Chamber and committees

Do you think that you are likely to take an approach of breaking things down into sectors as well as SMEs—for example, the seafood sector in one area, agriculture somewhere else, and retail somewhere else? How might you break that down to explore the needs most pertinently?

That is helpful. At the moment, is there a lack of awareness among SMEs not only of the need for a just transition but of how that is going to be achieved and measured?

Okay—thank you.

Thanks for that. I think that Lang Banks wants to come in on this.

Ben Howarth, do you have anything to add?

Heather Buchanan, I ask you the same question. I represent a region—the Highlands and Islands. How do we make sure there is a regional approach to this, and regional support?

A lot of the questions that I was going to ask have been covered, so I will ask a follow-up question of James Close and Heather Buchanan. You have talked about the technology, the associated risk and the various stages of investment, and Colin Beattie talked about developing technologies and mentioned hydrogen. From your perspectives, are you seeing those technologies developing as quickly as you expected or would want them to? Where are they against expectations?

I am from Orkney, where a lot of work is being done on hydrogen. It is extremely interesting and exciting, but from speaking to many people about their confidence about how hydrogen is going to fit into the grand scheme of things, I know that that is the million-dollar question—I will call it that, rather than the impossible question. The finance side is interesting. If you want to know what is going to happen with regard to an event, you ask a bookie; to find out what is going to be successful, you ask the banking sector, because they are looking to what will work. With large-scale innovations such as hydrogen, what confidence can you have that it is going to play a major role? Where do progress on that?

That is very helpful.

This question is not particularly related to the inquiry, but I want to ask it. Obviously, we have Scottish Enterprise in today. How are you engaging on projects with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which is my local enterprise board? Are there specific areas that you are looking at? That question is for you, David.

That is very helpful. In previous inquiries, we have thought about the move from smaller businesses out of Business Gateway into Highlands and Islands Enterprise not always being so good, so it is encouraging to hear that that is happening.

That is all from me. Thank you very much indeed for your information.