Chamber
Plenary, 09 Nov 2005
09 Nov 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill
First, if I may, I take the opportunity to mention Colin MacLeod, who died suddenly last week at the age of 37. Colin was a close friend and a champion of the community and the environment. I met him on the M77 motorway protest; Mr Gordon and other members may be aware of him.
Colin MacLeod understood that human beings are not separate from the environment but are part of it. He worked hard all his life to keep alive that belief. Had he not left us last week, Colin would have been in the public gallery today, watching us as we steer the bill to its destination. As I said, Colin rightly said that people are not separate from the environment. During our lifetime, we have a duty to protect the planet. We should do so not only for our sake but for the sake of future generations. In our lifetime, we are mere custodians of the planet.
Members of the Scottish Socialist Party will vote for the bill at decision time today. That said, we feel that the bill has not gone far enough. The Executive is always saying that things should be made more transparent and accountable, so why has it made exemptions for financial plans and private companies? The Executive has also told us that it supports fairness, so why has it allowed a system in which it will act as the arbiter in disputes in which it is involved?
The Executive says that it cares about the environment but has failed to include in the bill targets on emissions and recycling, thereby condemning future generations of communities to even more misery. It talks about environmental gold plating, but it does not want to seek the advice of NHS Health Scotland on the environmental effects on children who have to breathe the fumes from developments such as the M74 northern extension. That issue needs to be seen alongside the lack of a third-party right of appeal in the forthcoming planning reforms.
What could have been an excellent bill to provide environmental protection for communities has turned into a business-as-usual-for-developers bill—a big business charter. Members are in the chamber today to debate, amend and vote on the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill, but if we do not get it right, in the future we will be debating the bill on flooding, the bill on poison and the bill on ill effects on health, all of which will be hefty.
The critical issue will be the interpretation of the drafting in the bill. Today, we attempted—unsuccessfully—to make the wording clearer. I hope that people will be careful about how they interpret the bill. I also hope that we get a cleaner, greener Scotland.
Colin MacLeod understood that human beings are not separate from the environment but are part of it. He worked hard all his life to keep alive that belief. Had he not left us last week, Colin would have been in the public gallery today, watching us as we steer the bill to its destination. As I said, Colin rightly said that people are not separate from the environment. During our lifetime, we have a duty to protect the planet. We should do so not only for our sake but for the sake of future generations. In our lifetime, we are mere custodians of the planet.
Members of the Scottish Socialist Party will vote for the bill at decision time today. That said, we feel that the bill has not gone far enough. The Executive is always saying that things should be made more transparent and accountable, so why has it made exemptions for financial plans and private companies? The Executive has also told us that it supports fairness, so why has it allowed a system in which it will act as the arbiter in disputes in which it is involved?
The Executive says that it cares about the environment but has failed to include in the bill targets on emissions and recycling, thereby condemning future generations of communities to even more misery. It talks about environmental gold plating, but it does not want to seek the advice of NHS Health Scotland on the environmental effects on children who have to breathe the fumes from developments such as the M74 northern extension. That issue needs to be seen alongside the lack of a third-party right of appeal in the forthcoming planning reforms.
What could have been an excellent bill to provide environmental protection for communities has turned into a business-as-usual-for-developers bill—a big business charter. Members are in the chamber today to debate, amend and vote on the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill, but if we do not get it right, in the future we will be debating the bill on flooding, the bill on poison and the bill on ill effects on health, all of which will be hefty.
The critical issue will be the interpretation of the drafting in the bill. Today, we attempted—unsuccessfully—to make the wording clearer. I hope that people will be careful about how they interpret the bill. I also hope that we get a cleaner, greener Scotland.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-3435, in the name of Ross Finnie, that the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Ross Finnie):
LD
Every bill requires a great deal of collective effort, work and engagement, and this bill is no exception. I thank the Finance Committee, the Subordinate Leg...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
The debate about environmental assessment represents a step change: we are not at sea on the matter, but SEA will guide us in a direction that will allow thi...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill will revoke and replace the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (SSI 20...
Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab):
Lab
All of us on the Labour benches are keen to support the bill. It will help us to deliver joined-up thinking and will put our aspirations for sustainable deve...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
We move to the open debate. I call Rosie Kane.
Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
First, if I may, I take the opportunity to mention Colin MacLeod, who died suddenly last week at the age of 37. Colin was a close friend and a champion of th...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
My colleagues and I are looking forward to voting for the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill, which goes further than the progressive European directiv...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
People throughout Scotland will be cursing us because of the bill's implications for them. However, I confidently believe that once they have got to grips wi...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
In my opening remarks, I made clear the Conservative party's view on the bill. In closing, I will make one or two remarks about the way in which the Executiv...
Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I sat on the Environment and Rural Development Committee through stage 1, I spoke in the stage 1 debate, I sat through stage 2 and I am now the second-last s...
Mr Ruskell:
Green
Does the member agree that one of the things that drive up public sector spending is continual public inquiries for developments such as power lines, because...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Yes. I have a lot of sympathy with the point that the member makes. We have to have more joined-up policy in the Scottish Parliament. Tomorrow morning the SN...
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Rhona Brankin):
Lab
It is a pleasure to close this debate on a bill that we consider to be an important one that will be of real benefit to the environment and the democratic pr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Since we are ahead of schedule, I suspend the meeting until 4.59.
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—