Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is deeply concerned at the executive order signed by President Trump on 27 January that effectively bans people from a number of Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. On 28 January, I wrote to the Foreign Secretary urging him to make the strongest possible representations to the US Government about the effect the order will have on people who live and work here who were born abroad. The First Minister also raised this issue with the Prime Minister when they met at the Joint Ministerial Committee in Cardiff. I have yet to receive a Ministerial reply but there has been communication at official level.

The Foreign Secretary made a statement in the House of Commons on the 30th January saying that the UK has secured an exemption to the ban for UK passport holders, including dual nationals.

I have also met with the US Consulate in Edinburgh who confirmed the Foreign Secretary's position. While that is welcome, it does not go nearly far enough. We know from the Dr Hamaseh Tayari case, a vet studying at the University of Glasgow, that the ban may affect many who live, work and study in Scotland yet do not hold a UK passport.

More broadly, the imposition of a blanket ban on people on the basis of their birthplace, nationality or religion in the name of security is counterproductive and morally wrong. It risks exacerbating tensions between communities and will undermine much of the work that the global community has been doing to tackle extremism.

The United States has long been a place that has welcomed people from other countries, especially those fleeing persecution. We will continue to press the US Government directly and through the UK to reconsider this action and adopt an approach that reflects the values of equality, tolerance, diversity and human rights

The Scottish Government agrees with Sir David King that time is of the essence in the global fight against harmful climatic change, with 2016 having been confirmed as the hottest year on record. Swift implementation of the Paris Agreement is central to the international response with action required at all levels of government and civic society. The Scottish Government is committed to delivering an ambitious domestic agenda to cut emissions, evidenced so far by having met our 2020 target of 42% six years early. Scotland’s commitment to tackling climate change is further reinforced by publication of the draft Climate Change Plan, setting out how Scotland can reduce emissions by 66% by 2032, and the draft Energy Strategy, which outlines an ambitious vision for a modern, low carbon Scotland with a new target to deliver the equivalent of 50 per cent of the energy required for Scotland’s heat, transport and electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. In addition, forthcoming proposals for a new Climate Bill will seek to set a new more stretching target for 2020. It is now up to other countries to match Scotland’s ambition.

The regulation of banking remains reserved to Westminster and the Scottish Government cannot directly compel banks to maintain a branch presence where they have taken the commercial decision to close.

Clydesdale Bank, and other banks who are closing branches in in Aberdeenshire and across Scotland, must take into account the needs of all customers, particularly those in vulnerable groups who may not be able to access digitally delivered services and who continue to rely on physical branches and face to face provision of banking services.

We encourage the banks to engage in genuine consultation with local communities as they consider the future shape and size of their branch networks and to consider any alternative, reasonable solutions put forward by stakeholders where they can do so.

As of 31 January 2017 there are 325 Business Pledge Signatory companies. More information is given in the quarterly "Business Pledge - Statistical Overview" which is placed in the Scottish Parliament's Reference Centre. We encourage companies to commit to the Pledge through events and one to one discussion and ministers actively encourage companies we engage with to consider the benefit this brings in terms of productivity, staff retention, staff recruitment and reputational benefits, among others, such as the positive benefits to the well-being of the workforce and the communities from which they recruit.

The Scottish Government commissioned study into the potential for deep geothermal energy in Scotland (which was published in 2013 and is available at http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2013/11/2800) acknowledged a potential crossover of skilled employment opportunities in the developing geothermal industry for those in the oil and gas, manufacturing and traditional energy-generation sectors.

In addition, one of the four feasibility studies which received financial support in 2015-16 from the Scottish Government’s Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund considered the potential crossover with the oil and gas industry. The Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre deep geothermal single well project feasibility study report (which was published in March 2016 and is available at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00497878.pdf) recognised that the technical and commercial skills of Aberdeen’s oil and gas supply chain offer a good opportunity for the crossover and transition of skills to geothermal exploration. Support is available, to those oil and gas workers faced with redundancy, to help them transition to other roles or sectors, through the £12million Transition Training Fund, which is nearing the end of its first year in a three-year programme.

The Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund was launched on 6 March 2015 and was run as part of the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme. A total of £179,131 grant was made available during the 2015-16 financial year to explore the technical feasibility, economic viability and environmental sustainability of the geothermal resource in 4 sites in Scotland, 2 of which were in North East Scotland.

An award of £48,900 supported a feasibility study for the Hill of Banchory Deep Geothermal Energy project and, separately, an award of £43,500 supported a feasibility study for the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre deep geothermal single well project

The findings of the feasibility studies were published on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/03/9242 Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre deep geothermal single well project

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/03/6881 Hill of Banchory Deep Geothermal Energy project

Scotland's youth unemployment rate (9.4%) is the lowest youth unemployment rate since records began, and is the 2nd lowest youth unemployment rate in the EU.

However we will continue to build on this progress through the implementation of our youth employment strategy, Developing the Young Workforce, which aims to protect our young people from any future recessions while also supporting those who would always find it harder to move into employment even in more positive economic climates.

In December 2016 I published the second Developing the Young Workforce Programme annual report which highlighted the progress we are making towards the headline target of reducing 2014 levels of youth unemployment by 40% by 2021.

The report highlighted development in growing vocational provision for young people in the senior phase, including:

Growth in our Modern Apprenticeship programme;

A significant expansion of Foundation Apprenticeships;

Establishing 17 Developing the Young Workforce Regional Groups;

Investing in the earlier introduction of Career Advice; and

Refocusing activity across our youth employment programmes on young people who need the most support.

The Scottish Government’s Heat Policy Statement (available at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00478997.pdf) and the draft Energy Strategy (https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/draft-energy-strategy/) recognise deep geothermal as one of a number of renewable technologies which could have a role in delivering low carbon heat.

In 2012, the Scottish Government commissioned a study into the potential for deep geothermal energy in Scotland. The findings of the study were published on the Scottish Government website in 2013 at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2013/11/2800

The report identified 3 sources of deep geothermal energy with significant potential, including hot dry rocks (HDR). It states that the best HDR prospects are likely to exist in high heat production granites which occur mainly in East Grampian and to the north of Inverness.

Two of the four feasibility studies which received financial support in 2015-16 from the Scottish Government’s Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund were targeting granite in East Grampian: at the site of the new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre and the Hill of Fare, north of Banchory.

These both indicate a potential for geothermal energy to provide a low carbon heating option in their respective area. However, further exploration and demonstration would be required. Whether or not to take that work forward is subject to a number of factors, not all of which are in direct control of Scottish Ministers.