Minutes: 12 September 2023

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3 and 4 in private.

2. Scottish Government priorities relevant to the Committee's remit:

The Committee took evidence from—

Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Kersti Berge, Director of Energy and Climate Change and Nick Young, Head of Industrial Decarbonisation and CCUS, Scottish Government.

Edward Mountain declared an interest as a Partner in Delfur Farms Farming Partnership, a farming business which receives income from power lines across his land.

3. Scottish Government priorities relevant to the Committee's remit (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

The Committee agreed to seek further information from the Scottish Government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in relation to Hulls 801 (MV Glen Sannox) and 802 (MV Glen Rosa).

4. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme. The Committee considered an initial approach to various matters and agreed to consider them further at a suitable point in the work programme.

The Committee also agreed—

• an engagement plan for its scrutiny of the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1, including possible visits, an online engagement event and additional witnesses for future evidence sessions;
• to seek information from the Scottish Government further to the Committee’s Stage 1 scrutiny of the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill; and
• to write to selected relevant stakeholders to seek their views regarding Scotland’s Guiding Principles on the Environment: Statutory Guidance (SG/2023/162) and the Scottish Government's recent report on the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance Arrangements.