Parliamentary questions
Brian Whittle
810 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to energy efficiency SMEs to (a) identify and (b) apply for support to upskill or re-skill their current workforce.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Information on public sector support available to businesses in Scotland can be found on FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot.
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out an assessment of workforce capability to support all aspects of installation and maintenance of low-carbon heat and energy efficiency measures.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are a…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of district heating networks across Scotland.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act, 2021 requires a review report to be laid before parliament 24 months after the publication of the Heat Networks Delivery Plan. The Delivery Plan was published on 31 March 2022 and the review report is due by 31 March 2024. Th…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of public procurement projects within the low-carbon heating and energy efficiency sectors that it anticipates undertaking in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The information requested is not available. The Scottish Government does not currently plan to directly procure any specific low-carbon heating or energy efficiency projects on behalf of the sector over the time periods specified. Scottish public authorities …
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider publishing the research, Scottish Supply Chain Opportunities in the Low Carbon Heat Sector, which was carried out by Delta-EE for Scottish Enterprise in 2020.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The report was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise as internal analysis to inform policy development. As such, this will not be published externally.
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish House Condition Survey not taking account of low carbon heating technologies in domestic buildings, such as heat pumps and solar, what consideration it has given to including such types of heating systems in the Scottish House Condition Survey in the future.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish House Conditions survey already accounts for and records the presence of low carbon heating technologies including heat pumps and solar panels. The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) consists of an interview with householders and a physica…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22664 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, what its position is on how the proposal that "Owner occupied homes that have ended their use of polluting heating by 2033 will not be required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard", as set out …
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Owner occupied homes which no longer use polluting heating by 2033 will have already, as a result of this change, removed all direct emissions associated with the heating of those homes. This means that there would be no need for a legal requirement to meet …
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23433 by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 December 2023, what its response is to reported concerns that (a) local authority planning teams are unable to process planning applications for renewable technologies beyond onshore wind, such as hydrogen, due to gaps…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of an efficient and effective planning system to enable quality development and infrastructure delivery. We are working in close collaboration with COSLA, Heads of Planning Scotland, the key agencies and indus…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill, whether it will provide any examples of lenders offering time-limited interest-free loans to cover the capital costs of energy efficiency measures and the installation of clean heat systems.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: This is covered in the Green Heat Taskforce Part 1 Report published on 22 November 2023 – in this report Nationwide is highlighted as an example of a lender currently offering zero percent interest loans.
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Scottish House Condition Survey 2022 will be published.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has already announced that the annual report and results from the 2022 Scottish House Condition Survey will be published in February 2024.
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reviewing the effectiveness of current funding allocations for energy efficiency and low-carbon heating courses.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are a…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken regarding any impact of its proposal for buyers to install clean heating systems if their property does not already have one on the affordability of new build homes within the (a) rural and (b) urban housing market.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment was completed for the provisions contained within The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 (which introduce the New Build Heat Standard from 1 April 2024). This contains an assessment of how the Standard m…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing compensation to heat pump installer companies to cover lost income while staff participate in training programmes.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan sets out practical steps that we will take to support the growth of the green heat sector. We continue to work in partnership with the sector to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are a…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that low-carbon heating systems and energy efficiency measures offered by companies meet appropriate standards for quality.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: For low carbon heating, such as heat pumps, the requirement is to use Microgeneration Certification Scheme installers to access Scottish Government funded support programmes. In relation to energy efficiency measures such as insulation, to access Scottish Gov…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to present Scotland as an attractive location to open businesses within the renewable tourism sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is working closely with partners to support Scotland as an attractive location to open new businesses across the whole of the tourism sector. Our work in the sector is driven by Scotland Outlook 2030, Scotland’s National Tourism Strate…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken regarding its proposal for private landlords to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by 2028 and any potential impact on the availability of private rental homes.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: This proposal is contained within the current public consultation Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A draft business and regulatory impact assessment has been published to support…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken regarding any impact of its proposal for buyers to install clean heating systems if their property does not already have one on the ability of buyers to secure a mortgage.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: This proposal is contained within the current public consultation Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A draft business and regulatory impact assessment has been published to support…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing a regulatory framework with compulsory qualification requirements in low-carbon heating technologies for installers.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We have worked with industry to define a set of recommended minimum skill sets and qualifications which is published as part of the Installer Skills Matrix .
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken regarding any impact of its proposal to prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in new buildings from 2024 on the affordability of new build homes within the (a) rural and (b) urban housing market.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment was completed for the provisions contained within The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 (which introduce the New Build Heat Standard from 1 April 2024). This contains an assessment of how the Standard m…
18 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to developing specific training within colleges and universities to develop skills in the delivery of heat networks.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Colleges and universities are responsible for setting their own provision based on regional and national demand, however Energy Skills Partnership, the college sector agency in Scotland for energy transition, zero carbon transport, engineering, construction a…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of energy efficiency businesses that are (a) located and (b) operating in Scotland, and how many of these are SMEs, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Businesses may become TrustMark registered and information on these businesses is available on the TrustMark website.
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22663 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether it is undertaking any targeted marketing to those aged over 55, and, if so, what specific forms these marketing activities take.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23652 on 21 December 2023 regarding targeted marketing at the over 55 age group. I further refer the member to my answer to question S6W-23657 on 21 December 2021 regarding the part of his question regarding sp…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of operating the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme was in terms of (a) overall staff, (b) IT and (c) administration cost to the Scottish Government in the 2022-23 grant year.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Energy Savings Trust administer a number of Scottish Government heat and energy efficiency funding schemes through a competitively procured contract. The fee charged by EST is not broken down into staff and IT categories. The Home Energy Scotland Grant and L…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22661 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, how it defines “technology-neutral” in the context of its Heat in Buildings policy.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: As set out in our consultation on Proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, the Scottish Government wants buildings across Scotland to be using clean heating systems by 2045. Clean heating systems are systems which do not produce greenhouse gas emissions at the…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22629 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, how the marketing campaigns are specifically improving awareness among people over 55.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We do not run marketing campaigns that specifically seek to target people over 55. Our campaigns promote our offer of support to those who need support heating their homes as well as potential early adopters of heat pumps. As those campaigns are evaluated we …
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22651 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, for what reasons an approved application including rural uplift would not be paid.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: As outlined in the response to question S6W-22651, applicants have 9 months to complete works and claim their funding from the date that their funding application is approved. This means that payments to applicants are often made in the months following their…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22672 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, what plans it has to “evolve and adapt” these schemes, in light of reports from the industry that current funding for energy efficiency retrofit projects needs to be more flexible and distributed from few…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government will continue to keep our schemes under review and working closely with stakeholders and our delivery partners will adjust as required to ensure that the outcomes delivered can be maximised for the funding allocated to them.
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22651 by Patrick Harvie on 16 November 2023, whether it can provide a breakdown of the information in the table by local authority area.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The following table sets out the total number of rural uplift applications approved, and the total number paid through the HES Grant and Loan Scheme between September 2022 and October 2023, broken down by local authority area. Applicants have 9 months to com…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many entities have been named as installers on Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme applications, broken down by (a) local authority area, (b) type of low-carbon heat technology and (c) type of energy efficiency measure.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: From the launch of the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme in December 2022 to September 2023, 1013 unique installers were listed on applications to the scheme. The following table shows the number of unique installers that have been listed on a…
6 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of HMRC-registered heat pump installation businesses that are located in and operating within Scotland, and how many qualify as SMEs.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Renewables Installer Finder tool, funded by Scottish Government, provides information on Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified installers who operate in Scotland and wish to list their infor…