Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 14 March 2023
14 Mar 2023 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Net Zero: Local Government and Cross-sectoral Partners
I appreciate what the cabinet secretary says about community engagement, as that is a vital subject on which I think we can all agree. However, the report states clearly—this issue resonates with me, because I asked the First Minister about it last year sometime—that the Scottish Government needs to give clear guidance to local authorities. There is an important sentence in the report’s executive summary and in the conclusions about the importance of councils receiving additional resources in the run-up to 2045 because, otherwise, the net zero objective will not be attainable.
I ask the cabinet secretary to comment on those two principal aspects of the report: the need for clear guidance from the Scottish Government and the need for additional resources.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
The next item is a debate on motion S6M-08209, in the name of Edward Mountain, on behalf of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, on the role of loca...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to open the debate on the committee’s inquiry. I thank the many people who contributed to the inquiry, especially the councils and their local p...
The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport (Michael Matheson)
SNP
I take this opportunity to thank the committee for its time and effort in undertaking its inquiry and producing its very detailed report. I also put on the r...
Fiona Hyslop (Linlithgow) (SNP)
SNP
I listened carefully to what the cabinet secretary said. He described the place-based approach as being about participatory budgeting in local geographical a...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I very much agree with that. One action that we have been taking, as I mentioned, is through climate action hubs, which are about helping to lever in public ...
Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I appreciate what the cabinet secretary says about community engagement, as that is a vital subject on which I think we can all agree. However, the report st...
Michael Matheson
SNP
On the point about guidance, yes, there needs to be guidance, but that needs to be developed in partnership with local government, and not be top-down guidan...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Michael Matheson
SNP
I am conscious of the time, Presiding Officer. Do I have to conclude?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You do indeed.
Michael Matheson
SNP
I therefore offer my apologies to the member. We are also continuing to work closely with local government through our recently established heat network sup...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the clerks to the committee and my fellow committee members for what is a very good report—I agree with the convener about that. It is a considerable...
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the members of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee for carrying out the inquiry, the many organisations and individuals who gave evidence an...
Stephen Kerr
Con
Will Colin Smyth take an intervention?
Colin Smyth
Lab
I certainly will. Will I get extra time for Stephen Kerr putting his card in?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There is some time in hand, Mr Smyth—do not worry. Are we there, Mr Kerr?
Stephen Kerr
Con
We all do that at some point, and I have just done it. Does Colin Smyth agree with the report, which says that the “clear message of this inquiry is that n...
Colin Smyth
Lab
The point was well worth waiting for, and it is a point that COSLA made in its recent response to the committee’s report. It said that the Government has no ...
Brian Whittle
Con
Does Colin Smyth agree that that hits rural areas disproportionately harder than urban areas?
Colin Smyth
Lab
There is no question but that the cuts in support for bus companies will hit rural areas harder, as those are the more heavily subsidised parts of our networ...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
I thank Edward Mountain and his committee for producing a very substantial report. I think that it will—unlike some committee reports, I have to say—actually...
Brian Whittle
Con
Does Willie Rennie agree that, as a Parliament, we need to start looking further than a parliamentary term and to start making long-term strategies that are ...
Willie Rennie
LD
I wish that we could do that. However, the nature of politics is that we want answers now. We want to get results immediately. Of course, people are desperat...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I am aware of the discussions on a heat network in Cupar, but that was happening largely before the heat networks legislation was brought into place. Does Wi...
Willie Rennie
LD
Having plans is fine, but how do we deal with the risk? Who takes that risk? Do they have the money? Do they have the incentive? Are they addressing competin...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Before we move to the open debate, I advise members that, at this point, we have some time in hand, so members may wish to make and/or take interventions. 1...
Jackie Dunbar (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in my first committee debate as a member of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee—I think that this is the first time since I jo...
Liam Kerr
Con
When the member calls for the UK Government to match the just transition fund, does she think that the £16 billion North Sea transition deal goes any way tow...
Jackie Dunbar
SNP
Well, the UK Government has taken £300 billion from the north-east of Scotland through the Treasury since the 1970s, if you are going to start matching funds...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I am delighted to contribute to the debate, which highlights the vital role that local government can and must play in the journey to net zero. As the level ...