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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 22 November 2024
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Displaying 1026 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 10 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

That is helpful. Thanks for your time.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 10 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

They were answered earlier in response to my supplementary question.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 10 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

Professor Ulph made important points about how mitigation and dealing with the consequences of climate change will be a big concern for all of us in the period ahead, as will trying to play our part in reducing emissions. However, the bill is about reduction. Is it an advantage that, although the changes that it proposes to the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 will induce and require longer-term planning, which I think we are all supportive of, those changes—removing the interim target and moving to multiyear budgeting—will also give greater agility?

The technology is moving so fast. Heat pumps were mentioned earlier. The improvements in those in recent years are remarkable, and a biomethane gas network will potentially also be available. That is just in relation to heating homes. Should we welcome the agility that the bill brings as something that will help us as the technology moves forward?

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Meeting date: 4 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

Do you want to say any more about the importance of second vehicles in relieving the initial crews that are on site? That is perhaps worth putting on the public record.

I presume that the FBU is pushing hard at United Kingdom level for the UK Government to step up its funding of fire and rescue services across the UK. Of course, that would have a consequentials consideration, particularly in capital budgets, and would significantly contribute to the Scottish Government’s capacity to provide more funding up here. I want to hear a bit about what the FBU is doing to push the UK Government to step up and spend more on fire services.

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Meeting date: 4 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

I will go back to some of the points that were made at the beginning about the 21st century and the changing risk profile. You also talked about societal and climate issues. Do you have further comments about the geographic aspect? What strikes me about the challenge of providing 24-hours-a-day coverage across the country is that the population is shifting, as well. That cuts across all statutory services.

More broadly, there is our collective challenge in Scotland in the public sector, because of the projected 85 per cent population growth in the Lothians and depopulation in the west and north of the country. How do you factor those population shifts into your planning?

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Meeting date: 4 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

The other point that I mentioned was 24-hours-a-day coverage. From memory of the statistics, although they showed that around 20 per cent of calls are at night, that is within a period of eight hours, which is a third of the day. To me, that emphasises the challenge and need to make sure that you have adequate resource ready for deployment at such points in the day. There might be fewer calls, but the need will be just as acute.

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Meeting date: 4 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

As the MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, where Breadalbane Street is, I want to express my gratitude to and admiration for everyone who responded on that night. Edinburgh Northern and Leith is the most densely populated part of Scotland. There are important points to take from that whole scenario about making sure that there is adequate coverage in urban Scotland. My understanding is that the reason why action on Breadalbane Street was taken so swiftly was because the team at McDonald Road, which is not far away, was in McDonald Road that evening, and that included the height appliance and the secondary vehicle.

To expand on some of the things that were said earlier this year and last year, do you want to say a bit more about the importance of height appliances and secondary vehicles being on scene as soon as possible? Although we want our crews to do more and we want to expand their roles day to day, and although the number of fires has decreased because of smoke alarms and other safety features in homes, it strikes me that the most important consideration is to make sure that there is capacity for the times when the risk goes up. We need to ensure that the geographical spread of height appliances and secondary vehicles is not constrained in a way that increases the risk in a manner that means that crews could not get to a situation such as that in Breadalbane Street quickly enough.

For example, I have heard that, when the Ayr station hotel was being attended to, the crew from McDonald Road in my constituency was in Glasgow. I am concerned about what would have happened if the Breadalbane Street fire had happened that night. It is a hard balance, but is there more that you want to say about that?

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Meeting date: 4 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

I want briefly to make sure that I was absolutely clear in that first question. I appreciate that there is a need to maintain and, in certain circumstances, to improve coverage in more rural and remote areas and in areas where there are population-decrease challenges. However, the east of the country, where the population is growing significantly and, as I said, 85 per cent of Scotland’s projected population growth will be in the Lothians, will require an increase in capacity in certain areas.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 3 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

I will make some brief comments in the same spirit as those that other colleagues have made. It is important to get the regulations right and, if the timescale needs to flex because of other Governments’ situations, that is absolutely the right thing to do.

I am reassured by the cabinet secretary’s comments on her proactive communications in order to seek that clarity. I am sure that the Scottish Government will keep the committee and Parliament updated on the communications with the UK Government and the other devolved nations. If the timeframe needs to change to make sure that a four-nations approach can be taken, that seems like the sensible thing to do.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 3 September 2024

Ben Macpherson

It is okay. Much of what I was going to ask about has been covered by Douglas Lumsden’s questions on engagement with business. Unless the cabinet secretary and her officials have anything more to say about that, I am happy to move on.