Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its target date is for all domestic properties to be converted from gas to hydrogen; how much it is estimated to cost, and what grant funding will be available.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
Hydrogen is not considered the primary approach to decarbonising domestic heat; however, it does still have a role to play where electrification is not the optimal solution.
Our Heat in Buildings Strategy set out the potential for hydrogen to replace natural gas in some parts of the gas grid. Any such role continues to depend on strategic decisions by the UK Government in the coming years.
Hydrogen use for domestic heating is new and needs to be demonstrated before the UK Government makes its decision. The Scottish Government has provided £6.9m grant funding to SGN’s H100 Fife hydrogen for home heating demonstration project, which will contribute to the evidence base on the role hydrogen can play in decarbonising heat using the gas network. This project is expected to come online in Autumn 2025 and will fit up to 300 hydrogen boilers supplied with 100% green hydrogen produced from offshore wind renewable electricity.
Asked by: Wishart, Beatrice (Scottish Liberal Democrats - Shetland Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government regarding replacing the existing North Sea Transition Deal with a coherent transition plan that has had input from unions, as well as affected workers and communities.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
The Scottish Government is clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland’s valued oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.
Decisions on licensing, consenting and the associated fiscal regime for offshore oil and gas are all matters currently reserved to the UK Government. Policy approaches on these matters will inform the future of the North Sea Transition Deal.
The UK Government consultation ‘Building the North Sea’s Energy Future’ closed on 30 April and we are now awaiting the Government’s response.
Scottish Government Ministers and officials engage with UK Government counterparts, industry bodies, trade unions and a range of other stakeholders when considering all of these issues and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes (Scottish Labour - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of its £100 million Green Jobs Fund has been allocated to date, (a) in total and (b) broken down by financial year.
Answered by Lochhead, Richard - Minister for Business
The Green Jobs Fund has provided £38.7 million in grant funding.
Green Jobs Fund Annual Funding Total | |
2021-2022 | £10.9m |
2022-2023 | £11.8m |
2023-2024 | £10.6m |
2024-2025 | £5.4m |
The Green Jobs Fund was discontinued in the 2023-24 financial year, with additional capital allocated in 2024-25 to meet existing contractual commitments.
Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding fireworks regulations.
Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety
I most recently met with Minister Madders, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets alongside the Deputy First Minister of Wales, on 26 February 2025 to discuss what more can be done on firework regulations as part of our on-going discussions to address the dangerous misuse of fireworks.
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much grant funding has been allocated to (a) support and (b) develop green hydrogen production in each year since 2020-21.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
Since 2020-21, 50 grants worth a total of £44.57m have been allocated to projects to support and develop green hydrogen production, as detailed in the following table.
Year Funding Allocated | Year(s) Funding Award(s) Span | Funding Stream | Recipient(s) | Total Amount | Description |
2020-21 | 2020-21 | Hydrogen Capital Budget | European Marine Energy Centre | £1.8m | To support delivery of innovative energy system combining flow battery technology with tidal power to produce continuous renewable hydrogen. |
2020-21 | 2020-21 | Hydrogen Capital Budget | European Marine Energy Centre | £0.92m | To explore the potential for a renewable hydrogen combustion engine to support decarbonisation of operations by Highlands and Islands Airports. |
2020-21 | 2020-25 | Hydrogen Capital Budget | Scottish Gas Networks H100 Fife Project | £6.9m | To enhance understanding of the role hydrogen in decarbonising heat using the gas network. |
2021-22 | 2021-22 | Hydrogen Capital Budget | European Marine Energy Centre | £0.45m | To help purchase two tube trailers to increase capacity and ensure more resilient hydrogen supply. |
2021-22 | 2021-24 | Energy Transition Fund | Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub | £15.1m | To support Aberdeen City Council to expand its hydrogen bus fleet as an anchor demand for the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub, a programme to accelerate the city’s hydrogen economy as a model that could be replicated. |
2021-22 | 2022-25 | Just Transition Fund | HydroGlen Green Hydrogen Project | £6.0m | To explore how farming communities can harness green hydrogen production, storage and use to aid energy transition. |
2023-24 | 2023-25 | Emerging Energy Technologies Fund - Hydrogen Innovation Scheme | 31 projects – details at link provided | £6.9m | Diverse projects spanning renewable hydrogen production, storage and distribution, and the integration of hydrogen into the energy system: |
2023-24 | 2024-26 | Emerging Energy Technologies Fund – Green Hydrogen Fund | Storegga Speyside Hydrogen Project | £3.1m | Match-funding to help progress pre-Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) and FEED stage development. |
2024-25 | 2024-25 | Emerging Energy Technologies Fund – Green Hydrogen Fund | 11 projects – details at link | £3.4m | Match-funding grants totalling £3.4m to progress 9 hydrogen production projects, and 2 supply chain projects: https://www.gov.scot/news/3-4-million-for-scotlands-hydrogen-future/. |
Asked by: Grant, Rhoda (Scottish Labour - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the new zero-emission ferry that it has part funded will begin transporting passengers on Orkney Ferries routes.
