Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35073

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the increase in freight capacity will be on the Aberdeen-Edinburgh/Glasgow railway lines under the Aberdeen to central belt 2026 enhancement project.

Question reference: S6W-35074

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aberdeen to central belt 2026 enhancement project will be completed by December 2026.

The Aberdeen – Central Belt 2026 Enhancement Project is now known as the Aberdeen – Central Belt Service Improvement Project.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-32369 on 8 January 2025. 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-34487

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33262 by Gillian Martin on 24 January 2025, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm what information it holds on how many jobs in Scotland’s oil and gas sector, and its supply chain, have been lost since 1 January 2023, and, if no information is held on this, whether it will confirm this and, in light of the minister's comment that "the Scottish Government regularly engages with the offshore oil and gas industry on a range of topics, including workforce planning", whether in its next such discussion it will raise the matter regarding the number of jobs lost in the sector and how that data could be captured.

There is no obligation on private companies to inform the Scottish Government of redundancy figures, therefore this information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government will continue to engage regularly with both the oil and gas industry and the relevant trade unions, including in relation to workforce planning matters. We will also continue to monitor company announcements.

In the unfortunate event of any employees facing redundancy, the Scottish Government will always offer and provide support through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment, PACE. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work.

Question reference: S6W-34510

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish an updated memorandum of understanding between the Parole Board for Scotland and the Scottish Ministers, in light of reports that its publication is five years late and it previously stating that it would be published by the end of 2024.

The Memorandum of Understanding is a jointly drafted and agreed document between the Parole Board for Scotland (PBS) and Scottish Ministers. The MOU defines the relationship and interaction between Parole Board for Scotland and the Scottish Government.

The MOU is set to be rebranded as a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and is now reaching finalisation. Once agreed by both the Parole Board for Scotland and the Scottish Government, the document will be available and in the public domain, including via publication on the PBS website.

Question reference: S6W-34539

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners it anticipates will be released between 1 March and 31 December 2025 as a result of new GPS ankle tags.

Individual decisions on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) release are a matter for the Scottish Prison Service. GPS monitoring will initially be available for eligible individuals who have been deemed suitable for release on HDC after the completion of an individualised risk assessment. GPS will only be used within HDC, where the HDC risk assessment suggests that GPS use will be necessary and proportionate.

It is not possible to predict with certainty how many of those released on HDC will have a GPS condition of licence. For planning purposes we have assumed there may be around 20 people on GPS monitored HDC during the initial phase.

The Scottish Government will evaluate GPS to determine the next steps for the development of the monitoring service and any future areas where GPS may be used.

Question reference: S6W-34971

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33259 by Gillian Martin on 11 February 2025, in light of the question focussing on the Scottish Government's policies and strategy, whether it will provide the information requested regarding what assessment it has made of investment and activity levels in the North Sea resulting from a “presumption against new exploration for oil and gas", as set out in its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and whether it plans to remove language around a “presumption against” to encourage investment in the North Sea; if no such assessment has been made, either before or since publishing the draft strategy, whether it will confirm this, and whether it has taken a decision to only develop strategy by reference to "recent developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and court decisions".

Question reference: S6W-34972

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33261 by Gillian Martin on 12 February 2025, whether it will provide the information requested regarding what (a) discussions and (b) meetings it has had with (i) expert organisations and (ii) the UK Government regarding the potential consequences for the UK’s future gas supply if the Jackdaw gas field was not to be developed for any reason, and whether it will publish the minutes of any such meetings, and, if no such discussions or meetings have taken place, whether it will confirm this.

Question reference: S6W-34976

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it plans to undertake with the licensed hospitality sector ahead of planned non-domestic rates revaluations in 2026.

Question reference: S6W-34978

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what economic impact analysis it has undertaken regarding the licensed hospitality sector in relation to the limited non-domestic rates relief provided for in the draft Budget 2025-26, and when any such analysis will be published.

Question reference: S6W-34979

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to deliver a fairer, long-term replacement for non-domestic rates that will more equitably support the licensed hospitality sector, and whether it plans to consult on the implementation of any such replacement ahead of planned revaluations in 2026.

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