Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2026 [Draft]
28 May 2026 · S7 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scotland’s Energy
My apologies to you, Presiding Officer, and to the member. He was so confident in his approach that it had entirely slipped my mind that it was his first speech in this chamber.
I very much welcome Stephen Gethins to his place on the front bench as energy minister. I want to ask him about the renewable energy that he is talking about, which Scotland has benefited from and which is funded by subsidies that are currently paid for by 70 million people across the United Kingdom. If he dismantles the UK energy market, as he proposes, will that not mean that those subsidies will need to be paid for by the 5.5 million people living in Scotland? What would that do for bills that are being paid by consumers here?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S7M-00159, in the name of Stephen Gethins, entitled “It’s Scotland’s energy”. I invite members who wish to sp...
The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy (Stephen Gethins)
SNP
Deputy Presiding Officer, congratulations to you and your colleagues on your appointment. If you will permit me, before I get into the meat of the debate, I ...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the minister take an intervention?
Stephen Gethins
SNP
Do you know what? I will take an intervention, despite this being my first speech—and who better to take one from than Murdo Fraser?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
I remind Mr Fraser that the convention is that there are no interventions on a first speech. However, the member has indicated that he is happy to take one.
Murdo Fraser
Con
My apologies to you, Presiding Officer, and to the member. He was so confident in his approach that it had entirely slipped my mind that it was his first spe...
Stephen Gethins
SNP
I have great respect for the member, and I thank him for both his intervention and his welcome. I urge him patience. I merely say this: Scotland is a massive...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Stephen Gethins
SNP
I will give way for a second time, because I have great respect for the member.
Michael Marra
Lab
I, too, welcome the minister to his position. I consider him a friend and am delighted to see him in his place.The minister spent the election campaign talki...
Stephen Gethins
SNP
I have great respect for the member, and I thank him for his kind words. He is an advocate for the north-east and for Dundee. However, he must understand tha...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Stephen Gethins
SNP
I want to make some progress. I am not sure that I got a particularly good response from Mr Fraser.High energy bills might not matter to the Conservative Par...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
I call Daniel Johnson to speak to and move amendment S7M-00159.2.14:46
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and welcome you to your position.I begin on a friendly note by welcoming Stephen Gethins to his position. I hav...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Neil Gray)
SNP
Mr Johnson made a rather pejorative point about the difference between rhetoric and action. I am reminded of promises made by the Labour Party in the run-up ...
Daniel Johnson
Lab
The cabinet secretary seems to be enjoying the new rules about interventions. Is he not aware that there have been some major changes in international circum...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
I remind members that the convention is that there should be no interventions during a first speech.14:52
Duncan Massey (North East Scotland) (Reform)
Reform
I welcome everyone to their new roles, including the ministers and shadow ministers.I am delighted to rise to give my first speech. I believe that this Parli...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
I remind members that there should be no interruptions during first speeches. I appreciate that the minister took interventions, but there should still be no...
Duncan Massey
Reform
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.As Professor Dieter Helm of the University of Oxford succinctly put it, renewables are“not cheap, not home-grown and not ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
I call Lorna Slater to speak to and move amendment S7M-00159.3.15:03
Lorna Slater (Edinburgh Central) (Green)
Green
For a change of tone, the Scottish Greens believe that Scotland’s energy should be put in Scotland’s hands. We have long called for more powers for Scotland,...
Liam Kerr
Con
The member does not, however, address the fact that demand is continuing to rise and is not going anywhere. Where do we source the gas and oil to meet the de...
Lorna Slater
Green
We need to manage that demand. The Scottish Government should have kept its commitment to reduce traffic kilometres by 20 per cent. It should have introduced...
Duncan Massey
Reform
Will the member take an intervention?
Lorna Slater
Green
I am going to make some progress, thank you.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
It is a matter for the member whether she chooses to take an intervention.
Lorna Slater
Green
In the previous session of Parliament, the Economy and Fair Work Committee heard over and over again that the cost of energy is the main concern for business...
Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?