Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes (Scottish Labour - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that (a) ScotWind leases and (b) Supply Chain Development Statements (SCDS) produce stable, long-term economic benefits for (i) workers and (ii) businesses in north east Scotland.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
The ScotWind leasing round and the Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) process have been carefully designed and are managed by Crown Estate Scotland (CES). The process has produced a leasing round focused on quality and deliverability of bids, and long-term supply chain investment which promises to be transformational for Scotland’s economy.
We are building on the commitment of ScotWind developers to invest an average projection of £1.5 bn in Scotland per project by leveraging private investment in our supply chain through our offshore wind strategic investment. Working with our enterprise agencies, we continue to support companies in the North East and Moray - areas that have provided energy security through oil and gas for generations - to access opportunities emerging from offshore wind.
Asked by: Findlay, Russell (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of all costs that it has incurred to date on all aspects of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
The Scottish Government has spent £234,285.95 in setting up the Deposit Return Scheme since 2018. This includes the costs associated with consultation, publication of regulations and associated documents, evaluations, independent reviews and assurance.
In addition, as of January 2026, the costs incurred by the Scottish Government in the legal challenge from BIFFA Waste Services Ltd in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme is £447,092.
Civil Servants operate flexibly across a range of policies and programmes according to the specific requirements of their work at any given time. They do not, as a matter of course, record the proportion of their time spent working on particular matters. It is therefore not possible to provide an expenditure figure regarding how much the Scottish Government has spent on work by Civil Servants involved with the Deposit Return Scheme.
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes (Scottish Labour - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made in the Climate Change Plan of the impact of Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station on (a) terrestrial and marine (i) environmental quality and (ii) biodiversity, (b) greenhouse gas emissions, (c) carbon capture technology development and (d) carbon capture technology efficiency.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
The public consultation on the draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) closed on 29 January 2026. The final CCP was published on Tuesday 24th March.
Asked by: Ewing, Fergus (Independent - Inverness and Nairn)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reported concerns that an electricity grid in Scotland supplied solely by renewable sources of generation cannot provide synchronisation, grid stability and sufficient protection against the risk of brownouts and blackouts, and what its position is on how any reliance on renewable sources of electricity can maintain supplies, particularly during periods in winter when there can be little wind or solar power produced for several days.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
Responsibility for assessing security of supply rests with the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator, as a reserved matter. Balancing of the grid including determining relevant costs is also a reserved matter.
The Scottish Government is confident that NESO, as the body responsible for system operability, will ensure that grid stability and security of supply are maintained as the energy system transitions.
The Scottish Government meets regularly with NESO colleagues to discuss relevant issues including security of supply as required.
Asked by: Ewing, Fergus (Independent - Inverness and Nairn)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any plans it has for an updated energy policy, when it first announced that it would publish an updated policy; what date or approximate date for when the policy would be made public was stated in the announcement, and what the current date is for when it plans to publish any updated policy.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
Following the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), the Scottish Government stated in September 2023 that it would publish the final version by Summer 2024. However, since then there have been significant changes in the energy sector.
The judgements and issues in the ESJTP are informed and influenced by ongoing developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and by recent court decisions. We are taking sufficient time to analyse and reflect on those developments and their impact on Scotland. The Scottish Government has published many policy decisions on energy, setting out a clear policy approach.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill and specifically in relation to any potential section 35 or section 40 issues under the Scotland Act 1998, and what steps are being taken to ensure that cross-border enforcement and corporate liability provisions do not face constitutional or legal impediments.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
There have been official level discussions with the UK Government on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill. The Scottish Government considers that the Bill, if appropriately amended at Stage 2, would not have raised issues under section 35 or section 40 of the Scotland Act 1998.
Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43887 by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2026, what steps it is taking to work with trade unions to promote Fair Work principles in private contracts for domestic (a) production, (b) transmission and (c) distribution of offshore renewable energy.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
While the Scottish Government strongly encourages all employers in Scotland to follow Fair Work principles as part of its wider Fair Work agenda, it does not have the levers to enforce fair work conditions on private contracts. Employment law is reserved to the UK Government.
Asked by: Lumsden, Douglas (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how renewable electricity curtailment costs are expected to change over the next (a) five and (b) 10 years in Scotland.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
As matters relating to the setting and management of constraint payments are reserved, the Scottish Government has not made its own assessment of expected future changes in curtailment costs.
All regulation and legislation relating to electricity networks is reserved to the UK Government. The responsibility for the balancing the grid lies with the National Energy System Operator (NESO). More information including data on balancing costs can be found here: Balancing costs | National Energy System Operator.
Asked by: Findlay, Russell (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any work it has undertaken in relation to the remit and anticipated timescales of the recently announced public inquiry into grooming gang activity in Scotland.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
The Inquiry is currently in its early set-up phase, and the detailed Terms of Reference for the Inquiry will be developed over the coming months with Professor Jay. I need to be clear that it is not for Ministers to direct an independent inquiry chair on costs and duration.
Through my discussions with Professor Jay so far, she has said she wants to ensure the Inquiry delivered at pace while ensuring it has the flexibility to investigate any areas it deems necessary. My officials continue to work at pace on the initial set-up of the inquiry.
Mr Findlay was amongst cross-party MSPs invited to a briefing session which I chaired on 16 March to engage with Professor Jay and the Inspectorates leading the National Review into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation to hear more about progress on these matters.
Post-election, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills will provide an update to the Scottish Parliament as work to formally establish the Inquiry advances.
Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43887 by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2026, what action it is taking to promote the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund for the supply of skilled workers to SSEN Distribution’s five contract partners.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF), currently in its 2025-26 pilot phase and delivered by Skills Development Scotland, supports eligible oil and gas workers with careers advice and funding for training to access roles across a range of sustainable energy sectors. This includes roles in electricity grids, distribution and transmission.
It is for individuals applying to the TTF to set the overall direction of their application and therefore the sector(s) they may wish to access following training. This flexibility allows workers to assess their options, supported by expert careers advice, based on their experience, existing skill set, aspirations and the availability of jobs in their area.
In October 2025, the Scottish and UK Governments announced joint funding of up to £18 million to extend and expand the TTF over financial years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.