Chamber and committees

Our Just Transition plans (beginning with the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan due to be published later this year) will set out how the economic and social impacts of our transition to Net Zero will be managed in a way that delivers on our national just transition outcomes.

From this programme of work, and the co-design activity that will be undertaken to support the Plans, we will be able to assess the nature and scale of impacts on workers across the sectors of our economy. This will enable us to assess how we support the full range of businesses and business models currently operating across sectors, including contractors contracting via a limited company.

Our Just Transition Fund is a new financial commitment and is currently being developed. It will be shaped in discussion with regional partners. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05501 on 31 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government does not assess risk on a sector by sector basis as the risks of a significant number of people gathering together indoors is the same regardless of the activity that brings them together.  

For the purposes of the capacity limits on indoor gatherings the Scottish Government considers a live event to be something that brings together a significant number of people for communal participation in a leisure or entertainment activity.  

The Scottish Government carried out an impact assessment of the live event regulation and its impact on businesses which include, but is not confined to, Bingo halls. This has been published at the link below: The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 6) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk).

The current list of prescribed offences where a victim impact statement can be made is set out here - The Victim Statements (Prescribed Offences) (No. 2) (Scotland) Order 2009 (legislation.gov.uk). The Scottish Government has committed to expanding the scope of the Victim Statement Scheme and work is currently ongoing to explore extensions to this list.

As the Cabinet Secretary stated in response to the member’s question in Parliament on 18 November 2021, I wrote to the Defra Secretary of State, George Eustice, on 17 November again highlighting the pressing nature of the UK Government securing reciprocal trade with the EU in the interests of Scotland’s seed potato industry and sought clarification on the issues raised by industry stakeholders in relation to EU imports.

The UK Government Minister of State for Farming, Fisheries and Food, Victoria Prentis, responded on 21 December 2021 assuring me that reciprocal trade with the EU remains the desired outcome, and that the UK Government continues to pursue this with the EU Commission. The letter also indicated that Defra anticipates little impact on the seed potato trade in relation to the import of EU-certified seed potatoes into England and Wales for ware production. This is contrary to the feedback that I continue to receive from Scottish stakeholders who believe there are many ware potato growing businesses in England ready to exploit the opportunity to import seed from the EU. I share the concern of the Scottish seed potato sector, and the lack of a level playing field which allows ware growers in England and Wales to purchase EU seed, whilst Scottish growers are blocked from selling their seed in the EU. I replied to Minister Prentis on 26 January 2022 to reiterate that this is unacceptable and that this imbalance must be addressed as a matter of priority. I also sought an urgent update on Defra plans for future engagement with the EU on seed potato equivalence.

I have also become aware that the UK has recently received an equivalence application from Denmark. If granted, this would allow Danish seed access to the UK. It is unacceptable that the UK Government should give consideration to this request while Scottish seed potato exporters cannot market their world-leading product to the EU. I am writing this week to raise my concerns with Minister Prentis on this matter.

The Scottish Budget 2022-23 sets out almost £2 billion of low carbon capital investment in Scotland’s public infrastructure, including almost £350 million to drive forward our commitment to decarbonise the heating of 1 million homes and £124 million capital investment to support high quality active travel in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure.

Having been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our Fuel Poverty Strategy was laid in Parliament on 9th November and subsequently published on the Scottish Government's website on 23rd December.

As required by the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019, the Strategy sets out the actions we are already taking to tackle fuel poverty, as well as outlining the further measures we believe will be necessary to meet our ambitious targets for reducing fuel poverty. This includes actions to address each of the four drivers of fuel poverty: poor energy efficiency of the home; high energy costs; low household incomes; and how energy is used in the home.

While the restrictions on the number of people who can attend live events have been relaxed from 24 January, I understand it will take time for audience confidence to be rebuilt.

The Scottish Government is keen to encourage audiences to return to cultural events. The First Minister held a media visit at the Scottish Opera on 2 February. The First Minister welcomed the return of live events and encouraged people to support theatres and other aspects of the arts.

The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs & Culture is giving the opening address at the Association of British Orchestras conference on 9 February. Mr Robertson will highlight during this speech the need for audiences to feel confident in returning to cultural events.

The Scottish Government is keen to work with stakeholders, including the performing arts and live music sector, to seek opportunities to encourage audiences to return to cultural events, in line with current guidance for public places.

There are currently no cases of Avian Influenza in any goose species recorded on Islay.

The barnacle geese present on Islay are from the Greenland population and mixing between these and the Svalbard population in the Solway is rare.

The Islay population are well monitored and are managed using an adaptive management approach, which can respond quickly to any changes in the situation.

The Scottish Government does not have plans to produce a joint net zero delivery framework with local authorities. We continue to support public sector leadership on the climate emergency through ongoing engagement with key bodies such as the Sustainable Scotland Network, Scottish Leaders Forum, COSLA, Environment and Economy Leadership Group and the Scottish Cities Alliance.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plans include proposals and policies to deliver Scotland’s emissions reduction targets and the updated Climate Change Plan, published in December 2020, sets out a framework for all sectors of society to contribute to our journey to net zero including the role that local authorities and other parts of the public sector must play. This is supported by a legislative framework for local authorities delivery of net zero, where local authorities are required to report annually on their climate duties. Looking ahead, we have committed to publish our next Climate Change Plan in the first half of this Parliament.