Chamber and committees

The question was about what happens when a competitor nation increases its tourism budget while we are providing less.

My question is on the Scottish National Investment Bank. About a year ago, on 27 January 2022, Eilidh Mactaggart resigned as chief executive of the SNIB. Sarah Roughead has been the interim chief executive. Obviously, leadership in the organisation will be key, going forward. Can you give an update on where the bank is in terms of appointing a new chief executive?

I have a final question. When did the NSET delivery board, which was established in May 2020, last meet?

Will the minutes be available before the next meeting takes place?

Thank you.

I suppose that infrastructure—be it broadband, transport or homes—can often be a big barrier. We have issues in city centres, too, around housing, but infrastructure issues can often be a major barrier to somebody choosing to build their business on an island, for example.

I have a number of questions, some of which have already been covered by my colleagues, as is always the way. However, I have other questions on the economy and on regional stuff. I want to follow up on your answers to earlier questions from my colleague Graham Simpson. You wear a number of hats: you were involved in the review, but you are now the chief entrepreneurial adviser. What is the nature of your role with the Scottish Government? Are you a contractor who is paid either directly or through a company; a civil servant or a special adviser who is subject to a code of conduct; or are you employed directly? What is the nature of your relationship?

Thank you, convener. I will make my two questions very short, and I will put them both to Claire Mack.

We have already talked about constraints on the network. That issue has been highlighted. As a member from the northern isles, I know well the issues around grid upgrades and the like. I want to look beyond that.

Work is being done by organisations such as ReFLEX Orkney, which is coming to the cross-party group on islands today to talk about how we can use energy better locally. There is a real concern. I was looking at some figures from the Renewable Energy Foundation—you may have better ones—that say that, in 2020 alone, 3,460 gigawatt hours at a cost of £243 million were lost to constraint payments. That is energy that could be better used in communities. How can the sector do more? How can we as a country use that better and avoid having to spend that money not producing energy? We could be putting that into local homes and businesses.

I suppose that we will find out at the end of the period. You are saying that you are confident that the Government knew you well enough from its experience and the like.

I want to ask about two areas. In an interview in August 2022, you said that

“there’s still not enough focus on the economy”

from the Scottish Government. That was only a few months ago. Has anything changed, or is that still your concern?

When I speak to people, there is a real concern that we are spending money not to produce energy at a time when we need energy and people’s bills are so high.

I will leave it there, convener.