Parliamentary questions

Liam Kerr

2,171 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

5 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported comments by the Minister for Transport in September 2021 regarding the forthcoming launch of its scheme for free bus travel for under 22s, whether it has developed a more robust system of estimating usage and uptake, or whether it is still relying on "guesstimat…

Answer · Graeme Dey: Transport Scotland has set out a Stage 1 and Stage 2 evaluation of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme following the first full year of operation. The evaluation will assess the short and medium outcomes and the long term impact of the scheme by compari…

4 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) service levels and (b) types of train sets ScotRail is required to run between Aberdeen and the central belt under the current franchise agreement, and whether this will change following it coming under direct state control from March 2022.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Service levels and the rolling stock used have been designed to match changing demand during the pandemic period, while at the same time considering efficiency of resourcing and overall affordability, for which Abellio ScotRail is responsible. Decisions on se…

4 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many class 43 HSTs train sets are in the ScotRail fleet; how many of these sets were in use on 3 January 2022 on the Inter7City network, and, if any of these sets were not being used on the Inter7City network on 3 January 2022, for what reason.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: There are 25 HSTs in the Abellio ScotRail fleet which are formed from 52 locos (power cars) and 117 coaches into 4 and 5 car formations but not all of these are planned to run in daily service. Abellio ScotRail has been providing appropriate capacity on thes…

4 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the current ScotRail franchise agreement requires it to run class 43 HSTs sets on its services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen; if it is not a franchise requirement, what the expectation is; how frequent these services are required to be, in terms of departures from (a) Edinburgh …

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: It is for Abellio up to 31 March and the new operator ScotRail Trains Ltd from 1 April 2022, to decide what rolling stock it runs and this needs to deliver the required timetable performance and provide capacity to meet changing demand levels. Transport Scotl…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of a ban in France on plastic packaging for most fruit and vegetables, what its response is regarding how such a ban could potentially operate in Scotland.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the impact that single use plastics have on the Scottish environment. That is why last year we laid regulations before Parliament that, subject to the impact of the UK Internal Market Act 2020, ban some of the…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a strategic transition plan from Scottish-generated nuclear energy to renewables, and, if so, whether it will publish this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is developing an Energy Strategy & Just Transition Plan which will be published in 2022. This document will serve as a plan to transition from today’s energy sector to an new, net-zero sector which meets the 2030 and 2045 climate targe…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to deliver a fair and managed transition for workers currently working at the Torness nuclear power station, following its closure.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is currently being developed. This will include co-design as a key underpinning principle, ensuring workers from across the energy sector have the opportunity to contribute towards this process. In addition,…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide its assessment of CO2 emissions data from all energy generation sources in Scotland over the last five years in a format that allows a comparison of total CO2 emitted by each type of (a) energy generation and (b) fuel used, where applicable.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The annual Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics publication is the main source of data used to assess territorial emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland. Although each annual publication is accompanied by a spreadsheet containing all background data at its f…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it opposes the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland, and, if so, for what reasons.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish energy strategy, published in December 2017, confirmed the Scottish Government’s continued opposition to new nuclear stations under current technologies. Our priority continues to be to support energy efficiency, develop Scotland’s huge renewabl…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government from where specifically it will source energy that is currently generated by the Torness nuclear power station, following its closure.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Security of electricity supply is a reserved matter and is delivered by National Grid ESO across the whole of Great Britain under regulation from Ofgem. NGESO is also responsible for sourcing generation to meet demand. Scottish electricity supplies are curre…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many workers it anticipates its Just Transition (a) Fund and (b) plans will assist to "transition"; where specifically these workers will be required to (i) live and (ii) work, and whether these will include oil and gas workers who are based outside of the UK.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Our Just Transition plans (beginning with the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan due to be published later this year) will set out how the economic and social impacts of our transition to Net Zero will be managed in a way that delivers on our nati…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to deliver a fair and managed transition for workers currently working at the Hunterston B nuclear power station, following its closure.

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government from where specifically it will source energy that is currently generated by the Hunterston B nuclear power station, following its closure.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05501 on 31 January 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…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates will be the source of energy that replaces that currently generated by nuclear power stations in Scotland; whether this will be from (a) fossil fuels or (b) renewable wind power; where precisely that power will be generated, and whether it will publish its calculation…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Security of electricity supply is a reserved matter and is delivered by National Grid ESO across the whole of Great Britain under regulation from Ofgem. Scotland is part of a GB electricity system that is managed by National Grid in its role as Electricity Sy…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates the closure of (a) Hunterston B and (b) Torness nuclear power station will have on consumer energy bills, and whether it will provide details of its projections.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We do not have modelling explicitly calculating the potential impact of the closures of Hunterston and Torness however we believe that nuclear power represents poor value for consumers. There remains considerable uncertainty around the economics of new nuclea…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Just Transition (a) Fund and (b) plans will support workers currently working in the nuclear sector (i) in general and (ii) following the closure of the (A) Hunterston B and (B) Torness nuclear power station.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The ten-year £500 million Just Transition Fund has been established to support the North East and Moray region, which does not host any of Scotland’s nuclear power facilities. Our forthcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will provide a clear road…

3 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Just Transition (a) Fund and (b) plans will include and support contractor limited companies.

