Liam Kerr

29 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcomes and KPIs set for the Just Transition Fund were, which of those it expects to achieve by the end of the current parliamentary session and what milestones (a) were set and (b) have been achieved so far.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Just Transition Fund does not have a single set of programme-wide KPIs. Instead, each funded project has its own agreed targets and milestones, which are monitored through quarterly, annual and final reporting.The Fund's overarching outcomes are:Jobs, ski…

27 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ScotRail services between Aberdeen and Edinburgh or Glasgow have used Class 158 trains since January 2025, broken down by month, and what proportion this represents of all passenger services allocated to those routes.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail directly.

27 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) approved and (b) was consulted on ScotRail’s allocation of Class 158 trains to services between Aberdeen and Edinburgh and Glasgow, and what criteria were used to determine whether these trains were suitable for these routes.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01400 on 9 July 2026. 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/w…

27 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the use of Class 158 trains on ScotRail services between Aberdeen and the Central Belt provides an appropriate standard of rolling stock for these journeys, and what discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding the allocation of rolling stock to these routes.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: Whilst the Scottish Government expects ScotRail to allocate its rolling stock in a manner that maximises operational efficiency and meets passenger needs, responsibility for these operational decisions rests with ScotRail as the train operating company, drawi…

26 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the November 2025 report by the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025, and whether it plans to implement the recommendations in relation to devolved policy areas.

Answer · Stephen Gethins: The UK Government’s Nuclear Regulatory Review specifically excluded devolved issues in Scotland and Wales in its consideration. Therefore, recommendations covering such matters are set out for England only.The Scottish Government remains firmly opposed …

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Barnett consequential funding has arisen from the introduction of the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England, which replaced the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Scheme.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government has not identified any Barnett consequential funding specifically linked to the introduction of the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England.Under the Barnett formula, changes to the Scottish Government’s funding are calculated …

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government following the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Scheme, whether it will implement a replacement scheme as has been done in England. 

Answer · Mairi McAllan: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01172 on 10 July 2026. 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/…

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any projected impact of the introduction of a £2 bus fare cap on income for Scotland's railway. 

Answer · Stephen Flynn: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01245 on 9 July 2026. 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/w…

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the planned programme of discontinuous electrification of sections of Scotland's railway, what the total cost is and what the projected cost would be if those sections were to be covered by full overhead line continuous electrification.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: The Scottish Government does not have the figures requested by the Member and does not hold any such comparison.

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions is attributable to rail transport.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: The Scottish Government has not prepared its own analysis to assess the proportion of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions attributable to rail transport. However that information is available publicly.

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the ScotRail Spirit of Scotland pass, (a) for what reason it is limited to trains departing after 9.15am, (b) whether consideration has been given to local exclusions and exclusions reflecting timetabling of services in areas outside the Central Belt, and (c) whether…

Answer · Stephen Flynn: ScotRail Spirit of Scotland pass is aimed at leisure travellers, with morning timing restrictions in place to encourage travel at quieter times out with busy commuting times.For those who wish to travel earlier, we’ve reduced the cost of rail travel by …

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the projected whole-life cost is of the battery electric multiple units (BEMUs) to be used on stretches of Scotland's railway network with discontinuous electrification, and how this compares with the equivalent whole-life cost for locomotives with fully electric engines.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: The Scottish Government does not have the figures requested by the Member and does not hold any such comparison.

23 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the financial case for the £2 bus fare cap, including the total projected (a) cost of reimbursements to bus companies and (b) reduction in rail ticket income.

Answer · Stephen Flynn: The purpose of the £2 bus fare cap pilot in the Highlands and Islands is to test the impact on bus patronage and subsequent modal shift of such an intervention. The focus of the analysis of the pilot will include evaluation of the impact on bus patronag…

22 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide its assessment of carbon dioxide emissions from all energy generation sources in Scotland over the last five years, including a comparison of total emissions by (a) type of energy generation and (b) fuel used, where applicable.

Answer · Gillian Martin: On 9th June 2026 the Scottish Government published the Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2024 official statistics publication. These statistics focus on all Greenhouse Gas emissions rather than specifically carbon dioxide, however they do provide answers to …

22 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what strategic transition plan it has in place to move from Scottish-generated nuclear energy to renewables, and whether it will publish this.

Answer · Stephen Gethins: The Scottish Government, together with the UK Government and Welsh Government, has commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to produce a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). The SSEP is a whole system spatial plan for Great Britain’s fut…

12 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers by Stephen Gethins to questions S7W-00644 and S7W-00793 on 3 and 11 June 2026 respectively, for what reason it has not provided the information that was requested regarding whether it supports the introduction of zonal pricing in the electricity market, and what s…

Answer · Stephen Gethins: As I set out in my previous response, the UK Government did not provide a detailed policy design or a full assessment of the potential impacts of zonal pricing on consumers, communities and businesses in Scotland.We engaged with a broad range of stakeholders …

9 Jun 2026 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will honour, in full, commitments made by previous Ministers for Transport to upgrade road infrastructure in the North East of Scotland. 

