Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 23 February 2021
23 Feb 2021 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill
Mr Rowley, there is time in hand so you do not need to worry about that; you can take longer if you need it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-24192, in the name of Paul Wheelhouse, on the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill. Before I invite Paul Wheelho...
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity (Michael Matheson)
SNP
For the purposes of rule 9.11 of the standing orders, I advise the Parliament that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Heat Networks (Sco...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse, to speak to and move the motion. 16:23
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse)
SNP
I am delighted to have the opportunity to address members on the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill. I am also delighted that we have reached this stage, after ma...
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work that has gone into the bill from our clerks and researchers, and from the external stakeholders, who hav...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open for Labour in today’s debate. I am glad that the bill will introduce a regulatory and licensing system for district and communal heatin...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on an important piece of legislation that Scottish Liberal Democrats will be delighted to support. I am proud of t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I remind members who are taking part in the debate that they should remain in the chamber for the opening speeches, which is particularly pertinent to those ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
As a member coming to the bill in its later stages, I thank the committee for its detailed stage 1 report, which made the intricacies of the bill much easier...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We move to the open debate. 16:47
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
SNP
The aim of the bill is simple: to encourage greater use of local heat networks in Scotland and thereby move away from burning gas and fossil fuels to heat ou...
Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con)
Con
These measures to tackle Scotland’s move to zero carbon by the middle of the century will no doubt be welcomed by all parties. When the bill came before Par...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
The debate on the bill has been really constructive. We are now living in a climate emergency and we need to take steps across all sectors to reduce our carb...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Alex Rowley to close the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour. 16:59
Alex Rowley
Lab
This has been a really good debate. I again pay tribute to the minister, Paul Wheelhouse, for the way in which he has engaged with other parties across the P...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr Rowley, there is time in hand so you do not need to worry about that; you can take longer if you need it.
Alex Rowley
Lab
Thank you. The Government’s progress on community ownership of renewable energy is behind—I think that 70 per cent of the target was achieved by 2020—so the...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Graham Simpson to close for the Conservatives. 17:04
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I apologise for briefly leaving the chamber during the debate, Presiding Officer. It has been a very good debate. Alex Rowley summed up why the bill is so i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call the much-praised Mr Wheelhouse to close the debate on behalf of the Government. Minister, you can have 10 minutes if you wish. 17:09
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I thank all members for their contributions to today’s debate and getting the bill to this point. I will try to cover...
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
Given that we have reached the end of scheduled business, I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 11.2.4 of the standing orders, that decis...