Chamber and committees

I thank the witnesses for joining us. My first question is for Clare Reid and is about energy price support. The UK Government has indicated that energy price support for households and businesses will be replaced by a more targeted policy in spring 2023, although there has been disappointment that we have not had an explanation of that before Christmas. If there is to be targeted energy price support for businesses from the UK Government, what will that look like? How could that best be co-ordinated with devolved areas that the Scottish Government works in?

Thank you.

Stacey Dingwall, I understand that the FSB has said that a third of small firms expect to scale down or cancel their planned investment for business growth should energy support from the Government end. That would have an impact. You also refer to the Welsh Government looking at loans from the Development Bank of Wales for green investment in particular. Scotland already has loans and grants for green investment for businesses, which tend to come from Scottish Enterprise rather than the Scottish National Investment Bank. Is it that small businesses in Scotland are not applying for funds just now, or do those funds need to be expanded? What are your suggestions to ensure that there is either green investment for energy innovations or general investment for businesses?

Fergus Mutch, I am interested in your Aberdeen members and the different scale of the companies. First, what energy price support would you like to see from the UK Government, and how could that be co-ordinated with the Scottish Government? Secondly, what has been the impact of the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer’s mini-budget on your membership and the decisions that they are taking about future investment? Is there anything in the Scottish budget that has implications for investment? I am thinking about energy-targeted policy, the impact on investment and what is required to encourage your members to invest.

Carolyn Currie, what would a targeted energy support scheme look like for women-led businesses?

It might be helpful to share with you the fact that, in the past few days, it looks as though the Scottish Government has indicated that it will introduce those standards for new buildings that you have talked about. I will leave that there.

I have another question. If the Scottish Government does not have powers to restrict the sale of replacement fossil fuel boilers, can it realistically expect to move faster than the rest of the United Kingdom on low-carbon heat? I understand that, recently, the UK Government started a consultation on a proposal to make fossil fuel boilers have to be hydrogen compatible after a certain date. Are we absolutely reliant on the UK Government doing that sort of thing, because it has the powers in that area?

I want to focus on peatland restoration. Your report talks about the learning that we now have on historical emissions, which need adjustment for the current targets, but you also indicate that global warming will have an impact on what might happen with peatland emissions in future.

Bearing in mind that the Scottish Government is already investing £50 million a year as part of a £250 million package, which is a substantial amount, what needs to be done to dial up the action on peatland restoration in order to make an impact?

The committee has taken a keen interest in carbon capture and storage, on which we had a short inquiry earlier this year. Can you comment on the impact that the Scottish Cluster, as part of future carbon capture and storage, might have on the abatement figure? We know that it was not part of track 1, but there is still a strong emphasis in Scotland on the need for CCS, not only for our abatement measures but for those of the rest of the UK. What is your message for the UK and Scottish Governments about the importance of CCS in delivering our climate change targets?

What is the timescale for that to be effective in delivering on the targets? I understand that, if there is to be a big impact, the UK Government would have to move very soon to approve accelerating Scotland from the reserve list to track 2.

I want to focus on buildings. Why was it too early to say whether the Government was on track with its low-carbon heat ambitions and what evidence would you need as a committee to adequately assess progress? Lord Deben, please indicate who you would like to answer that question.