Minutes: 24 May 2022

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 7, 8 and 9 in private.

2. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2022 [draft] from—

Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport and Kevin Gibson, Solicitor, Scottish Government;

Bill Reeve, Rail Director, Transport Scotland.

3. Subordinate legislation:

Jenny Gilruth (Minister for Transport) moved—S6M-04466—That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the Companies Act 2006 (Scottish public sector companies to be audited by the Auditor General for Scotland) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to.

4. High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill (UK Parliament legislation):

The Committee took evidence on Legislative Consent Memorandum LCM(S6) 15 from—

Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport and Kevin Gibson, Solicitor, Scottish Government;

Bill Reeve, Rail Director, Transport Scotland.

5. The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland:

The Committee took evidence from—

Stephanie Anderson, Head of Regulation, ScottishPower Energy Networks;

Randolph Brazier, Director of Innovation and Electricity Systems, Energy Networks Association (ENA);

David Hammond, Head of Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport, North Ayrshire Council;

David Rodger, Chief Executive Officer, Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG);

Morag Watson, Director of Policy, Scottish Renewables.

6. The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020:

Under the Statutory Instruments Protocol, the Committee considered a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government making an exclusion from the Act in the following UK statutory instrument—

The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles) Regulations 2022

The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government to seek further information, and delegated authority to the Convener to approve a letter informing the Scottish Government of the Committee's decision.

7. High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill (UK Parliament legislation) (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 4.

8. The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 5 and at its 17th meeting on 17 May 2022 under agenda item 2.

9. Energy price rises (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard at previous meetings.