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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 27 November 2024
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Displaying 1319 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

As a Government, you can move money from the resource budget to the capital budget. The SPICe briefing shows that the resource and capital budgets have been increased in real terms, so you could make the switch and keep capital funding at the level that it was at—you could even increase it if you chose to do so.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

There was a commitment to invest £200 million in the railway by 2026 to reduce travel times between Aberdeen and the central belt, but very little of that money has been spent so far and there is no mention of that in the infrastructure investment plan either. Can you give a guarantee that journey times between Aberdeen and the central belt will be reduced by 20 minutes by 2026?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

It is strange to say that you are committed to something but that you are reviewing it. If you are reviewing it, it either will or will not happen. Can you give any assurance?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

That commitment was made in 2016, so plenty of people in the north-east will be alarmed by what we have just heard.

I will move on slightly but stay on the issue of trains. The sleeper service has now been in public ownership for about seven months. Has there been any change in how much it is costing the public purse, in the cost to passengers or in the number of passengers? Can you give us any information about that?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

Anywhere.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

So are the LNG tanks and other things planned already?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

That would be helpful.

My main questions are about heat in buildings. The Scottish Government estimates that £1.4 billion of investment is needed in heat networks by 2027. Can you update us on the level of spending that has been awarded via the Scottish heat network fund so far, cabinet secretary? How likely is it that the commitment to spend £300 million by March 2026 will be met?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

Can you tell us whether it is rural authorities that have been struggling, or is it urban authorities?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

Thank you, convener. I have a short question, which I will address to Màiri McAllan.

How confident are you that the spending decisions that are taken in the 2024-25 budget set a course for meeting the interim 2030 and final 2045 emissions reduction targets in Scotland?

10:30  

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 30 January 2024

Douglas Lumsden

Obviously, as you said earlier, we must make progress on climate change, so the budget is surprising. The figures that we have from the Scottish Parliament information centre show that, in real terms, the budget is up for resource and capital together. However, the transport, net zero and just transition budget is down by 1.8 per cent in real terms. Lines for elements such as agri-environmental measures and woodland grants have had a huge cut.

You have said that we must make progress on climate change, but how can we make progress when there are cuts to the overall transport, net zero and just transition budget? In addition, as we heard at the start of the meeting, the climate change assessment figures of the budget are incorrect. How do we match those two things together?