Chamber and committees

Perhaps we can discuss that outwith the committee.

That brings us to the end of the evidence session. I thank the cabinet secretary and her officials for attending.

There are some brief supplementary questions.

I have a question that is linked to Ms Hyslop’s question about the plan’s flexibility or responsiveness. The plan will necessarily contain a number of risks, and assumptions will have to be made. You mentioned new technology. We are not at the commercial stage with that yet and it is not certain what will come to our rescue, as you put it.

Will there be plan Bs and contingency? Will there be a recognition that that is the situation? Although we can be aspirational and know what we think we need to deliver by 2045, it is not a certainty.

You do.

Cabinet secretary, could you expand a little more on the timescale for the just transition plan for the Grangemouth area? You have recognised the work that the committee is doing and that it will inform the Government’s work. Can you give an indication of when the draft plan will be ready?

Thank you.

Thank you—that was helpful.

You mentioned the leadership board. Other members will have questions about that, but it is our understanding that it does not include any business representatives and is quite public sector focused. I will, however, leave that for other members.

I will ask about the just transition commission, from which we heard last week. Recently, it has commented mainly on the draft energy plan; it has exchanged correspondence with the Scottish Government, and it has expressed a degree of frustration about its involvement in processes that have gone before. Given that, as I understand it, a memorandum of understanding has now been agreed between the commission and the Scottish Government, how do you see its involvement in the draft Grangemouth plan as it develops? Do you want to say a bit about the memorandum of understanding and how you are recognising the commission’s role?

Is the intention now to bring business on to that board?

Yes. One point that you made in the response to the draft report is that there is a need to tackle some of the difficult questions and to really get to the nub of some of the harder issues and try to reach consensus.

I will bring in Maggie Chapman.

Colin Smyth has some questions.