return Scheme Four Nations Interoperability Workshop in Edinburgh on 27 June 2023 following the organisation going into administration to provide insight into their experience of DRS in Scotland. Sco…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding Circularity Scotland going into administration.

Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the Member to the response to S6W-20057. Additionally, following the UK Government letter on IMA exclusion late on 26 May, I , on 27 May 2023, and the First Minister, on 2 June 2023, wrote to the UK Government outlining the impact of the decision. Off…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Circularity Scotland going in to administration, whether it has met with any former (a) suppliers and (b) contractors of the firm.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Biffa, a former contractor of Circularity Scotland, attended a Deposit Return Scheme Four Nations Interoperability Workshop in Edinburgh on 27 June 2023 following Circularity Scotland going into administration to provide insight into their experience in Scotl…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation was undertaken, and with whom, before the decision was made to stop providing standalone loan funding for solar PV and storage systems through Home Energy Scotland on 27 June 2023.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19952 on 9 August 2023, lodged by Liam Kerr. 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/…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Transport Scotland and (b) ScotRail Holdings has modelled the potential reduction in carbon emissions from a modal shift on journeys between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland has conducted extensive analysis of the carbon benefits of transport modal shift in Scotland. However, there has been no flow-specific analysis on the Edinburgh/Glasgow to Belfast corridor.  

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail Holdings has any plans to expand the offering of "Rail and Sail" tickets between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail and Stena Line. ScotRail advises that it regularly meets with Stena Line to review potential service changes and ensure tickets are available on rail retail systems and Stena Line expands the service if demand dictat…