Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 March 2011
16 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
“Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting the Emissions Reductions Targets 2010-2022—Report on Proposals and Policies”
COSLA has been particularly helpful to me in the months since I took over this portfolio. Although there was some suggestion that COSLA would come out in opposition to the targets that the Parliament set, that is not in fact the position that it is taking, and it is being clear about that.
I ought to clarify to the chamber that the draft public bodies guidance was published by the end of December, although the final version was not able to be published until later. Those are deadlines that were included in the legislation.
At the moment, we meet regularly with the public sector as a whole, which includes COSLA, to discuss issues that affect all parts of the public sector. The member might be interested to know that those meetings are co-chaired by me and the appropriate COSLA representative. We are operating on the basis of an equal partnership. It is for local authorities to decide how best to meet the duties that this Parliament placed directly on them.
I ought to clarify to the chamber that the draft public bodies guidance was published by the end of December, although the final version was not able to be published until later. Those are deadlines that were included in the legislation.
At the moment, we meet regularly with the public sector as a whole, which includes COSLA, to discuss issues that affect all parts of the public sector. The member might be interested to know that those meetings are co-chaired by me and the appropriate COSLA representative. We are operating on the basis of an equal partnership. It is for local authorities to decide how best to meet the duties that this Parliament placed directly on them.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman)
Lab
The next item of business is a statement by Roseanna Cunningham on the report on proposals and policies on climate change targets. The minister will take que...
The Minister for the Environment and Climate Change (Roseanna Cunningham)
SNP
I will now confirm to the Parliament the package of proposals and policies that will form the backbone of action to reduce emissions over the next decade. I ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan)
SNP
The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement.
Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab)
Lab
In our first debate on climate change in this session, John Swinney said that the Scottish Government would not wait until a Scottish climate change act had ...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
Dearie me. I say to Labour members that their constant negativity and carping does them absolutely no favours whatsoever. In all that, I did not hear a singl...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con)
Con
I observe the usual courtesy in thanking the minister for advance sight of her statement and I thank her for the pragmatic way in which she addressed the com...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
That is a fair point to raise. Public engagement is at an early stage, but we are going about it in a concrete and determined way. The point that Jackson Car...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
I will return to the European issue. I do not think that it is giving away any argument to ask how we can meet our robust targets if the EU does not go as fa...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
I do not think that the stance is dismissive at all; I think that it is pragmatic. The debate is on-going at the EU level and we must be engaged at that leve...
John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Will the climate change duties that were agreed between the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public bodies form part of future single outcome...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
We ought to be clear that the climate change duties of public bodies are statutory and arise from climate change legislation. As a rule, statutory obligation...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab)
Lab
We know that the Government resisted placing a duty on the public sector. Although the duties came into force in January 2011, guidance was not launched unti...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
COSLA has been particularly helpful to me in the months since I took over this portfolio. Although there was some suggestion that COSLA would come out in opp...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Turning to rural land use, we all welcomed the funding for Scottish Natural Heritage and RSPB Scotland last December for research into wetlands. When does th...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
The member might be aware that there has been no agreement on the inclusion of those figures in international reporting. We are currently working hard to dec...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
The minister made a great deal of there being no proposed amendments or recommendations for additional policies and proposals. However, the problem is not a ...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
A considerable amount of that is in the hands of the Parliament itself. One of the difficulties that we encountered with the first round was the timing, beca...
Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Behavioural change and continued funding for energy efficiency and home insulation are essential for cutting emissions in homes and communities. How well are...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
This Government has done a great deal in respect of insulation over the piece. Since 2009 we have enabled 380,000 homes throughout Scotland to be offered ene...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Not for the first time, I am looking at the transport section of a climate change document and seeing a wonderful picture that has been painted of a happy pa...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
Once again, we are dealing with nothing but negativity. An enormous amount of work is being done. Can more be done? Of course it can. Over the coming years, ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I must ask the remaining two members to be brief in putting their questions and the minister to be brief in her replies.
Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP)
SNP
Like the original draft, the new report on proposals and policies records the on-going discussions with the United Kingdom Government on the £1 billion that ...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
The point is an interesting one. It brings into play the much bigger question of the powers that are available to the Scottish Parliament to effect some of t...
Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab)
Lab
I have a helpful question for the minister. Last summer, the Scottish Government was helpful enough to provide to the independent budget review a figure of £...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
I think that no new estimate has been developed, but the figure is being kept under review for reasons that the member will understand. The issue is bedevil...