Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 10 February 2026 [Draft]
10 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Renewable Energy Infrastructure
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, but I think that it will come up for all of us on the doorsteps in the upcoming election campaign. It is a big concern across Scotland.
I see that I have run out of time already. We have significant pressures across Speyside, in Moray and in the sea and offshore. I have not even mentioned the fishing sector and the spatial squeeze that it is feeling. We hosted the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation in the Parliament last week. I do not know which members were there, but I found, in circuiting the room and speaking with those who attended, that they were talking about that spatial squeeze and the pressures offshore.
It is great that Finlay Carson has secured this debate. The point that I really wanted to get across today is that local voice is important. If we are truly saying, in everything that we do, that local voice is important, we cannot ignore that voice just because we have a net zero aim. We need to start listening to communities.
In the same item of business
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...