8 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the total value of the ScotWind Wealth Fund to be by the end of the current parliamentary session, and whether any existing ScotWind revenue will be made available for the fund.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Decisions on further allocations of ScotWind funding and the establishment of a ScotWind Wealth Fund will be taken at future fiscal events.

5 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many trees have been felled to accommodate (a) windfarms and their associated infrastructure and (b) other energy projects in each calendar year since 2022.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: On Scotland’s national forests and land, tree felling associated with windfarm developments and associated infrastructure since 2022 is 922.30 hectares. Based on the average of 2000 trees per ha, this gives an estimated total of 1.84 million trees felle…

5 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many representations under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 it has received from (a) the public and (b) organisations regarding windfarms in each calendar year since 2021, broken down by region, and how many were (i) objections and (ii) expressions of support.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government does not centrally hold this information in a format that would allow it to be readily identified and categorised by type of respondent or by position (objection or support) for the full period requested.Prior to 16 January 2026, repre…

5 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings ministers have held with GB Energy sice May 2025, who attended and what was discussed.

Answer · Stephen Gethins: The former Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, met Juergen Maier, interim Chair of GB Energy, and Dan McGrail, CEO of GB Energy, on 14 May 2025. A range of matters were discussed, focusing on how the Scottish Government, public bodies and GB Energy can work t…

5 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00615 by Stephen Gethins on 11 June 2026, which did not address the question posed, whether it will confirm that it has not made an assessment of the impact of the anticipated closure of Torness nuclear power station on energy affordabilit…

Answer · Stephen Gethins: Consumer prices reflect the energy mix and market arrangements across Great Britain rather than the output of any individual generating station.

5 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the current inflation-adjusted strike price or equivalent guaranteed revenue support price per MWh, as relevant, for electricity generated by nuclear power stations operating or proposed within the Great Britain electricity market.

Answer · Stephen Gethins: Contracts for Difference and other revenue support for generation are the responsibility of the UK Government.The Scottish Government holds no information beyond that published by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC). Hinkley Point C is the only nuclear po…

3 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00321 by Jenny Gilruth on 3 June 2026, how much (a) money was raised from the ScotWind leasing round, (b) of this money it used or has profiled to use on other portfolio commitments as well as supporting the Scottish Budget, and (c) remains and whet…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The ScotWind leasing round has secured £755m for the public purse.Information about how ScotWind income has been drawn down or re-profiled can be found in the Budget, Autumn Budget Revision, Spring Budget Revision and Provisional Outturn publications fo…

3 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00644 by Stephen Gethins on 3 June 2026, which did not address the question posed, and in light of remarks by Alan Brown MSP in the debate, It’s Scotland’s energy, on 28 May 2026, in which he said, "Zonal pricing was an option …

Answer · Stephen Gethins: The Scottish Government was not provided with detailed policy design details for the implementation of zonal pricing nor did the UKG provide a full assessment of the impact of this on consumers, communities and businesses in Scotland. We have been clear that …

3 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage private investment in geothermal energy infrastructure.

Answer · Stephen Gethins: The Scottish Government works closely with its partners to promote awareness of the tools, sub-surface data and funding available to stakeholders to support exploration of Scotland’s geothermal energy potential. Examples of this work are set out in the …

3 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending permitted development rights for small-scale geothermal and heat networks.

Answer · Hannah Mary Goodlad: The Scottish Government last year consulted on potential new permitted development rights for the installation (and subsequent repair and maintenance) of underground pipework and associated apparatus for the purposes of connecting individual buildings to a he…

2 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic on 2 June 2026 on phone-free classrooms, whether it plans to limit the extent of any ban to classrooms and/or formal classroom time, or whether it plans to implement a ban across the whole school day and/…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We have committed to implement a national ban on smart phones in learning environments and will begin a consultation to inform this legislation in the first 100 days of this government. The consultation will gather views on the potential scope of the restrict…

2 Jun 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the eight Ford Ranger Ultra-Light Pumping Units, which can been used for wildfire management and cost nearly £1 million, are all operational as of 3 June 2026, in light of them being unavailable during Scotland’s worst wildfire season on record in 2025.

Answer · Neil Gray: The procurement and safe deployment of assets is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). It is important to note that the eight Ford Ranger Ultra-Light Pumping Units are replacing legacy fire appliances. These are not dedicated …

2 Jun 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Scotland’s energy security, including any consequent action it plans to take, in light of heightened global tensions particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine.