Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 27 October 2021
27 Oct 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
COP26 Global Ambitions
I am grateful to Dr Gulhane for the intervention and I agree with him. He makes a very important point in the context of this debate about COP26, during which, as the cabinet secretary said, the eyes of the world will be on Glasgow. An SNP council is doing the bidding of an SNP Government, and what are delegates coming to? There will be road closures across the city and ScotRail is going on strike because the Scottish Government shamefully refuses to get involved and the Minister for Transport has “no idea” why it is happening. Refuse and recycling workers, school cleaners, janitors, catering staff and lawyers are on strike, thanks to the legacy of nearly £1 billion of SNP cuts to local authority budgets in the past six years, which, I suspect, is what Dr Gulhane was referring to. An accommodation crisis means that as many as 3,000 people who are coming to Glasgow do not yet have anywhere to stay.
COP26 is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the UK and drive real global change. We must do that together, as one United Kingdom. The UK Government is providing almost £100 million for Scotland to ensure that COP26 happens. I am delighted with that and I am sure that the cabinet secretary will be, too.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-01769, in the name of Michael Matheson, on global ambitions for the 26th United Nations climate change co...
The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport (Michael Matheson)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate the imminent COP26 summit in Glasgow and to outline the Scottish Government’s plans and ambitions for what is a historic ...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I think that the cost of the heat and buildings strategy is about £33 billion. The cabinet secretary talked about £1.8 billion. Where will the balance come f...
Michael Matheson
SNP
The member will recognise that this is an ambitious target. Funding will come from a number of sources—partly public sector and partly private sector—and the...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The minister speaks of a collective, unified political response. How many times has he, personally, met the UK Government in support of the Acorn project for...
Michael Matheson
SNP
In the course of the past month alone, I have probably raised the matter with it specifically on at least two, if not three, occasions. I turn to COP26. We ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Liam Kerr to speak to and move amendment S6M-01769.4. 15:34
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
We, too, welcome the world to Glasgow next week as the UK takes over the presidency of COP26. It will be an extraordinary event and one whose importance cann...
The Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity (Lorna Slater)
Green
Rishi Sunak spoke today for an hour on the budget without even mentioning the climate. He has lowered tax on beer and wine while polluting the rivers. Maybe ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I will give you a bit of time back, Mr Kerr.
Liam Kerr
Con
I am grateful to the minister for the invitation to say how the UK is leading. Britain has cut emissions by about 44 per cent since 1990, the fastest decline...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
With Glasgow on the eve of hosting COP26, Britain’s largest ever summit, the Scottish National Party-led Glasgow City Council is being an utter disgrace by a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Dr Gulhane, are you putting a question to Mr Kerr?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Yes. The council has hiked council tax by 4 per cent every year and reduced green bin collections—
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Instead of making another speech, could you put the question, please, Dr Gulhane?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Does Liam Kerr agree that Glasgow is miles worse off with the incompetent SNP city council?
Liam Kerr
Con
I am grateful to Dr Gulhane for the intervention and I agree with him. He makes a very important point in the context of this debate about COP26, during whic...
Michael Matheson
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The member is about to conclude.
Liam Kerr
Con
Together, let us show that leadership. The Scottish Government must finally start taking credible action to show an example to the rest of the world and reco...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Monica Lennon to speak to and move amendment S6M-01769.1. 15:42
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
There are just four days to go until COP26 kicks off in Glasgow and, on behalf of Scottish Labour, I am pleased to speak in today’s debate on the global ambi...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I add my welcome and that of the Scottish Liberal Democrats to delegates and others arriving in Scotland for COP26. As the motion rightly recognises, and as ...
Fiona Hyslop (Linlithgow) (SNP)
SNP
We must raise our eyes beyond the horizon of our own interest and COP must work in leadership as the engine of a global attack on climate emissions and of mi...
Liam Kerr
Con
I am enjoying the member’s contribution so far. Presumably, she also welcomes the doubling of the UK Government’s international climate finance to £11.6 bill...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
It is important that we all increase our climate funding, but we cannot use that to mask cuts in international development aid, which the UK Government has d...
Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
COP26 is being held against a backdrop of a worsening climate crisis. Over the past year, we have seen severe weather events tear across the planet: soaring ...
The Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform (Màiri McAllan)
SNP
It is enlightening to hear the member discuss Britain’s credentials in tackling the climate emergency. Will he reflect on how much Scotland’s renewable poten...
Maurice Golden
Con
Let us look at the SNP’s track record. Air quality standards have not been met for 10 years in a row. Of 20 international biodiversity targets, more than hal...
Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
In 1869, a poem was collected by the folklorist Alexander Carmichael in Ìochdar in South Uist and published in the second volume of “Carmina Gadelica”. The p...