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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 1335 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Scottish Government Policy Priorities (Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy)

Meeting date: 10 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

Skills passports will not necessarily address the technology issues for companies. That needs to be considered.

We have heard about the need for billions of pounds of investment to realise our net zero goals. How fundamental is the carbon capture, utilisation and storage Acorn cluster for the just transition not only for the north-east but for Grangemouth? There is £1 million from Ineos sitting on the table ready to move for the industrial cluster with the biggest emissions in Scotland. What is your view on that?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (Grangemouth Area)

Meeting date: 10 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

I refer the minister to the report that the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee produced last year on carbon capture, utilisation and storage. It had all-party support and it perhaps sets out the case in a stronger way than we have time to do today.

I will move on to the wider hydrogen economy. Clearly, Scotland and the UK have significant ambitions in that regard. We have heard that, to advance on the broader hydrogen economy, we will need further work on developing credible business cases to help to draw in the private investment that you talked about and to bring to market the various technologies that we require.

What is your view on that? What can be done and what is the UK doing to support the technology for hydrogen to reach maturity and attract the significant investment that is needed? There is an element of risk, so I suppose the question is: what is the UK prepared to do to help to move that market on?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

I want to move on to planning, which is quite clearly the responsibility of the Scottish Government. The national planning framework 4 has been warmly welcomed by the renewables sector but, beyond that, what work is the Scottish Government doing to aid the deployment of strategic developments? We constantly hear that there is frustration about the length of time that consenting takes. How can the consenting regime in Scotland be improved? What are you doing to make sure that that happens?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

Can I ask you to focus on my question, which was about a Scottish supply chain? Inward investment is certainly very welcome—and I welcome the announcement that you have just made about the Japanese company—but are you suggesting that the only opportunities for Scottish industry will be in servicing the chain, not in manufacturing?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

A strength of our targets—this is also a challenge—is the fact that they were set by the Government following a cross-party commitment. The Government was pushed to set tougher targets and to set annual targets. As you translate the revised targets into the delivery plan for the climate change plan that will be laid, as you said, at the end of November, how will you keep cross-party support, which was important in setting the ambitious targets in the first place? You said that the 2030 and 2045 targets are being kept, even if the trajectory is changing somewhat.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

If you had those powers, what would you do with them?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

So, smoother means quicker.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

Okay. You made a point about the need for strategic infrastructure. Developers want to see faster construction and commissioning of infrastructure and approvals, whereas others want to see greater care and consideration being taken with new transmission lines, perhaps with more undergrounding, as Denmark has.

Do you see the Scottish Government’s role as being just to streamline and speed up consenting? Will you expand on the point, which I think you alluded to, that there needs to be engagement with communities so that we take them with us on this journey? Are communities really aware of the sheer scale of what will be required to maximise our electricity infrastructure to reap the benefits of both onshore and offshore wind?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

Thank you.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Electricity Infrastructure Inquiry

Meeting date: 9 May 2023

Fiona Hyslop

And speed of decisions?