Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-07074

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that it has only delivered approximately one in 20 of the offshore wind jobs that it forecast.

We are fully committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2045 and transforming Scotland in to a fairer, greener and more prosperous country, that is why we have committed £2 billion in low carbon funding to invest in new measures to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change and create green jobs. Creating, supporting and monitoring green jobs through initiatives like the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray and the Green Jobs Fund will be vital in helping Scotland to secure a truly just transition to net zero, with no person or region left behind.

These statistics, published by ONS annually, relate to what may be considered a narrower definition of direct jobs in the UK low carbon and renewable energy economy, including the offshore wind sector. Work is ongoing within the Scottish Government to establish a broader measure of green jobs. ScotWind puts Scotland at the forefront of the global development of offshore wind and represents a huge step forward in our just transition to net zero. I welcome the commitments from the winning consortia to invest at least £1 billion, on average, in Scotland's supply chain for every gigawatt of capacity generated. This will generate thousands of new jobs and provide opportunities for diversification and skills transfer from existing sectors such as oil and gas.

Question reference: S6W-06458

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05508 by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2022, whether it will provide its "internal analysis" that led it to conclude "that in 2030 alone Hinkley could add almost £40/year to a consumer bill".

Using Contracts for Difference published strike prices, the electricity being generated from offshore wind is currently priced at £39.65 per megawatt hour – compared to £92.50 per megawatt hour for the energy generated from Hinkley nuclear power plant. Using these figures, and UK Government estimates of future wholesale electricity costs, it can be seen that in 2030 alone, Hinkley could add almost £40 a year to a consumer bill, whilst the equivalent offshore wind farm would reduce consumer bills by £8 a year. This is due to the fact that in 2030, using these estimates, offshore wind prices will be lower than future average wholesale prices, whilst nuclear prices will be higher..

Question reference: S6W-06300

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) delivers the levels of renewable energy deployment required to achieve net zero.

Our draft NPF4 sets out how our approach to planning and development will achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.

Draft NPF4 includes green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Through the draft NPF4, we are also proposing to designate a national development which would establish the need for a large increase in renewable energy generation and substantial reinforcement and expansion of grid infrastructure throughout Scotland.

We laid the draft NPF4 in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November 2021. Alongside Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft, we are running a public consultation, supported by an extensive engagement programme, and comments are invited by 31 March 2022. Following this period, we will consider the responses received and any appropriate amendments to the draft NPF4 before presenting a final draft to the Scottish Parliament for its approval, in advance of adoption by the Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6T-00562

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its position on North Sea oil and gas exploration and production in relation to the security of Scotland's energy supply.

Question reference: S6W-06303

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that climate change and nature recovery will be the primary priorities of the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

Meeting greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and securing positive effects for biodiversity are two of six high level outcomes for the National Planning Framework set out in The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

The draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) currently subject to Scottish Parliament scrutiny, alongside public consultation, is clear that we must rebalance our planning system so that climate change and nature recovery are the primary guiding principles for all our plans and decisions. Its four overarching themes work together towards net-zero, adaptable places and addressing the nature crisis.

Our radically improved and new policies contained in draft NPF4 include new universal policies addressing the climate emergency and nature crisis, to be applied to all planning decisions. These policies create a requirement to give significant weight to the global climate emergency in plans and decisions. They also aim to deliver positive outcomes for biodiversity from development without the need for overly complex metrics.

Question reference: S6W-06301

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what ministerial discussions have taken place with representatives of Scotland’s renewable energy industry regarding the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

Question reference: S6W-06302

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Onshore Wind Policy Statement is reflected in the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) reforms.

Our draft NPF4 gives spatial expression to a wide range of Scottish Government plans, programmes and strategies. It sets out a vision for how our places will change in the future and reflects priorities across Scottish Government portfolios, including how our approach to planning and development will achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.

Draft NPF4 includes green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Through the draft NPF4, we are also proposing to designate a national development which would establish the need for a large increase in renewable energy generation and substantial reinforcement and expansion of grid infrastructure throughout Scotland.

We laid the draft NPF4 in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November 2021. Alongside Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft, we are running a public consultation, supported by an extensive engagement programme, and comments are invited by 31 March 2022. Following this period, we will consider the responses received and any appropriate amendments to the draft NPF4 before presenting a final draft to the Scottish Parliament for its approval, in advance of adoption by the Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-06461

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05802 by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022, what the membership is of the (a) Bioenergy Policy Working Group and (b) Bioenergy Expert Panel, and whether it will publish the minutes of the meetings of the Bioenergy Policy Working Group.

a) The Bioenergy Policy Working Group consists Scottish Government officials from a number of policy areas.

Agriculture Transformation for Environment and Climate Change
Bioenergy
Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
Critical Energy Infrastructure & Commercial Projects
Domestic Climate Change
Environmental Protection - Air Quality
Environmental Quality and Circular Economy
Heat Strategy
Hydrogen
Industrial Decarbonisation
Industrial Strategy and Technologies
Just Transition
Land Use Strategy
Land Use Transformation
Natural Capital and Land Management
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (OCEA)
Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS)
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
Scottish Forestry
Sustainable Aviation
Transport -Supply Chains and Alternative Fuels
Whole Energy System

Minutes from the meetings will be published as soon as practical. However the group are still in the process of developing policy and considering options.

b) The Bioenergy Expert panel has still to be assembled.

Question reference: S6O-00833

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with local government regarding support that it can provide in order to maintain local authority frontline services.

Question reference: S6W-06412

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet the timescales for the milestones set out on page 8 of the document, Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG) - Planning Specification and Context Report, published in August 2021.

The Scottish Government published the next stage of the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG) On 22 February 2022. This document reflects the results of the consultation that was held on the Planning Specification and Context Report last year and now describes the spatial parameters that will be used by Crown Estate Scotland to progress their related leasing round.

Given the proximity to ScotWind, the Initial Plan Framework and timelines were updated to account for the very significant and world leading results of the ScotWind process.

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