Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 20 January 2016
20 Jan 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Jobs in Scotland’s New Economy
I have certainly condemned the decision to scrap the funding for the scheme. I have done so in debates when the minister was present. However, I do that in the context of recognising that research on CCS will tell us whether it is something that we can come to rely on in future. At the moment, it is not a technology that will work straight out of the box and it is not something that we can rely on. Even if funding was in place, we would still need to find out whether it could play a role.
There will be those who will pretend that the Greens and others do not care about job losses and the communities that are currently overdependent on fossil fuel industries, but nothing could be farther from the truth. We are the ones setting out the case for Scotland to move away from an agenda that is not only polluting, not only destructive to the environmental life-support system that we all depend on for our survival and not only incompatible with the IPCC’s budget but fundamentally short lived. The word “unsustainable” is not jargon; it means that it cannot last. Because it will not last, we need to be investing in the alternatives that will.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15356, in the name of Patrick Harvie, on jobs in Scotland’s new economy. 14:41
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I am grateful for the opportunity to bring this debate to the chamber. I am sure that I can speak to my motion with confidence that the Parliament will respo...
The Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
Does Mr Harvie accept that carbon capture and storage is a technology that is necessary to achieve the objectives that he describes? Will he join us in conde...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I have certainly condemned the decision to scrap the funding for the scheme. I have done so in debates when the minister was present. However, I do that in t...
Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Does Mr Harvie accept that, as indicated in the University of Dundee report on climate change, Scotland is leading the way at the top of the European league ...
Patrick Harvie
Green
A great deal has been done by Scottish ministers and many of us to welcome and congratulate the consensus on the setting of targets. Not enough has been done...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
Does Patrick Harvie agree that, if the decommissioning process accelerates too much, there is the potential that we will lose a lot of the skills that are in...
Patrick Harvie
Green
A recovery in the oil price does nothing to change the fundamental context of the world’s global carbon budget and the world’s overvaluation of the industry....
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You must close, please.
Patrick Harvie
Green
With a bolder Parliament, Scotland can make this change—and make it a better change for everyone. I move, That the Parliament considers that recent North S...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We are very tight for time today. I call Fergus Ewing to speak to and move amendment S4M-15356.2. Mr Ewing, you may have 10 minutes or thereby. 14:56
The Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
I welcome this debate as an opportunity to highlight the energy sector’s importance to Scotland. It is important that we realise that Scotland has an abundan...
Patrick Harvie
Green
The minister is quite right to say that there are skills that can be transferred into new industries, but my central question is this: for how long can the t...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
The member asks several questions. If all of us do not support the work that companies in Scotland do right now in 2016 and for the foreseeable future, we wi...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Will the minister take an intervention?
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I am sorry—I have little time left. Fifthly, we need to ensure that we defer cessation of production and extend late-life assets fields. I believe that ther...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity presented to us by the Green and Independent group for a debate on North Sea oil and gas. It is, indeed, a well-timed debate: it wa...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member give way?
Murdo Fraser
Con
Yes. Mr Harvie can remind us of everything that he said about peak oil, if he wants to.
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am sure that Mr Fraser understands the reality of peak oil arguments, which bears no relationship to his words a few moments ago. Will he at least acknowle...
Murdo Fraser
Con
The fundamental problem with Mr Harvie’s argument is that he assumes that the only use to which we put hydrocarbons is to burn them. We put hydrocarbons to m...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Murdo Fraser
Con
No, I need to make some progress, if Mr McDonald will forgive me. If he checks the evidence that was given to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, he w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Draw to a close, please, Mr Fraser.
Murdo Fraser
Con
I am sorry that I do not have time for the minister. It is not just in offshore wind that we have an opportunity for low-carbon energy. The new Hinkley Poin...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Lewis Macdonald to speak to and move amendment S4M-15356.1. If members would confine themselves to six minutes, that would be a huge help. 15:13
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Scotland faces an oil jobs crisis that demands an urgent and concerted response. Getting that response right should be the focus of our debate. As we have h...
Chic Brodie
SNP
I think that the member and I share concern about the industry in the short term. Will Mr Macdonald give a view on why production of North Sea oil rose last ...
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
The short and simple answer is that under the immense pressure of the oil price, companies have finally begun to address issues of efficiency that they faile...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to the open debate. There is no time in hand at all, so members have up to six minutes. 15:19