- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to increasing the quantity of environmental bathing water sampling from six months a year to 12, in light of the increase in wild swimming as a hobby across Scotland, and the reported increased risk of sewage overflows in winter weather, and what its position is on whether checking for six months only is sufficient for swimming safety.
Answer
The Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008 enable Scottish Ministers to designate a bathing season in a period where they expect a large number of people to bathe at a designated bathing water. The definition of bathers, in this instance, is exclusive to paddlers and swimmers and does not cover other water users.
For all 87 designated bathing waters in Scotland the bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September each year, in accordance with the traditional period of peak usage. In comparison with the 3.5 month bathing season in Scotland across Europe the season length varies from 2 months in Sweden to 6 months in Cypress.
The aim of the Bathing Waters Regulations is to minimise the risks to human health to swimmers and paddlers from bacteriological impacts whilst bathing. It would be disproportionately costly to monitor bathing waters outwith the current bathing water season when they are not regularly used by large numbers of bathers. General health advice on wild swimming is available from the UK Health Security Agency at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/swim-healthy-leaflet/swim-healthy , which is also applicable to Scotland
The number of bathing waters in Scotland has increased since last year and now stands at 87, with 98% achieving the bathing water quality standards and more rated excellent than ever before.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many active working groups there are that fall under the remit of (a) just transition, (b) net zero and (c) energy, and whether it will provide a list of these groups.
Answer
The Scottish Government works with a variety of stakeholders, who support and shape work on the just transition, net zero and energy. The input from our stakeholders is invaluable and plays a vital role in helping deliver a just energy transition to net zero.
The number and makeup of these working groups varies in line with government priorities. Examples of working groups which fall under the remit of just transition, net zero or energy include:
- The Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)
- The Scottish Energy Networks Strategic Leadership Group
- The Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership Group
- Energy Consumers Commission
- Just Transition Commission
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close the autism spectrum employment gap.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the reopening of the railway between Dumfries and Stranraer.
Answer
An option for reopening the rail line between Dumfries and Stranraer was assessed as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). The outcome of this was that this option did not form part of the strategic transport investment recommendations within STPR2.
Instead, recommendations set out in STPR2 for rail focus on the decarbonisation of the remainder of the network; measures to increase the amount of freight travelling by rail, including on the key routes in South West Scotland serving Stranraer and Dumfries; and on improving connectivity between our major cities.
However, there remains a path for regional or local rail projects to come forward, and Transport Scotland will consider these subject to a strong business case being developed in accordance with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) and suitable funding being available.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on Scotland, what its position is on whether the Energy Charter Treaty is functioning well.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12547 on 5 December 2022. 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: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on Scotland, what its position is on whether the UK Government should leave the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12547 on 5 December 2022 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: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding reform of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12547 on 5 December 2022. 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: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on Scotland, whether it considers the Energy Charter Treaty should be reformed, and, if so, what its position is on how it should be reformed.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about the continuing discussions to renegotiate the Energy Charter Treaty, with a view to identifying and mitigating any particular impacts on Scotland.
The Scottish Government is aware of the concerns raised by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and others that International Investment Agreements, such as the Energy Charter Treaty, may lead to ‘regulatory chill’. That is why, in our Vision for Trade, we are clear that no part of a trade or investment agreement should limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate in devolved areas, or constrain much-needed action to achieve our net zero goal.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many additional public electric vehicle (EV) charging points are planned across Scotland, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) estimated timescale for delivery.
Answer
The Scottish Government has invested over £65m in the ChargePlace Scotland Network that now has over 2,400 publicly available electric vehicle charge points, alongside supporting homes and businesses to install almost 20,000 charge points. A range of factors will influence the number of charge points required – and delivery plans will be determined by both public and private investment.
Our focus is on making sure that the public charging network builds on the benefits of ChargePlace Scotland, which includes maintaining comprehensive coverage across all parts of Scotland. To that end, our £60m EV Infrastructure Fund has the potential to at least double the size of the public charging network over the next four years. This is over and above the commercial investment in charge points now taking place across Scotland.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its current estimate is of the amount of community benefit funds currently being paid for both onshore and offshore wind developments.
Answer
It is not possible for the Scottish Government to mandate the provision of community benefits through energy regulation because the relevant powers are reserved to the UK Government. However, we continue to encourage renewable energy businesses to offer community benefit packages in line with our Good Practice Principles; promoting a national level equivalent to £5,000 per installed megawatt per annum for onshore renewable developments, index linked for the operational lifetime of the project.
Local Energy Scotland, who deliver our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), administer a voluntary register of community benefits payments and a community benefits map. This indicates a community benefit commitment of around £24 million will have been paid out from renewable energy projects in Scotland over the past year (from November 2021 to November 2022).
All developers of renewable energy developments and local communities in receipt of community benefit payments are encouraged to use and input to the register. The register and map can be viewed here: https://localenergy.scot/community-benefits-map/
Work is underway to review the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments.
