Hansard

I welcome the hydro nation update report. Our dramatic coastlines, glistening lochs, powerful rivers and peaceful canals are important to Scotland at a fundamental level. Water resources support numerous industries, bring in tourism, boost our health and wellbeing, and provide about a quarter of our renewable energy output—and, of course, we drink it.

The continued preservation of the purity of our water resources and the careful monitoring of our supply are deeply important. The beauty of water landscapes is a strong pull for many tourists visiting Scotland, and the variety of attractions that are provided to us both by nature and by innovative industries cater to many interests.

When people around the world think of Scotland, our whisky comes to the minds of many. This iconic industry absolutely relies on a pure and reliable water source. While an extremely refined palate might be needed to guess the source of the water used, clean water is used in the numerous vital stages of the whisky-making process.

Water is significant for our sense of wellbeing. I highlight our canal system, a public asset that has made progressive strides in diversifying its value thanks to the efforts of Scottish Canals. In Glasgow, a collaborative initiative, the metropolitan Glasgow strategic drainage partnership, is under way to alleviate flood risk—which is a very important aspect of the management of our water—and to regenerate the underused land along canal ways. In Maryhill in Glasgow, canal-side land is being developed for social housing. That is a high-quality placemaking initiative, and the canal holds special opportunities for further developments in recreation and tourism, active travel and environmental improvement.

Hydro power is one of our oldest forms of renewable energy, and my colleagues on these benches will say more about that. It is easy to visualise the harnessable energy from the power of a rushing river or burn. The capacity potential of hydro power is significant—enough, I understand, to power more than 1 million homes, but achieving that is complex and will require joined-up policy across all levels of government.

For communities with water sources nearby, small-scale hydro schemes are an exciting opportunity. In my South Scotland region, members of the Strathaven town mill have plans for a hydro scheme to generate electricity for the Strathaven Town Mill Arts and Heritage Centre, which is an example of a small charity dealing with big organisations and agencies such as Scottish Water, SEPA, the local authority and Scottish Power. With complex processes and contracts to negotiate, that is highly prohibitive for such organisations—except for the most determined applicants. Consideration should be given to allocating a project manager who can act as an overarching liaison on behalf of such community groups.

The nature of hydro energy means that output will fluctuate with the weather, which can make projecting an income difficult, yet funding requests require applicants to provide detailed forecasts. Furthermore, this year’s revaluation of business rates has left some small-scale hydro schemes facing rates increases of up to 650 per cent, I understand, which is completely unsustainable and unaccommodating.

We should be doing all we can to help such community-led initiatives stand on their own two feet, and to recognise the importance of the hydro power sector, at all scales, to Scotland’s energy future. If we truly want to support public initiatives and bolster community ownership, simplicity and flexibility are key.

In the context of sustainable development goal 6, to which the cabinet secretary has already referred, the Parliament of course recognises the daily and pervasive challenge of water safety and scarcity that many countries around the world face. The hydro nation’s targeted support through the climate justice fund is so important for the empowerment of communities in nations such as Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Rwanda. The cabinet secretary also highlighted the work that is being done in India. I know from having been on the cross-party group on Malawi until recently that policy coherence across the portfolios is really important in what the Scottish Government is doing in that regard.

Water is our most basic need, and the benefits of a reliable and clean water source permeate so many aspects of life.

Although there is much in the Tory amendment to support, especially on dealing more robustly with the waste water challenges, as well as recognising the need for further flood management, we are not in a position to support the amendment due to the possible implications of further privatisation of Scottish Water Business Stream, which would not be in the public interest.