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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 26 April 2025
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Displaying 1225 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

What about you, Mr Boland?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

A number of you have talked about port infrastructure. That is extremely important as we move forward, but some of the proposed changes to ports are quite controversial. Aberdeen south harbour did not get by without a wee bit of controversy, but now the vast majority of people would agree that it was the right thing to do, not only for Aberdeen but for the whole of the north-east, as we move forward. We can already see business transferring to Aberdeen that would not have gone there before. How do we get around such projects, which are often controversial? How do we explain to communities the necessity for such changes in order for us to get to a stage at which we can not only survive but thrive? I do not know who wants to answer that. Business has a big part to play in communication with communities.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

Maybe the folk who will be meeting on 18 January will have taken cognisance of what has been said today.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

I turn to Suzanne Sosna to ask about how flexible companies are in terms of change. You talked about the fear of a year going by without contracts, but are there folk who are stuck and who are not looking at the future in the way that they should by diversifying? What are you and other agencies doing to get them to see the light on diversification?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

I wouldnae be buying the pizza. [Laughter.]

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

I get all that, but who needs their heads knocked together to get this show on the road?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

I want to move on, convener. We have heard about the perceived differences in how jobs will operate in this new future. Professor de Leeuw talked about there being a much more transient workforce. Would it be fair to say that there is already a pretty transient workforce in the north-east? Aberdeen has operated as a global city. Folk have come and folk have gone. Aberdonians have moved elsewhere and come back. Is that transience maybe less of a challenge for Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland than it would be elsewhere?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

Sure. You talked about flexibility, which is another key aspect of the shift that we need to make. Last Friday, I attended a Shell event on energy that was specifically for girls, where 18 schools from across the north-east were represented. From speaking to some of the young women there, it is clear that they recognise now that, in relation to the fields that they want to enter, how they work will have to be much more flexible in the future. One lass I spoke with wants to be a mechanical engineer. She recognises that, although she will want to remain a mechanical engineer, there will have to be flexibility in her working life.

It seems, though, that we have some impediments at this time in terms of those flexibilities, including getting the likes of the skills passport. In your opinion, the future workforce recognises that there needs to be flexibility. Is it the case that some of the trade bodies are not accepting that there needs to be that flexibility? If they do not, they could cause a real problem in terms of us reaching our ambitions.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

I shall. Thank you, convener.

My very brief supplementary is for Mr Boland, who said that the skills passport is in a wee bit of a difficult phase. As you know, Skills Development Scotland will be on the panel after you. What do you think are the difficulties, and how can they be overcome quickly?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Just Transition (North-east and Moray)

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Kevin Stewart

By the sounds of it, there have maybe been too many meetings and not enough action.