Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee 02 December 2025 [Draft]
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the 36th meeting in 2025 of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
I welcome to the meeting Sarah Boyack, who is attending as a substitute member for Monica Lennon for agenda items 2 and 3, on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill. Under rule 9.13A of our standing orders, Monica Lennon is not entitled to exercise the rights of a committee member in relation to those items because she is, of course, the member in charge of the bill. Monica will, however, be present for the evidence session on the bill and, like all members of the Scottish Parliament, she is entitled to ask questions, and she will be able to do so once committee members have asked their questions.
Agenda item 4 is consideration of our work programme, and we will not discuss the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill under that item, so Monica Lennon, rather than Sarah Boyack, is entitled to take part. I mention all that purely in the interests of transparency, given that the committee might agree to take items 3 and 4 in private.
Agenda item 1 is a decision on whether to take items 3 and 4 in private. As I have just stated, item 3 is consideration of today’s evidence on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill, and item 4 is consideration of our work programme. I will split the question into two parts to make sure that I do not break any of the Parliament’s standing orders.
First, I will ask whether members agree to take item 3 in private, noting that Monica Lennon may not participate in that decision while Sarah Boyack may. I will then ask whether members agree to take item 4 in private; Monica Lennon may take part in that decision but Sarah Boyack may not.
Do members agree to take item 3 in private?
Members indicated agreement.