Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-15024

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what level of gas storage is available to mitigate exposure to international gas markets and energy price volatility.

The storage of gas in the UK is facilitated through commercially operated storage sites and is monitored by National Grid as part of its responsibility to ensure system balancing of supply and demand.

The following link to National Grid's, Gas Ten Year Statement for 2017 provides information on the availability of gas storage within the UK in Appendix 4.

https://www.nationalgrid.com/sites/default/files/documents/GTYS%202017_3.pdf

The Scottish Government works closely with National Grid – as well as with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ofgem and Scotland’s gas distribution network operator – to ensure that the supplies of gas to Scottish consumers remain resilient, and that Scottish circumstances and priorities are taken fully into account.

Question reference: S5W-15022

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any industry shutdowns to ensure that residential homes continue to receive gas supplies.

The responsibility for gas balancing activities lies with National Grid where it provides relevant parties with information about potential or actual risks to the end-of-day National Transmission System physical system balance. There are a range of tools that National Grid use to ensure system balancing of supply and demand is met.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any industry shutdowns that have occurred recently to ensure that residential homes continue to receive gas supplies, where National Grid has instigated this action.

The Scottish Government works closely with National Grid – as well as with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ofgem and Scotland’s gas distribution network operator – to ensure that the supplies of gas to Scottish consumers remain resilient, and that Scottish circumstances and priorities are taken fully into account.

Question reference: S5W-15103

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14060 by Keith Brown on 6 February 2018, whether it will consider laying the Annual Reports and Accounts before the end of September each year to allow adequate time for scrutiny and in advance of parliamentary committee evidence-taking on the budget.

Question reference: S5W-15180

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-14750 and S5W-14749 by Derek Mackay on 6 March 2018, when it will publish the outcome of its deliberations on improving payment practice in procurement.

As noted in my answer to S5W-14749, the Government is committed to improving the level of performance of public sector contracts in Scotland. However, the issues associated with matters such as prompt payment practices are complex and require careful consideration. It is therefore right that we take the time necessary to develop workable solutions that are not only appropriate for Scotland but are fair and equitable to contracting parties. At this stage I expect to be able to publish my conclusions by the end of this year.

With regard to retentions and the answer to S5W-14750, we expect to be provided with the outcome of the UK Government review of retention payments in the construction industry shortly. We will draw our own conclusions from the UK Government analysis and implement any measures we deem necessary.

Question reference: S5W-15023

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any concerns regarding gas and electricity price volatility as a result of security of supply and, if so, whether it has discussed these with the UK Government.

Security of supply for both gas and electricity is a matter reserved and one in which the Scottish Government has no formal functions.

It is a normal and necessary market reaction for prices to rise in answer to system tightness, driving a receptive and flexible supply response. The expectation is that this short-term increase in wholesale prices would not feed through to household bills at this time – energy suppliers typically buy their energy over several months to help smooth out price fluctuations, thereby insulating consumers from price fluctuations.

The Scottish Government works closely with National Grid – as well as with the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ofgem and Scotland’s gas and electricity network operators – to ensure that the supplies of energy to Scottish consumers remain resilient, and that Scottish circumstances and priorities are taken fully into account.

Question reference: S5W-15026

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much coal has been used to generate electricity in each year since 2010, and how much of this is imported coal.

The amount of electricity generated by Scotland's coal fired power stations during the years specified was as follows:

Year	Coal Generation (GWh)	% of total electricity generated
2010	14,730	48.8%
2011	10,793	39.1%
2012	11,754	35.7%
2013	10,839	31.9%
2014	10,315	27.7%
2015	8,508	22.0%
2016	2,238	13.2%

The stations in question, at Cockenzie and Longannet, were decommissioned in 2013 and 2017 respectively. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the source or quantities of coal used to generate electricity at these stations.

Question reference: S5W-15111

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it sought advice from the European Commission regarding whether its support for Glasgow Prestwick Airport was compatible with state aid rules.

Question reference: S5W-15123

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to West Dunbartonshire Council’s decision to reduce facility time for trade union conveners, and whether the First Minister was made aware of the proposal before her meeting with the STUC on 5 March 2018.

The Scottish Government believes that employers should take a progressive approach to relations with trade unions. It is for each council to decide how to deal with such matters in respect of their staff. Councils are autonomous bodies, responsible for managing their own day to day business and answerable to their electorates and not to the Scottish Government.

The First Minister was not aware of West Dunbartonshire Council’s decision before her meeting with the STUC on 5 March as the decision was only made at the council’s budget setting meeting on that day.

Question reference: S5W-15109

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been transported by the Scottish Ambulance Service's patient transport in each year since 2010, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S5W-15107

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff have been employed by the patient transport service exclusively for transporting patients in each year since 2010, broken down by NHS board area.

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