Seòmar agus comataidhean

I will always do Aberdeen and the north-east, cabinet secretary. [Laughter.]

You spoke earlier about decarbonising homes. I want to ask about our hard-to-treat homes. How do you expect the Government to support improvements in energy efficiency and decarbonising heat in hard-to-treat-homes? That is always the difficult one.

Probably all of them, to be honest. They all have their own issues.

How does the Government intend to make it easier and more attractive for folk to walk or cycle, or to use other methods that do not involve transport?

Moving forward, what should the Scottish Government do to ensure that opportunities and skills are delivered in time, so that the carbon-intensive sectors do not face an economic downturn and do not lag behind the competition from overseas? That is one of the major issues that I hear about in my constituency.

Good morning, gentlemen, and thank you for coming along.

My questions are about fossil fuels. You will not be surprised that I want to ask about the oil and gas industry, which Professor Skea said will be a key issue—I totally agree. What role is there for the oil and gas industry in a just transition? Should there be further investment in new oil and gas projects?

Dave Moxham, you mentioned smarter regulation when it comes to safety, which I took to mean safety in the North Sea. Was I correct? If so, will you delve a bit deeper into what we could do smarter with regard to safety?

Earlier, the fact that using electricity is one of the ways to replace fossil fuels was touched on. Is the taxation regime for electricity generation and supply fair and appropriate? Should changes be made to ensure that there is a level playing field for low-carbon power?

Thank you for coming today—you have given me a lot to think about. I am interested to hear about Governments moving forward. Where can the strongest policy action be taken not only in reserved areas but in devolved areas?

We have been given a huge remit, but it is an exciting one. Given that I represent Aberdeen Donside, it will be no surprise to members that this is the committee that I wanted to join.

Natalie Don was right to say that consultation with the public and other bodies will be key, because whatever this committee manages to achieve, we must bring people with us. We will be tackling a huge area, and if folk are not behind us, we will not succeed.

I live near the Haudagain, so members—again—will probably not be surprised to hear that I am keen on transport and our roads infrastructure. I am also interested in the energy sector. How the just transition will work is a key issue for many people.

I have read the legacy reports. I admit that I am going to reread them two or three times because they are huge, but I am looking forward to working with everybody in and outwith the committee.

My interest is similar to Natalie’s. I am still a serving councillor for Aberdeen City Council. I make the declaration in case anything that the council and the committee discuss coincides. I have no other interests to declare.