Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-32213

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what finance mechanisms are being considered by the Green Heat Finance Taskforce to deliver the clean heat transition.

The Green Heat Finance Taskforce’s Part 1 report identified a range of finance mechanisms that could be expanded or developed to support individual property owners finance the upfront costs of installing clean heat and energy efficiency measures. These included approaches to encourage greater secured lending, developing equity release products focused on retrofit and exploring the potential to offer property linked finance in Scotland.

Its Part 2 report will cover financing place-based and social housing retrofit programmes as well as financing of heat networks. The report will focus on how to attract private investment at scale to unlock blended finance opportunities, combining public and private contributions, to deliver coordinated activity across multiple properties.

Question reference: S6W-32212

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what solutions it is exploring to scale up the private finance needed for the clean heat transition.

The Scottish Government has allocated £1.3 billion through its Heat in Building Programmes in this Parliamentary Session, investment it is committed to continuing in 2025-26 with over £300 million capital funding allocated in the draft budget. However, the Scottish Government cannot finance the transition alone and established the independent Green Heat Finance Taskforce with a remit to explore how to attract greater private finance to support the clean heat transition.

The Scottish Government is engaging with lenders and the wider finance sector as it considers the Taskforce’s Part 1 report and, following its Part 2 report, will formally respond identifying which recommendations across both Taskforce reports will be prioritised and how we will take forward action in partnership with others.

Question reference: S6W-32210

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, following the publication of the Heat in Buildings: progress report 2024, what action it is taking to strengthen the sources and quality of data on the number of (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic properties operating with zero emissions heating, including heat pumps, heat networks and electric heating.

Our progress report highlighted gaps in data that made reporting on some areas challenging, particularly heat networks and non-domestic properties.

Future reporting of heat network data will be improved through the introduction of a new GB-wide heat network authorisation and consumer protection regime. Ofgem have recently published Heat networks regulation: authorisation and regulatory oversight consultation which provides details on the registration and monitoring.

On non-domestic properties specifically, we continue to work with the Energy Saving Trust to improve reporting through further development of the Non-Domestic Analytics database. The database aims to provide a comprehensive resource on the non-domestic building stock in Scotland.

The data presented on domestic properties are comprehensive, being based on the Scottish Household Condition Survey (designated as Accredited Official Statistics). We will, however, continue to look for improvements in future reporting where possible.

Question reference: S6F-03643

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-31790

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it is taking to ensure that all parts of the parliamentary estate will be able to maintain a reasonable temperature for the wellbeing of staff, during the winter months.

The SPCB can confirm that temperatures will be maintained to allow building users to work comfortably within their specific work areas.

We are aware that the temperature in the building recently was below comfortable levels.

We are currently undertaking a major replacement project for the Building Energy Management System (BEMS) which controls and monitors the heating, ventilation, and cooling throughout the building. The outside temperature had taken a sudden dip; this was the first time the new controls were stress tested. We had expected the building to react more quickly to the drop in temperature; clearly this was not the case. The parameters have now been adjusted to take this into account and a faulty external sensor has been re-calibrated.

Question reference: S6O-04058

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the planned review of Creative Scotland will improve compliance with fair work principles in the culture sector.

Question reference: S6F-03566

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03492

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6O-03862

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce energy consumption from the built environment.

Question reference: S6W-30267

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the possibility of designating Scottish bodies, including Creative Scotland, as endorsing bodies for the Global Talent Visa.

While immigration is reserved, the Scottish Government is committed to seeking to work collaboratively with the new UK Government to ensure that the UK immigration system reflects Scotland’s distinct demographic, cultural and economic needs. The First Minister made this clear in his meeting with the new Prime Minister on Sunday 7 July and this was reinforced during an introductory meeting between the Home Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice on 29 September.

In relation to Creative Scotland, Arts Council England currently endorse applications for the Global Talent Visa for the culture sector on a UK-wide basis. Creative Scotland is not currently seeking to become an endorsing body. Creative Scotland has a good working relationship with the international team at Arts Council England around mobility matters and engages with them on the process on an ongoing basis.

Tell us your views

Chamber and committees