Answered by Robison, Shona - Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
This is a matter for Orkney Islands Council.
However, through the work of the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, the Scottish Government has been pleased to support this trial and welcomes the recent arrival of Orkney’s first zero emission ferry.
Asked by: Regan, Ash (Alba Party - Edinburgh Eastern)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the UK Government's national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse; if so, what lessons it has learned that are applicable in Scotland, and what its response is to reported calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland.
Answered by None
Protecting children from harm is a key priority for the Scottish Government. I welcome the findings of Baroness Casey’s Audit. We are working at pace with partners including Police Scotland to assess its findings and recommendations to understand how they might apply in Scotland.
Police Scotland has advised that there are no current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations described in Baroness Casey’s audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”. However, there is absolutely no place for complacency. That is why Police Scotland are carrying out their deep dive into previous investigations of the type referred to in the Baroness Casey audit. This is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks.
It should also be noted, that as a single force, with one vulnerability database feeding local and national child protection procedures, and a National Intelligence database, Police Scotland is well placed to address the information and intelligence sharing challenges highlighted in Baroness Casey’s Audit. Police Scotland will work closely with the UK National Police Chiefs’ Council leads in Child Protection to ensure mutual sharing of best practice and learning on this issue.
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry currently taking place is one of the widest ranging ever undertaken in Scotland, and includes an extensive review of child protection policy and practice in Scotland. Baroness Casey’s report specifically highlights the vulnerability of children in care to sexual exploitation and is likely to be a further source of evidence for the Scottish Inquiry to draw on.
Baroness Casey’s audit will also be considered by the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group, members of which include Police Scotland and Professor Alexis Jay, as it considers opportunities to improve our response to child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has regular discussions with UK Government counterparts to identify opportunities for improved collaboration. We are committed to working in partnership with UK Ministers to tackle child abuse and exploitation.
Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed its reported decision to pause the implementation of provisions in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 regarding (a) the implementation of a licensing system for those wishing to use fireworks and (b) restricting the days on which fireworks can be supplied and used.
Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety
Four out of six key measures provided for within the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, have been implemented and two have been paused, as outlined to the Criminal Justice Committee. The decisions to pause the implementation of a licensing system for those wishing to use fireworks and restricting the days on which fireworks can be supplied and used, are being kept under review. The Scottish Government is keeping abreast of developments being made by the UK Government including the consideration of the Private Members’ Fireworks Bill seeking to restrict and limit the use and sale of fireworks.
Asked by: Wishart, Beatrice (Scottish Liberal Democrats - Shetland Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the UK Government regarding its consultation on Building the North Sea's Energy Future.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
The Scottish Government is clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland’s valued oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.
Decisions on licensing, consenting and the associated fiscal regime for offshore oil and gas are all matters currently reserved to the UK Government.
The UK Government consultation ‘Building the North Sea’s Energy Future’ closed on 30 April and we are now awaiting the Government’s response.
Scottish Government Ministers and officials engage with UK Government counterparts and a wide range of stakeholders when considering all of these issues and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of green hydrogen it projects will be produced in Scotland by (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
The Scottish Government is committed to helping the Scottish hydrogen sector develop and grow to realise an ambition of generating 5GW of green and low-carbon hydrogen by 2030 and 25GW by 2045. Working with our Enterprise Agencies, we are actively engaging with developers to support and encourage hydrogen production projects across Scotland. Given the nascent nature of the sector, and the pace of the developing global hydrogen economy, future production capacity levels are subject to many factors and are challenging to forecast.