Seòmar agus comataidhean

Is there an argument for revisiting those targets and, if there are supply chain issues, scaling up installation more rapidly over the next 12 months? Perhaps the roll-out could be targeted at consumers who are most affected by price increases.

Neil Lawrence talked about smart meters and consumers’ ability to move on to variable tariffs. Where are we with the roll-out of smart meters? Could it be significantly ramped up between now and October, or between October and when the price cap next goes up? Could a large number of households who have smart meters move on to variable tariffs, or is there still a low number of consumers who have found out that that is even a possibility, let alone had a smart meter installed?

I want to move on to the topic of demand management. We could spend hours on this, but I would like some succinct responses to the question. We have the Scottish Government’s 20 per cent reduction target, and the net zero targets, too. Where do you see different demand management tools sitting at local authority level and how should they be deployed? Let us start with Paul White.

Can that 20 per cent reduction target be met without some of these demand management measures or is some form of demand management going to be essential?

Ewan, do you have any brief points to add?

Thank you. Back to you, convener.

I want to ask Ewan Wallace about the consistency of the roll-out of charging infrastructure around the country. In my experience, it is excellent in areas such as Stirling and Dundee but very poor in Edinburgh, and that can build in range anxiety. What progress can be made in having consistent EV infrastructure roll-out? At the moment, we still seem to be in a phase in which the process is being led by local authorities that have a particular interest in the issue, that have sought pathfinder funding and that are forging ahead.

I thank all the panellists for those useful answers.

I will move on. How could and should councils be using the powers to support bus use in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, which was passed in the previous session of Parliament? What is the next tranche of activity that councils should be engaged in?

I ask Paul White to answer first, after which I will go to Ewan Wallace.

Earlier, in your answer to Liam Kerr’s question about companies’ investment in the transition, you talked about getting away from expensive gas, which is driving the energy price. However, according to the International Energy Agency, in 2020, oil and gas companies invested only around 1 per cent of their capital expenditure in clean energy. Do you think that that is a fast enough transition? When do you think that the industry can get up to 70 per cent?

I have another question.