Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-13482, in the name of Douglas Lumsden, on recognising the contribution of Scotland’s oil and gas industry...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

During the most recent debate on oil and gas in the chamber, I stood here and said that the Scottish Conservatives were the only party that is committed to e...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

Will the member take an intervention?

Douglas Lumsden Con

Is there any time, Presiding Officer?

The Presiding Officer NPA

There is the time that has been allocated; we have no extra time.

Douglas Lumsden Con

I am sorry, Mr Johnson. I will continue my speech. I want to spend some time today in considering the recent report from the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber o...

Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) SNP

Will Mr Lumsden take an intervention on that point?

Douglas Lumsden Con

I am sure that we will hear from Mr Stewart later. There is also huge distrust that the industry will be given the opportunity to expand, because of a backw...

The Minister for Climate Action (Gillian Martin) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Douglas Lumsden Con

We will hear from you later as well.

The Presiding Officer NPA

Mr Lumsden, please speak through the chair.

Douglas Lumsden Con

I apologise, Presiding Officer. Indeed, the report shows that the political environment is now the biggest concern for those who are involved in the industr...

Gillian Martin SNP

Will Mr Lumsden take an intervention on that very point?

Douglas Lumsden Con

I am sure that we will hear from the minister later. In fact, when asked, those who responded to the survey went even further. They were asked to rate the i...

The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy (Màiri McAllan) SNP

I begin this important debate on points of indisputable fact. First, Scotland’s highly skilled oil and gas workforce is hugely important to us now and will c...

Douglas Lumsden Con

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Màiri McAllan SNP

Absolutely not, when you did not take a single one.

The Presiding Officer NPA

Through the chair, always.

Màiri McAllan SNP

Apologies. Those indisputable facts combined mean that a serious, responsible Government—one that cares deeply about Scotland’s offshore energy industries, ...

Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Last year, the cabinet secretary said that she was consulting on a more robust climate compatibility checkpoint, including for oil and gas fields that are al...

Màiri McAllan SNP

I am very happy to do so. Labour’s position, whether it has intended this or not, is an outright ban. The approach that the SNP has always articulated and wh...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

Màiri McAllan SNP

I am afraid that I do not have time. Our position puts us squarely between the London parties. On the one hand, we have the Tories, who are wilfully ignorin...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

Màiri McAllan SNP

I will not. I do not have time, I am afraid. However, we object to the London parties extending and increasing that levy, focusing disproportionately on Sco...

The Presiding Officer NPA

I must ask you to conclude at this point, cabinet secretary.

Màiri McAllan SNP

I will conclude by saying that we know that the task is difficult, but the opportunity and the prize are enormous, and we are already working to build the tr...

Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

This debate should be about how we ensure that we have the energy to power our homes and industry, how we deliver climate leadership, how we secure the econo...

Gillian Martin SNP

Will the member give way?

Sarah Boyack Lab

Not just now, thank you. Last month, there was another failed SNP deadline, with no draft just transition plan for Grangemouth being published despite a com...