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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 10 January 2025
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Displaying 2361 contributions

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Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Scottish Government Resource Spending Review

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

I am thinking about some of the points that the witnesses have made and particularly about some of the creativity that we see in communities, the way that projects are set up and their history and diversity. Does that make it difficult to mainstream a particular model that can be taken to every health board across the country to show what such projects deliver, how to employ consistent monitoring and evaluation and how to develop assessments of the financial savings?

Is there a difficulty in trying to interface a grass-roots movement and grass-roots projects with some of the harder objectives and systems that the NHS, health and social care partnerships or community planning partnerships have? How do we get that creativity in communities interfacing with those who actually have the money in a way that can deliver the objectives in a consistent way?

I ask Robbie McGhee to start off from the perspective of his projects and how they have managed to negotiate that.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

UK in a Changing Europe Regulatory Divergence Tracker

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

That is interesting. When it comes to how that taxonomy is interpreted within the devolution settlement, within the UK and across Europe, where there are sub-state actors that are looking to invest in particular technologies, do you have any thoughts on how that might play out?

We are meeting in Scotland, which has vast renewable resources. If you were to devise a green taxonomy for Scotland, maybe by creating a financial centre for green investment in Edinburgh, what would that look like? Could that exist within an EU taxonomy that is perhaps tilted in a slightly different direction, or which emphasises some technologies over others? Do you have any thoughts on that?

09:15  

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

UK in a Changing Europe Regulatory Divergence Tracker

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

The tracker is a really useful tool and a really useful summary for policy makers. It is exciting to hear that you want to overlay some of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and devolution aspects.

The tracker highlights financial services, greening finance and the development of a UK taxonomy. Where do you see potential divergence or alignment with the EU or other countries that are developing their own taxonomies? In the EU, there has been a strong debate about the inclusion of gas and nuclear in its taxonomy. Do you see an inevitable alignment there, given that we face similar energy challenges across Europe, or is there a different tilt or perspective with other countries that might end up getting wrapped up in some of the trade deals that the UK is looking to set up?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

UK in a Changing Europe Regulatory Divergence Tracker

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

I have a final question about the EU emissions trading scheme. I think that you say in your tracker that you expect the scope of that to be significantly widened. Do you see the UK falling into the same scope, or do think that there might be tensions over aviation or other areas?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Scottish Government Resource Spending Review

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

Is there a need for that consistency? You mentioned Inverclyde as an exemplar, but does there need to be guidance on the issue to all health boards or is it the responsibility of community planning partnerships? Should there be an expectation on authorities to do that mapping work and evolve the approach?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Scottish Government Resource Spending Review

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

I see a fuzziness between the boundaries of what projects are doing. They might be delivering objectives in different areas.

I ask Diana Murray for her reflections on that.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Scottish Government Resource Spending Review

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

That is particularly true with areas such as monitoring and evaluation of projects, and trying to share the understanding of how to do that.

I have a final question, which is a bigger one. The Government has a wellbeing economy bill slated to be introduced in this session of Parliament. Do you have any thoughts about that higher level of governance in Scotland and what could be in that bill to support the sort of initiatives that we are talking about? Is it about having the right kind of indicator? Is it about having a commissioner who can look at the needs of future generations? What would be useful to have at a legislative level to help to drive progress in the area and ensure that we do not forget about this work but prioritise it?

Do not worry if you do not have an answer, because there is time for you to feed into the Government consultations, but I am interested to know whether you have any top lines.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

UK in a Changing Europe Regulatory Divergence Tracker

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

To put it simply, the issue is how we utilise the resources and the advantages that we have with energy in Scotland to maximise the opportunities for green investment here and create a focus under a green taxonomy. Does the potential exist for there to be a divergence or a particular emphasis in Scotland under a green investment taxonomy in the UK?

Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) [Draft]

First Minister’s Question Time

Meeting date: 24 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

The United Kingdom Climate Change Committee has today called for a “presumption against exploration” in relation to new oil and gas, making the case that renewables investment is the “best way” to tackle the energy price crisis.

I am proud of Scotland’s progress on renewables. Will the First Minister press the UK Government to end its policy of maximum economic recovery and to start listening to the climate science?

Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)

Workplace Parking Licensing Schemes

Meeting date: 23 February 2022

Mark Ruskell

Mr Kerr needs to understand that workplace parking levies raise millions and millions of pounds for investment in the alternatives that get people out of cars. Regardless of whether the charges are passed on to specific groups, the benefits still exist—we still get a better public transport system, with more alternatives so that people can leave their cars at home. That is what has happened in Nottingham. The same can happen in Edinburgh and Glasgow, so let us get on with it.