Parliamentary questions
Liam Kerr
2,165 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that tens of millions of pounds of renewable energy investment in Scotland is being put at risk and that there is a low rate of installation of public electric vehicle (EV) charging points as a result of delays in connecting vehicle charging hubs to power …
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Electricity policy, including regulation of Great Britain’s electricity networks, is an area reserved to the UK Government. In order to meet our net zero targets both increased renewable generation and network investment will be required. We are working to e…
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what any sanction will be for any (a) home and (b) business owner who fails to comply with the proposed New Build Heat Standard.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: It is currently the intention to regulate to prohibit direct emissions heating (DEH) systems being installed in new buildings applying for a building warrant from 1 April 2024 through amendments to the Building Regulations. Therefore, enforcement/penalties wo…
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken to identify how many off-gas-grid homes will not be suitable for the installation of an air source heat pump, and how many properties fall into this category.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: On behalf of the Scottish Government, Element Energy conducted analysis of the technical suitability of low-carbon heating technologies in Scottish domestic buildings, which included Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) in off-gas areas. A copy of this report is ava…
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider a phased approach to the introduction of the New Build Heat Standard for off-gas-grid homes and businesses.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government intends the New Build Heat Standard to apply to all new buildings, applying for a building warrant, from 1 April 2024 onwards. This is in direct response to the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change on how to meet the net …
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing an exemption to allow off-gas-grid (a) home and (b) business owners to use low carbon direct emissions heating systems after 1 April 2024.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) is our proposed new standard that will prohibit the use of direct emissions heating systems (DEH) in new builds warranted from 1 April 2024. Independent analysis of the responses received to the recently closed Part II New …
27 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the reported 926 responses received to the energy workers survey that was carried out in August 2022 as part of engagement regarding the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and, if so, within what timescale.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Analysis for the survey is ongoing and we intend to publish a report alongside the publishing of the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
24 Oct 2022 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, due to legal aid fees agreed in 1999 only increasing by 10%, there is a lack of legal provision across Scotland.
13 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of any unsuccessful applicants to its Just Transition Fund: year one projects, and whether unsuccessful applicants are permitted to apply for the next round of funding.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not intend to publish a list of the unsuccessful proposals that were submitted to the Just Transition Fund. The arrangements for applying to the fund next year have not been finalised yet.
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10964 by Jenny Gilruth on 26 September 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding what assessment it has made of any impact of not having published its 10-year islands connectivity plan on people in remote and island communiti…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is working on production of the Islands Connectivity Plan. Priority is being given to a long-term plan and investment programme for vessels and ports, with the aim of publishing a draft for consultation by the end of 2022. There are no…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many public electric vehicle (EV) charging points have been reported as broken or out of service and (b) what it estimates the cost has been of repairing broken and out of service public EV charging points, in each of the last three years, broken down by geographical area.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested more than £55 million in electric vehicle charging. ChargePlace Scotland (CPS), a publicly available network of chargers, now consists of over 2,300 charge points across Scotland. Responsibility for r…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) what data it holds on the inspection of flood defences, (b) how many such inspections have taken place and (c) what the results and outcomes of these inspections have been, in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the inspection of flood defences. Local authorities, or other relevant asset owners, are responsible for the maintenance and inspection of flood defences.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much each local authority has spent on installing electric vehicle charging points in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested more than £55 million in electrical vehicle charging. ChargePlace Scotland (CPS), a publicly available network, now consists of over 2,300 charge points across Scotland. Scotland benefits from the mos…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions its vehicles have received penalties for speeding or driving in prohibited areas such as bus lanes in each of the last five years, broken down by type of offence and penalty.
