Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 January 2019
15 Jan 2019 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Carbon-neutral Economy (Just Transition)
Does Alexander Burnett accept that the Scottish Government has tried to give as much stability and certainty as possible? The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy, Fergus Ewing, has tried to outline our position. The premise for the on-going uncertainty is simply Brexit, which is leading to uncertainty for everyone, including the agriculture sector. We can move on from that once we have certainty on Brexit.
I see some Conservative members shaking their heads. If they have reached that level of denial, the Conservative Party has no hope whatsoever.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-15380, in the name of Roseanna Cunningham, on securing a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy. 14:26
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Roseanna Cunningham)
SNP
I have great pleasure in opening this debate on Scotland’s transition to a carbon-neutral economy, which is the first such debate for the Parliament. I expec...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Is the cabinet secretary aware that, largely as a result of President Obama’s efforts, there are 800,000 people in the renewables industry in the United Stat...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
I am not sure that I was aware of the specific numbers of people in those employment sectors in America, but I was aware of the general sense that coal plays...
Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I welcome today’s debate and the Government motion, and I agree with the cabinet secretary...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
Does Maurice Golden agree that perhaps the oil and gas companies could do a little bit more to invest in renewable energies and to fund research and developm...
Maurice Golden
Con
I agree that oil and gas companies could do a lot more, even in terms of helping us to decommission and to get the most value from decommissioning. For examp...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
This debate on just transition principles is very significant for the fair future of Scotland’s economy and society in the global context. My party will supp...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Claudia Beamish
Lab
Very briefly—this is an important part of the debate.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
There is time for interventions, Ms Beamish. I call Stewart Stevenson.
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
Given that Claudia Beamish advocates a parliamentary line of responsibility, does she expect the appropriate member of the corporate body to be the person wh...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I understand Stewart Stevenson’s point, about which there is a debate to be had. It is important that the commission is independent of Government—there is pr...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
How we respond to the climate emergency while guaranteeing the economic security and wellbeing of everyone in our society is surely the most pressing issue o...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Today’s just transition debate enshrines the importance of building a fairer and more equal society while transitioning away from carbon-dependent industries...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, I have been generous. I ask you to conclude, please.
Tavish Scott
LD
I hope that other members will back the Labour and Tory amendments, but I will not be backing the Green amendment.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
As members will have guessed, there is some time in hand for interventions, so I can be a bit elastic on the six minutes, but not so elastic that it snaps—me...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
I want a low-carbon future, I want Scotland to play its full part in the fight against climate change and I want to have spent my time as a representative in...
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
As I did in my speech last week, I will start on a positive note and commend Scotland for performing well on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, which has...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work (Derek Mackay)
SNP
Does Alexander Burnett accept that the Scottish Government has tried to give as much stability and certainty as possible? The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural...
Alexander Burnett
Con
The best way of getting certainty would be to back the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal tonight. Interruption. It is hypocrisy for Scottish National Party member...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I understand why members turn around to listen to members behind them, but they should not spend the entire speech with their back to the chair.
Maurice Golden
Con
It was enthralling, Presiding Officer.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You might have found it enthralling, Mr Golden, but it was a discourtesy. It was not a discussion. I was not going to name you, Mr Golden, but now I will. Mr...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Let us hope that I say nothing to annoy you too much. Exactly 10 years ago, I was at the 14th conference of the parties—COP 14...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Last month, hundreds of energy workers and employers came together at a breakfast briefing in Aberdeen to consider how Scotland’s existing energy industries ...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. If we are to have a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy, we all need to be more honest in how we d...
Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, specifically with regard to residential housing, renewable energy and farming. I welcome ...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
It is fair to say that the IPCC’s 1.5°C special report, which was published last October, was a wake-up call for all of us—and if it was not, it should have ...