20 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a Climate Change Business Bill within the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Ivan McKee: There are currently no plans to introduce a “Climate Change Business Bill” within the current parliamentary session.

20 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Fuel Poverty Strategy, due to be published by the end of 2021, and when the strategy will be implemented, as required by the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Fuel Poverty Strategy was published on 23 December. The Strategy sets out a range of comprehensive actions that will be taken to tackle the drivers of fuel poverty and meet the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicate it as far as reasonably possibl…

20 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a National Reuse Charter.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The existing Scottish Household Recycling Charter has been designed to cover and encourage reuse. As set out in the Programme for Government, we are committed to evaluate the Household Recycling Charter with COSLA, and review its Code of Practice to ensure it…

17 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the £49.1 million allocated under the Climate Action and Just Transition Fund, as detailed on page 86 of the draft Budget 2022-23.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Further to the Level 3 data provided throughout the Budget document, Level 4 data can be accessed via the spreadsheet titled ‘Scottish Budget: 2022-23 - Level 4 Data’, available here: Scottish Budget 2022 to 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A breakdown and …

17 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the possible increase in home heating and energy costs resulting from people spending more time in their homes during a period of working from home and increased self-isolation, in line with the COVID-19 guidelines.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We know that recent energy price rises will cause people to worry. My foremost concern is for households affected by these price rises, particularly those who are in or at risk of fuel poverty. It is worth noting that the setting of tariffs in the gas and ele…

15 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the objectives and key deliverables are for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding, as announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy on 9 December 2021.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The objectives of the ten-year £500m Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray are to support and accelerate energy transition, create good, green jobs and maximise the region’s future economic potential. This reflects our determination to tackle the …

11 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify the details of its aim to reduce the kilometres, or miles, travelled by car by 20% by a target date; whether the target date remains 2030; whether the aim has changed to a (a) quantity of miles or (b) target date of 2032; if so, for what reason, and, if not, for w…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The commitment to reduce car kms by 20% by 2030 (against a 2019 baseline) as set out in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan update (CCPu) published in December 2020 remains unchanged, either in terms of measurement or time scale. An incorrect graph…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported delays associated with road surfacing, which was followed by flooding to the gas network, whether it will provide an updated delivery (a) timescale and (b) cost for the completion of the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project.

Answer · Graeme Dey: he A92 A96 Haudagain Improvement project, which was anticipated to be complete in winter 2021, has faced a number of challenges including the impact of the pandemic continuing to disrupt progress. The contractor has indicated a revised date for completing the…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Historic Environment Scotland publication, Guide to Energy Retrofit of Traditional Buildings, regarding the need for "an extensive programme of domestic retrofit" and the part that "the existing built environment, including older or historic buildings, will ne…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: This technical guide is an example of Historic Environment Scotland’s important and pioneering work in climate change research. The guide is positive in addressing the common assumption that older buildings are harder to treat, and enables the owners of tradi…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to upgrade the energy efficiency standards of older and historic buildings.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government provides support for energy efficiency measures and zero emissions heating in Scotland’s homes and businesses, including for traditional and heritage buildings. Home Energy Scotland (HES) is funded by the Scottish Government to offer f…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether older and historic buildings will be subject to the same regulations as those set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, including the requirement for homes to reach EPC band C by 2033.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce – subject to consultation – regulations requiring Scotland’s homes and other buildings to meet EPC Band C equivalent, where that is technically feasible and cost effective. We also plan to reg…

8 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the best and most cost effective way to insulate traditional granite homes, such as those in the north east and Aberdeen; what the reasons and evidence are for its position, and how it plans to support the decarbonisation of such homes.

8 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary question by Jackie Dunbar, during First Minister's Questions on 3 June 2021, what progress it has achieved to date through its discussions with trade unions, businesses and communities to develop just transition plans.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government published its response to the Just Transition Commission in September. This set out a National Just Transition Planning Framework, which defined National Just Transition Outcomes and outlined how we will work with others to manage the …