- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that there is operational separation between decisions on Electricity Act 1989 consents and decisions relating to capital investment, infrastructure financing or budget allocation.
Answer
The Minister for Public Finance has no role in decisions relating to funding, financing or financial guarantees for electricity transmission infrastructure projects that are subject to Electricity Act 1989 consents.
Legislation and regulations relating to electricity networks are reserved to the UK Government, with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) responsible for the strategic approach to the development of the electricity system across Great Britain.
Regulation of the electricity network including approval of investment in infrastructure is carried out by the independent energy regulator Ofgem.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
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Current Status:
Due to be taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy will engage with community groups affected by new energy projects now that she is no longer responsible for energy consent decisions.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it made an assessment of any potential risk that transferring Electricity Act 1989 consent decisions to the Public Finance portfolio could increase the weighting given to capital cost considerations.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43118 on 27 January 2026. 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.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy retains any role in the oversight of officials within the Energy Consents Unit following the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance.
Answer
The Minister for Public Finance has assumed responsibility for determining the granting of consents for energy projects, alongside his other responsibilities with regard to planning. Oversight of other work conducted by the Energy Consents Unit remains my responsibility.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it will notify the Parliament of any future changes to ministerial responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents.
Answer
Should there be any future changes to ministerial responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents, a letter would be issued to the relevant Scottish Parliament Committee to notify them of the change, as was the case in this instance.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether any objections were raised by officials during the process of transferring responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance and, if so, at what level.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43110 on 27 January 2026. 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.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance does not impact transparency and public confidence in the consent process.
Answer
The full grounds for Scottish Ministers' decisions are set out in the decision letter which is publicly available online on the Energy Consents Unit portal. There are no plans to change this approach.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place between the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy and the (a) First Minister and (b) cabinet secretary with responsibility for planning regarding the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43110 on 27 January 2026. 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.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on how any impacts on the environment, landscape and communities are balanced against financial considerations in Electricity Act 1989 consent decisions following the change in ministerial responsibility.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43118 on 27 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government who has ministerial oversight of the Energy Consents Unit and the associated development portal, following the transfer of responsibility for Electricity Act 1989 consents to the Minister for Public Finance.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43133 on 27 January 2026. 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.