Chamber and committees

That is fine.

I will now allow Jamie Halcro Johnston to ask a question before we finish up.

I am sorry, Ms Thomson, but we are running out of time and Jamie Halcro Johnston is waiting.

Cabinet secretary, we will be taking evidence from Graham Stuart, the UK Government’s Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, after this session, and I am sure that some of these issues will come up again.

Gordon MacDonald might try to get more on that.

Yes.

Before I bring in Jamie Halcro Johnston, I return to Colin Smyth’s question about co-operatives. Although there is no target for co-operatives, there is a target to have 500 employee-owned businesses in Scotland by 2030. The cabinet secretary might not be able to give us a progress update on that today, but perhaps he could write to the committee about that.

I bring in Jamie Halcro Johnston, to be followed by Fiona Hyslop. I remind members that we must finish this item of business by 10:25.

Good morning, and welcome to the 14th meeting in 2023 of the Economy and Fair Work Committee. Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Do members agree to take in private at this week’s meeting the evidence that we will receive this morning and our approach to the paper on the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc (Scotland) Bill and, at next week’s meeting, our draft annual report?

Members indicated agreement.

Agenda item 2 is an evidence-taking session on the Scottish Government’s policy priorities, with the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy. I welcome to the meeting the cabinet secretary, Neil Gray, who is joined by Colin Cook, director of economic development; Gary Gillespie, chief economist; and Nick Young, head of carbon capture, utilisation and storage and industrial decarbonisation, all at the Scottish Government.

As always, if members and witnesses can keep their questions and answers as concise as possible, that will be helpful. I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.