Answer · John Swinney: A list of Penalty Charge (PCN) and Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) notices issued to Scottish Government vehicles for each of the last five years is provided in the following table. The staff member driving the vehicle at the time of the alleged offense…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05625 by Patrick Harvie on 24 January 2022, how much it has spent on Spaces for People since April 2022, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The following table gives all Spaces for People expenditure for local authorities and other statutory bodies since April 2022. A small number of local authorities have yet to claim their full agreed grant. Partner Amount paid 22-23 Fife Council £43,403 M…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on Low Emission Zones in Scotland’s cities regarding vehicles that have been recorded entering zones, that are not currently operational, that would be issued with penalties once zones are fully operational in the coming years.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold any data on vehicles that have been recorded entering the Low Emission Zones declared in May 2022. Local Authorities in the LEZ cities are responsible for data gathering. As the ANPR (automatic number plate recognitio…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what projections or estimates it has for the amount of money that will be collected through the implementation of Low Emission Zones and the subsequent penalties imposed.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government will not collect any monies as a result of Low Emission Zone enforcement. Any funds received by the relevant local authority will be ring fenced for LEZ enforcement system running costs, and/or air quality improvement works. The penalt…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on gas and electricity bills across its estate in each of the last three years, and whether it will provide forecasts of how much it anticipates these bills will increase by in the coming year, broken down by building.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 set legally binding targets for the public sector to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with interim targets requiring a 75% reduction by 2030, and 90% by 2040. The Scottish …
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent removing projects that were created under Spaces for People, broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority area.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Neither the Scottish Government nor Sustrans hold details of the split between installation and removal of schemes; this information is held at local authority level.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Low Emission Zone fines have been issued in Glasgow for breaches by buses in each year since the scheme launched, broken down by bus operator.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As penalty charge notices can only be issued once Glasgow’s LEZ grace period expires (31 May 2023) no fines have been issued by Glasgow City Council as yet.
7 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its 10-year islands connectivity plan, and what assessment it has made of any impact of not having done so on people in remote and island communities, particularly in relation to the adequacy of ferry services.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09901 on? 15 August 2022. 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-committ…
6 Sep 2022 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on transport infrastructure improvements in the north east.
6 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee’s December 2020 report on regional marine planning, following Marine Scotland’s internal review.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: We continue to carefully consider the report and recommendations made by the previous Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee as regards regional marine planning and are working to finalise our formal response, which will be published this Autum…
6 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the National Marine Plan Review 2021, and when it will publish its decision on whether it will amend or replace the current National Marine Plan.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scottish Ministers have carefully considered the findings of the 2021 National Marine Plan Review. In our Programme for Government 2022-23, Scottish Ministers committed to start the process of developing a new National Marine Plan, to address the global clima…
5 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the comparable costs of running an air source heat pump in a non-retrofitted, non-fabric refitted average property, compared with a gas boiler.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Scotland has a varied building stock, with many different ages and types of properties. Homes are built with various levels of insulation, with many having altered the building fabric since construction (for example by installing double glazing). This makes d…
31 Aug 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has done on the potential impact on the sale price of new homes of its proposal to introduce new building standards to prohibit the use of direct emissions heating systems in new builds from 2024.
30 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10125 by Patrick Harvie on 25 August 2022, whether it will provide the information requested and confirm what (a) information it holds on what the estimated demand for electricity will be in Scotland from 2025 should its proposed ban on the use of d…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Security of electricity supply is a reserved policy area, delivered through UK Government electricity policy, Ofgem as the independent GB energy regulator, and National Grid ESO (the GB Electricity System Operator), as noted in the response to your question o…
25 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Japanese government’s reported decision to consider building new nuclear power plants due to the Ukraine war, soaring energy costs, and to meet Japan’s target of going carbon neutral by 2050, will have an impact on Scotland and Scottish Government energy policy-making.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Japan is a key partner country to Scotland, with numerous shared interests, including renewable energy and the subsea/offshore industry. However, the Scottish Government position on nuclear power is clear – we do not support the building of new nuclear power …
25 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09711 by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2023, when it last undertook a (a) cost-benefit and (b) life-cycle carbon analysis comparing a nuclear model with the renewables-plus-storage model of electricity generation, based over a nuclear asset's lifeti…
Answer · Michael Matheson: An analytical exercise, such as the one suggested, would be a significant undertaking and come at a large cost to the taxpayer. As it has been a long standing policy of the Scottish Government not to support the construction of any new nuclear power stations …
25 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09711 by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2023, and its statement that "new nuclear power will take years, if not decades, to become operational", what basis it used to determine the length of time it would take to build a small modular reactor (SMR).
Answer · Michael Matheson: The UK Government set out a timeline for ambitions to deploy a First-of-a-Kind Small Modular Reactor (SMR) by the early 2030s in their ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Future’ and ‘Energy White Paper: Powering a Net Zero Future’ (both published in 2020)…
24 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10006 by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2022, in light of it stating that it has not yet assessed the cost of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and not providing a suggestion of a figure, whether it has at least assessed the cost of…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The costs of global failure to address the climate emergency would be enormous and the Scottish Government is committed to leading the way in delivering early action to reduce emissions while at the same time positioning Scotland to secure and share the oppor…