Parliamentary questions

Liam Kerr

2,165 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

13 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17985 by Neil Gray on 25 May 2023, for what reason it provided a link to a webpage that has not been updated in the three months that the question sought information on, and whether it will provide the information requested regarding which (a) compa…

Answer · Neil Gray: I have met with a range of stakeholders in the energy industry since taking on this ministerial role. As the Scottish Ministerial Code states, information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published online three months in arrears from the end of that …

13 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish local authority analysis for the 2021 Scottish House Condition Survey.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not publish local authority analysis for single years from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS), due to insufficient sample sizes. The Scottish Government does usually publish local authority analysis using a three year poo…

13 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the analysis of the consultation on the New Build Heat Standard, which states that legislation will be prepared in spring 2023, when it plans to publish further information on the New Build Heat Standard.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 , which will give effect to the New Build Heat Standard, if passed, were laid in parliament on 8 June 2023. An accompanying policy note was published alongside these. Commissioned research into ‘Zero Em…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has incorporated the findings of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 2022 study, Carbon Neutrality in the UNECE Region: Integrated Life-cycle Assessment of Electricity Sources, in its modelling of Scotland’s future electricity system.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government uses a range of evidence in its assessment of the future energy system. The whole-system modelling produced by Energy Systems Catapult and which underpins the draft Energy Strategy was completed before the publication of the UNECE repo…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Contracts for Difference for wind farms in Scotland include the cost of decommissioning wind farms at the end of life.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Contracts for Difference scheme is a UK Government mechanism. Information about all Contracts for Difference strike prices is available in the public domain here: Contracts for Difference - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated the average annual greenhouse gas emissions that may have been avoided by generation at Torness Nuclear Power Station.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Analysis undertaken as part of the analysis underpinning the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan does not show any significant negative impacts from the closure of Hunterston B and Torness nuclear power stations on Scotland’s CO2 emissions. Under …

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the parameters and methodology of its electricity systems modelling analysis that was used to inform its draft Energy Strategy.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The whole systems energy modelling underpinning the draft Energy Strategy was conducted by the Energy Systems Catapult and the full details of the project are published here: Scottish whole energy system scenarios (climatexchange.org.uk) A context document…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its policy on energy production in Scotland, what its position is on the assessment in the Climate Change Committee report, The Sixth Carbon Budget, that a balanced pathway to net zero will require 10 GW of nuclear power in the UK after 2025.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government welcomes the analysis set out in the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget, where Scotland’s contribution to Net Zero is laid out in Chapter 4. We recognise the contribution that nuclear generation makes to the current energ…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the most expensive strike price is under the Contracts for Difference scheme for an operational wind farm in Scotland, given in (a) 2012 prices and (b) current prices, and when that contract was signed.

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its policy on energy production in Scotland, whether it has assessed how many countries in the EU are (a) phasing out nuclear power and (b) planning to build new nuclear power stations.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government position on nuclear power is clear – we do not support the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland. As set out in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, significant growth in renewables, storage, hydrogen an…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average capacity factor is of (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind in Scotland.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Across the four quarters of 2022 the average capacity factors of onshore and offshore wind were as follows: 1. Onshore wind: 28.2% 2. Offshore wind: 36.0% For reference this information is published on the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero websit…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average capacity factor is of Torness Nuclear Power Station.

Answer · Gillian Martin: According to The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), the average lifetime capacity factor for Torness Nuclear Power Station was around 75% for Unit 1, and 74% for Unit 2 in 2022.

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated the average price of generation from Torness Nuclear Power Station, and, if so, what that price is.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the price of energy generated by Torness nuclear power station. This information is of a commercial nature and shared only between the contract holders and the customer. However, what is clear is that exis…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of what the estimated electricity (a) generation capacity and (b) demand in Scotland will be in 2030.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Modelling undertaken as part of the evidence base underpinning our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, estimated electricity generation capacity and demand in Scotland in 2030 according to a range of scenarios. Across all three scenarios electric…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its policy on energy production in Scotland, what assessment it has made of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study, The Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World, which states that “the least-cost portfolios include an important share for nuclear".

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study considers the potential contribution nuclear can make as a dispatchable low-carbon technology. The report states: “The fundamental problem is cost. Other generation technologies have become cheaper in rec…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average strike price is under the Contracts for Difference scheme of the operational wind farms in Scotland, given in (a) 2012 prices and (b) current prices.

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many producers have registered for the Deposit Return Scheme as at 7 June 2023.

Answer · Lorna Slater: As 7 June, over 670 producers responsible for more than 2 billion drinks containers, representing 95% of products sold in Scotland had registered with Circularity Scotland. This represented the full range of drink producers from global brands to small craft …

5 Jun 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to commence its Deposit Return Scheme on 1 March 2024.

2 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14236 by Lorna Slater on 2 February 2023, whether the study to map the net zero gap skills on Scottish islands, as referred to on page 12 of the Carbon Neutral Islands Project Progress Report, has progressed beyond its "early stages" and the "initia…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The study to map the net zero skills on Scottish Islands is progressing and we hope to be able to report on progress by the end of the summer.

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its Expert Reference Group on Digital Assets.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Expert Reference Group (ERG) on Digital Assets was established to provide legal clarification on accommodation of digital assets within Scots private law. The ERG is currently drafting a response to the Law Commission for England and Wales’ (LCEW) Consult…

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of any requirement for an enabling regulatory environment, which would allow a blockchain-based peer-to-peer energy trading platform to function through the legal recognition and protection of incorporeal moveable property.

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18873 on 20 June 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-committees…

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the use of distributed ledger technology and artificial intelligence to facilitate the trading of renewable energy between households, and, if so, what assessment it has made of the use of such technology.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the technologies in question in relation to renewable energy trading. As the regulation of energy markets remains reserved, this would be a matter for the UK Government to consider.

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any interaction between section 67 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the provisions of its proposed Deposit Return Scheme, and of any impact that this may have on the scheme.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme would be a major part of our efforts to reduce littering. The Scottish Government does not consider that section 67 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 is relevant to any bottles or cans which have been littered and th…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it has spent nearly £220,000 setting up the Deposit Return Scheme to date, how much it budgeted for setting up the scheme.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has spent £218,565.83 in setting up the Deposit Return Scheme since 2018. This includes the costs associated with consultation, publication of regulations and associated documents, evaluations, independent reviews and assurance. The c…

23 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to mitigate any negative effects of commercial forestry on farming.