Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects to publish the results of its consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity.
Answer · Lorna Slater: A 14 week consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity closed on 14 December 2023. We received over 600 responses - approximately 30% of these were from organisations and 70% were from individuals. We are very grateful for the time and effo…
20 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards the creation of an offshore training and skills passport.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Through its Just Transition Fund, t he Scottish Government has supported industry-led development of a practical Skills Passport that works for the different offshore energy industry sectors, recognising the cross-sector skills of workers, and the importance …
13 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support the development of cultural cinema.
7 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing targets for public sector organisations to make their buildings energy efficient.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, which closed on 8 March, asked how we can help our public sector buildings to lead the way on heat decarbonisation, by requiring all public sector buildings to be using clean heating systems by 2038.…
7 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what impact its proposals for energy performance certificate (EPC) reform will have on its proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We responded to a series of recommendations from the Committee for Climate Change on the need to reform Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) by running a consultation during 2023. The consultation proposed to revise the information displayed on domestic EP…
7 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Ofgem, and what was discussed.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I met with Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley and Chair Mark McAllister on 8 February to discuss Ofgem’s work to review standing charges for consumers, protections for prepayment meter (PPM) customers and opportunities for data sharing to facilitate better targeting…
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the UK Government regarding electricity grid development in Scotland, and what was discussed.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government meets regularly with the UK Government regarding electricity networks in Scotland. The Scottish Government is represented on the Electricity Networks Delivery Forum, which has been established to oversee the implementation and delivery…
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the UK Government regarding (a) electricity and (b) gas standing charges in Scotland, and what was discussed.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26013 on 14 March 2024. 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-committee…
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the UK Government regarding electricity pricing in Scotland, and what was discussed.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I met with the UK Government Minister for Affordability and Skills, Amanda Solloway MP, on 25 January in Holyrood. During that engagement, I reiterated the Scottish Government’s call for the introduction of a social tariff mechanism as a safety net for consum…
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the level of investment in (a) electricity and (b) gas grid investment in Scotland that is funded through energy standing charges.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Legislation and regulations relating to electricity and gas networks are reserved to the UK Government, with the Electricity System Operator (ESO) responsible for the strategic approach to transmission investment, working with Transmission Owners across Great…
5 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of the progress that it is making towards fulfilling its 2017 commitment to increase the number of GPs by 800 within a decade.
27 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20099 by Richard Lochhead on 18 August 2023, whether it will provide a further update on projects that have been funded by the Green Growth Accelerator.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As shown through the Budget process, the challenging fiscal landscape has necessitated some difficult choices across government. This, alongside the need to strengthen the pipeline of investment, has resulted in the Scottish Government (SG) having to take the…
27 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the return on investment as a result of the six pathfinder projects supported through the Green Growth Accelerator.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As shown through the Budget process, the challenging fiscal landscape has necessitated some difficult choices across government. This, alongside the need to strengthen the pipeline of investment, has resulted in the Scottish Government (SG) having to take the…
26 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported gaps in the delivery of traditional building skills training and concerns regarding the importance of these skills in maintaining the built environment, whether it will commit to a review of traditional building skills training delivery programming across Scotland.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25489 on 9 March 2024. 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…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Unite the Union to discuss its Heat in Buildings proposals.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have not been approached by Unite the Union for discussions on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. However, we would be happy to have such a discussion at any time - building on the wide-ranging engagement with stakeholders across Scotland that we …
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the GMB trade union to discuss its Heat in Buildings proposals.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have not been approached by GMB Union for discussions on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. However, we would be happy to have such a discussion at any time - building on the wide-ranging engagement with stakeholders across Scotland that we have u…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Community Trade Union to discuss its Heat in Buildings proposals.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have not been approached by the Community Trade Union for discussions on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. However, we would be happy to have such a discussion at any time - building on the wide-ranging engagement with stakeholders across Scotlan…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the STUC to discuss its Heat in Buildings proposals.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Although we have not been approached by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) for discussions on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, we have written to the STUC to re-iterate that we would be happy to have such a discussion at any time - building …
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Unison to discuss its Heat in Buildings proposals.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have not been approached by Unison for discussions on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. However, we would be happy to have such a discussion at any time - building on the wide-ranging engagement with stakeholders across Scotland that we have unde…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many interest-free loans were granted through Home Energy Scotland in 2023.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme, launched in December 2022, offers homeowners and self-builders in Scotland a grant, interest free loan or a combination of both to support the installation of clean heating systems and energy efficiency me…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many expressions of interest were received during 2023 for interest-free loans through Home Energy Scotland.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme does not collate expressions of interest from potential applicants. Homeowners who wish to apply for HES Grant and Loan, or another of Scottish Government’s fuel poverty and energy efficiency schemes, con…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects any new minimum standard for energy efficiency to be introduced through its Heat in Buildings Bill to be equivalent to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C standard.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: A good level of energy efficiency is defined in the Heat in Buildings Strategy as equivalent to EPC C (based on current Energy Efficiency Rating on an EPC).However, the current Energy Efficiency Rating is not an appropriate basis on which to set an energy eff…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties it expects would be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards by 2028, as proposed in its Delivering Net Zero for Scotland's Buildings consultation.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill includes a proposal to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard. Landlords of private rented housing would be required to meet this standard by the end of 2028. The intention is to set a minim…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties that are in the scope of its 2033 minimum energy efficiency standard, as proposed in its Delivering Net Zero for Scotland's Buildings consultation, are (a) already meeting and (b) require any level of work to meet the proposed standard.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government wants all homes in Scotland to reach a good level of energy efficiency where possible and is consulting on proposals to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard that would apply to all privately owned housing by the end of 2033. …
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties that are in the scope of its 2028 minimum energy efficiency standard, as proposed in its Delivering Net Zero for Scotland's Buildings consultation, are (a) already meeting and (b) require any level of work to meet the proposed standard.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill includes a proposal to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard. Landlords of private rented housing would be required to meet this standard by the end of 2028. The intention is to set a minim…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties it expects would be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards by 2033, as proposed in its Delivering Net Zero for Scotland's Buildings consultation.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill includes a proposal to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard. Privately owned housing would be required to meet this standard by the end of 2033. A significant proportion of the housing sto…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish its Green Industrial Strategy.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: We will set out our strategy in the summer. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24109 on 12 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at htt…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish its Energy and Just Transition Strategy.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Following a comprehensive consultation process, the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will be published by Summer 2024. Following an extensive consultation process on the draft strategy, we are engaging with key stakeholders as we work towards publicat…
21 Feb 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that critical transport infrastructure is resilient against extreme weather events.
8 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the potential impact of the reduction to the Green Jobs Fund contained in its draft Budget 2024-25 will be on job creation in Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Published forecast figures on green job numbers are derived from projects where funding from the Green Jobs Fund has already been agreed and, in financial year 2024-25, support will continue for projects where commitments have been contractually agreed. It i…