Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 15 December 2021
15 Dec 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Economy (North-east Scotland)
This morning, I held a joint meeting with Scottish Renewables and the Scottish Cluster. At that meeting, we considered the opportunities for both sectors regarding the supply chain—encouragement of local supply chain development, manufacturing opportunities, developing a skilled workforce and working with local skills agencies, colleges and universities. I know from discussions with OGUK that it is keen to engage with both the Scottish Cluster and the renewables sector on that.
The cost of retrofitting properties in Scotland is estimated to be about £33 billion, according to a study by the University of Glasgow. The 2 per cent population share of my East Lothian constituency would mean £750 million in that sector alone.
Last week, in the Scottish Government net zero debate, I touched on a meeting with Scottish Renewables and SNP colleagues at which we heard about opportunities for the renewables sector to deliver an additional 17,000 jobs with an additional £33 billion of GVA by 2030. In that same debate, I mentioned a recent report by Robert Gordon University, which stated that 90 per cent of oil and gas industry jobs
“have medium to high skills transferability”
into green and net zero industries.
In the same item of business
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
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Liam Kerr
Con
Will the member give way?
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Lab
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Liam Kerr
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Colin Smyth
Lab
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Mr Smyth, I have given you the time back for the intervention, so please bring your remarks to a close now.
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Con
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Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
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Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con)
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Will the member give way?