Chamber and committees

I would like to rattle through some questions about the joint budget review with you and your team, Deputy First Minister. I will start by asking for clarity on whether you or the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition is ultimately responsible for that? We have had correspondence from you and Màiri McAllan.

Okay.

At the beginning, you mentioned annex J, which is a pretty useful spreadsheet where we can find the policies that will make a big climate impact and those that might make a negative climate impact. Monica Lennon talked about woodlands and woodland grants, which are listed there.

In the interests of transparency, could a further level of information be provided? We have broad categories of things that are positive for the climate and that have a high impact on it, but if we were to drill down and say, for example, that we need to prioritise woodland grants or something else, how could we look at that and say that we need to do it because we know that it will result in a big impact, and how can we see the figures behind that? Is there a level of further information that would be useful when it comes to budget negotiations or other scrutiny?

That is really what my last question was about—that third strand of work and mainstreaming the net zero test across the whole of Government, making it integral to the budget process. I am a little bit concerned by the response that we had from Màiri McAllan, which seemed to suggest that the net zero test would not be intrinsic to the annual budget setting process. I am getting a slightly more nuanced position on that from you, Deputy First Minister. It is being piloted and extended across Government, but ultimately it needs to be there, even though it is not the only consideration when it comes to the budget.

Yes, it has been an interesting discussion. To follow on from that, where is green hydrogen right now, within the context of this year’s budget? Are the market opportunities near market, or are we still looking at far-market opportunities?

Looking at the hydrogen innovation scheme and what has been funded already, there are some really useful and interesting feasibility studies for quite small-scale application of green hydrogen. However, it feels as though a lot of that stuff is about demonstrating its value; it does not feel as though the full commercial opportunities are here—right here, right now. That may go back to your comment about offshore wind and the strategic focus. What is that focus for green hydrogen, perhaps in the longer term?

Okay, but on the specifics—because we are wondering who is ultimately responsible for the work in Government—is it a budget issue, and therefore your responsibility, or is it Màiri McAllan’s responsibility? We have had correspondence from both of you.

That is fine; that is joined-up Government.

In those three areas of work, the first strand was the narrative, which has been useful. The second strand was taxonomy and classification, and that has been expanded so that it is now not only about capital but is about revenue, as well. Is that it, for the second strand, or will there be a review of it and further expansion of the work? Will there be transparency about that?

If there is more information about how that pipeline is shaping up, it would be very useful to get that.

I, too, have had that sort of experience on a committee visit to Orkney, where I did a lengthy interview with BBC Radio Orkney.

I want to ask about support for emerging grass-roots artists. The context here is that, across the UK, at least one grass-roots music venue is shutting every single week. There is a real pressure there, and there is a declining opportunity for new artists to get heard, both on the radio and through live performance.

The other context here, which Mr Cameron has already started to discuss, is the cuts that you have put forward and have now implemented in jazz and classical music, the regular programming for which has been taken off air—although I know that you have instigated a number of other initiatives to try and fill that hole. I am interested to know what your focus is when it comes to grass-roots live music and emerging artists. We seem to be in a perfect storm in relation to support for grass-roots music across the UK, and I am concerned about how that relates to Scotland.

That would be useful. The BBC, as a public broadcaster, is there to help to create that platform. The point about live music venues is that that platform is declining, so if you are not going to do it, who else is? I would like to understand whether the platform is shrinking or getting bigger. It is a decision for you whether it is done by having a specialist programme or by getting particular genres or emerging artists into a range of other more mainstream programmes, but it would be very useful to know whether the platform is getting bigger or smaller, highlighting the opportunities that are there across genres.

I am interested in the metrics for new, emerging and live music—that is where we are seeing the need to expand the platform rather than see it being stripped down.