Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-20100, in the name of Finlay Carson, on the essential role of renewable energy in meet...

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con

I welcome the opportunity to bring the debate to the chamber, and I thank colleagues from across the political divide for supporting my motion.At its heart, ...

Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the opening of Finlay Carson’s motion, which recognises“the essential role of renewables”.As Mr Carson has described, Galloway has a long history o...

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

Does the member concede that no one is proposing to build Hinkley C in Scotland? Small modular reactors are absolutely the future right here, in Scotland.

Emma Harper SNP

The last time that I checked, small modular reactors were still more than 20 years away. I am talking about what we need to do now in order to challenge the ...

Finlay Carson Con

Will the member take an intervention?

Emma Harper SNP

I do not think that I have time.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

You can take a very brief intervention.

Emma Harper SNP

Okay, I will take a brief intervention.

Finlay Carson Con

It is a simple question: does Galloway have enough wind turbines?

Emma Harper SNP

I recently compared the number of turbines in Galloway versus other parts of Scotland. It was quite interesting to see what is out there. We need to consider...

Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

First, I congratulate Finlay Carson on securing what I think is a very important debate. The first two speakers have been from the south of Scotland, I am he...

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin) SNP

First, I try never to show any annoyance, and I do not remember being annoyed with Tim Eagle at all. If it came across that way, that was certainly not my in...

Tim Eagle Con

I accept that point. I am delighted that the cabinet secretary was not annoyed with me because of the point that I kept making—that is fine. However, the dev...

Emma Harper SNP

When I said, in responding to an intervention, that cumulative impact is something that we need to think about, I probably should have said that we are alrea...

Tim Eagle Con

That is fair enough, and I thank the member for that intervention.My gut feeling is that this is going to be a big, serious issue. It is not a political one,...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

I call Carol Mochan, who joins us remotely.17:04

Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I, too, thank Finlay Carson for securing the debate. It is really important that we discuss these issues, particularly, as other members have said and as is ...

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

As a Borders MSP, I thank Finlay Carson for this debate. We all agree that it is essential to meet our net zero targets and deter further global warming, whi...

Finlay Carson Con

Will the member give way?

Christine Grahame SNP

Yes.

Finlay Carson Con

I appreciate your taking part in the debate and your giving way. However, your example is an exception to the rule. We hear over and again of local authoriti...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

Always speak through the chair.

Christine Grahame SNP

I gave it merely as an example; I did not claim that it was the standard reply.The key is to have meaningful consultation with groups throughout the south of...

Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) Con

I thank my friend and colleague Finlay Carson for bringing the debate to the chamber. It is a very good debate and could easily have been taken, at any time,...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I thank my good friend and colleague Finlay Carson for securing this important debate. It really is a shame that the issue is never debated in Government tim...

Gillian Martin SNP

The new system allows for the submission of 6,000 words, which equates to 20 pages per representation. With regard to the ability to put forward views or obj...

Douglas Lumsden Con

If there is an email address, that is fantastic, but the letter that we were sent by Ivan McKee is quite clear: objections have to be made by filling in a we...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

I call the cabinet secretary, Gillian Martin, to respond to the debate.17:23

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin) SNP

I thank Finlay Carson for lodging the motion. His motion is right to say that the renewable energy sector plays an essential part in meeting our net zero tar...