The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1319 contributions
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 30 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
We can argue about funding, because your overall budget has gone up. It goes back to the point that you have chosen where to make savings. It also goes back to the point that Monica Lennon made: if you are serious about net zero and climate change, you surely have to prioritise these types of budgets at this time. By putting them down to zero or cutting them, you are not really credible, are you?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 30 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
I am on to my next question, which is about where demand might grow. The deadline has passed for local authorities to publish their local heat and energy efficiency strategies. Will you reflect on the role that those strategies will play in heat decarbonisation? I imagine that they will highlight where a lot of the funding will be required.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 30 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
Is there any feedback from local authorities? Why are they late? Do they have a problem with funding? What is the hold-up?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 30 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
Thank you.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
I will move on to hydrogen, cabinet secretary. There was £100 million pledged for the support of green hydrogen during the current session of Parliament, but it looks like only 7 per cent of that has been allocated so far. Can you set out how the rest of that money will be allocated?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
Thank you, cabinet secretary. Acorn is obviously going to be important to the north-east, but so is the just transition funding. I notice that, next year, that will reduce from £50 million to £12 million. Can you say a bit about the impact that that will have? Will that £12 million be for projects that have already been approved and that had multiyear funding or will it also be used for new projects that come forward?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
I do have a question, convener. Deputy First Minister, you spoke about leveraging in external funds, and the Scottish National Investment Bank has a big role to play in that. We can see from the budget that the money that SNIB will have to invest has been reduced by 24.6 per cent in 2024-25. How does the funding to SNIB work? Is it demand led? Is SNIB expected not to need more cash to invest, or is the money that it has constrained by the budget process?
Convener, I am going to get all my questions in at once, you will be happy to know.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
Sorry, but what do you mean by “due course”? The bank has been established for well over two years. The establishment of the advisory group was part of the Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020. I have asked questions about that and got nothing. In the budget process, every pound is a prisoner. We all agree on that. Surely the advisory group should be in place, to monitor the bank’s performance.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
I will follow up something that Jackie Dunbar said. Is any of the £80 million that has been committed in the 2024-25 budget?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 23 January 2024
Douglas Lumsden
You mentioned other emitters. Has an analysis been done of how many large emitters Scotland has, in order to ensure that the Acorn project is still viable, or is that work still on-going?