Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 March 2025
04 Mar 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scotland’s Renewable Future
I have only about a minute left, so I will finish my points.
In the past 12 months, benefits worth more than £30 million have been offered to Scottish communities. However, our principles of good practice must be improved, and the amount of money that comes to communities must be ramped up. As I said, the powers to mandate community benefits and shared ownership are reserved. However, we are taking practical action to maximise those opportunities in Scotland, including through our on-going consultation on improving the good practice principles for onshore and offshore renewable energy developments, in order to ensure that our national guidance is updated and fit for the future. I encourage communities, businesses and everyone with an interest in our energy system to take part and ensure that our guidance supports sustainable and meaningful outcomes.
We are also working hard to improve Scottish Government guidance on pre-application processes in order to ensure that communities are heard by developers ahead of planning applications being submitted. A review of that guidance will be published in the coming weeks.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16657, in the name of Gillian Martin, on Scotland’s renewable future. I invite members who wish to partic...
The Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy (Gillian Martin)
SNP
I am pleased to be opening today’s debate on rejection of new nuclear power plants in Scotland and the Scottish Government’s commitment to renewable energy. ...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Is it also now the case that the SNP Scottish Government would not consider any new fission technologies?
Gillian Martin
SNP
Our position is clear. Given the current technologies, that is our position. We cannot say what will happen in the future and we cannot say what would happen...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
SNP
Although she supports development of our renewable resources, does the cabinet secretary agree that, in order to have a functioning electricity system, every...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I cannot disagree with any of that. In particular, I feel that hydro power has been a very overlooked generator in the past. Neighbouring countries—in partic...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I will, and will then continue with my speech.
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I would like to see much more emphasis on hydrogen power generation, as the cabinet secretary well knows. Scotland has a great boon when it comes to hydrogen...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back for the intervention, cabinet secretary.
Gillian Martin
SNP
I think that hydrogen is going to have many uses—not least in decarbonisation of transport and heavy goods vehicles, and in industrial decarbonisation. Kevin...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will the cabinet secretary give way on that point?
Gillian Martin
SNP
This will be the last intervention that I take.
Patrick Harvie
Green
Has the minister seen the United Kingdom Climate Change Committee’s report “The Seventh Carbon Budget”, which was published a week or 10 days ago? It conclud...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I have seen the report, but I have heard from quite a few different sources on the matter—not least, from Southern Gas Networks, or SGN, which believes that ...
Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I have taken too many interventions as it is. Scotland already has an enviable track record in renewable generation, including onshore and offshore wind, so...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I have only about a minute left, so I will finish my points. In the past 12 months, benefits worth more than £30 million have been offered to Scottish commu...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Will the minister give way?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I am coming to a close. In bringing my speech to a close, I want to reflect on the decision that is before us, which is whether to spend huge sums of money ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I remind members who have not yet pressed their request-to-speak buttons but who intend to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons. I ca...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I have been in Parliament for four years now, and I feel that, today, I am speaking on the most important topic. Up and down the country, people have real co...
The Acting Minister for Climate Action (Alasdair Allan)
SNP
Not for the first time, I point out to the member that the ministerial code does not allow ministers to meet community groups that are engaged in live planni...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
They can meet with SSE but they cannot meet with the people they are meant to represent. If the minister reads the ministerial code, he will see that that is...
The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Jamie Hepburn)
SNP
Will the member accept an intervention?
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I will come back to the minister if I have time. The Government’s motion says that nuclear power is more expensive, but the contract for difference for Hinc...
Jamie Hepburn
SNP
Will the member give way?
Douglas Lumsden
Con
No. They are concerned about prime agricultural land being taken away and covered in concrete for substations or to create bases for monster pylons. They ar...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?