Seòmar agus comataidhean

I meet community groups regularly. If anyone emails me asking for a meeting, I will meet them. However, Alasdair Allan clearly set out earlier that ministers are not permitted to meet those community groups. It is not allowed. I do not want his words to be twisted.

Our focus should be on our renewables and not on nuclear, which is slow, costly and, ultimately, a bad deal for Scotland. The UK Government’s nuclear projects are billions over budget and years behind schedule, and, ultimately, taxpayers are forced to foot that bill. Meanwhile, Scotland’s renewables are delivering right now, providing clean energy, cutting costs and creating jobs. We cannot afford to waste any more time looking backwards.

As we move forward with offshore wind, we must also stand with the people whose lives and livelihoods revolve around Scotland’s seas. That is why I established the cross-party group on fisheries and coastal communities. Fishers deserve a seat at the table, too. I thank the cabinet secretary, Gillian Martin, for attending one of our cross-party meetings. It was greatly appreciated.

The fishers do not just work the sea; they know it, and their knowledge of the waters, ecosystems and realities of the industry must not be ignored. Offshore wind and other developments must be done with them and not to them. If we are serious about a just transition, we must engage early, listen properly and respect the generations of expertise, rather than bringing them in as an afterthought when the plans are signed off. The industry puts low-carbon, high-protein diets on our plates, and that matters.

One company that shows how that can be done well is Ocean Winds. I have met its team regularly—I did so most recently at an event that I hosted here in the Parliament. With its Moray east and Moray west developments, it is set to become the largest offshore wind operator in the country. Its Moray west operations and maintenance base in Buckie is proof of what real investment in renewables can do. A few short years ago, Buckie harbour looked different from how it looks now. It is bringing in new businesses, new jobs and new opportunities. That is the real-world impact of renewables.

However, opportunity does not come without challenge. Higher transmission charges in Scotland make it more expensive than anywhere else in the UK for our offshore wind developers to connect to the grid. Those additional costs could slow our investment. That is unacceptable. To unlock the full potential of offshore wind, we need to have a fairer system that does not penalise Scotland for leading the way.

Another key issue is harbour and port capacity building. That is why Fraserburgh harbour and other ports across my constituency are critical to the conversation. Fraserburgh has big ambitions. I regularly meet Pamela Neri and her team, and I champion the harbour’s master plan with every chance that I get. If we back Fraserburgh properly, it can become a major hub for offshore wind, thereby strengthening supply chains, securing long-term prosperity and creating the jobs that are needed for our local communities.

We need to remember what a just transition means. It is about not just energy but people; it is about valuing the industries and expertise that we already have and making sure that they have a future in a low-carbon Scotland. That means listening to our fishers and investing in our ports. For example, we have an incredible opportunity to be a hub for manufacturing. By linking with local colleges and schools to support the supply chain with a labour force, we can ensure that renewables create jobs and prosperity in the communities that need those things most.

However, while Scotland pushes forward, Labour and the Tories would throw billions at nuclear, despite it being slow, expensive and out of reach for ordinary folk. Their track record speaks for itself—for example, Hinkley Point, which has been mentioned, is billions over budget, years behind schedule and still nowhere near delivering energy. Meanwhile, Scotland’s renewables are already cutting costs and creating jobs. Why would we choose outdated, overpriced and unreliable technology over a proven home-grown industry?

Scotland is leading not only in clean energy but in showing the world what a fair and inclusive transition looks like, yet, last week, the Conservatives voted against the Scottish Government’s budget, which included £237 million for ports and harbours. That is unacceptable.

I am proud to have voted for more investment in our coastal communities. However, we must not stop there. Let us get this right and power on with renewables—for Scotland, our coastal communities and, ultimately, our future.

On the point about economic opportunities, the CBI reported last week that the net zero industry is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy, providing high-wage jobs and boosting energy security. What does the member say in response to that?

Scotland’s energy future is in renewables, and nowhere is that clearer than in my constituency of Banffshire and Buchan Coast. My communities have powered Scotland for generations through fishing and energy and, now, the opportunities that they have with a just transition. However, as with all industries, that transition must not be something that is done to the people—it must be done with them.

We have everything that we need right here—wind, water and a skilled workforce. If we get this right, we will not just keep the lights on but build a sustainable future in which our communities benefit from real investment and lasting opportunities.

We move on to questions from Maggie Chapman.

Good morning, and welcome to the fifth meeting in 2025, in session 6, of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have received apologies from Paul O’Kane.

Our first agenda item is consideration of a negative Scottish statutory instrument. I refer members to paper 1. Do members have any comments to make on the instrument?

Thank you. No other members wish to come in. Your comments are noted and are on the record. That concludes consideration of the instrument.

Tess, could I please have your attention? On the question that you have just asked, we have to keep the questioning relevant to the minister’s portfolio and to why she is here today with regard to our budgeting inquiry, please.

Thank you, minister. We will move to questions from Pam Gosal.

Our next agenda item is continuation of our scrutiny of the 2025-26 budget. I refer members to papers 2 and 3. I welcome to the meeting Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities. The minister is accompanied by Scottish Government officials Nick Bland, who is the deputy director of mainstreaming and inclusion, and Matt Elsby, who is the deputy director of fiscal policy and constitution. You are all very welcome. Thank you for attending. I invite the minister to make an opening statement before we move to questions from members.

Excuse me. Tess—