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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 28 July 2025
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Displaying 2597 contributions

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Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

Let us move on to another governance issue. The Auditor General made multiple references to gaps in climate governance linked to adaptation in his report and in his evidence to the committee on 18 May. What progress is the Scottish Government making on addressing gaps in governance and capacity linked to climate adaptation, ahead of producing the next climate adaptation programme?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

Is the Auditor General incorrect that the deputy director network is responsible for delivering on policies within the climate change plan update? Did it never have that responsibility?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

I have seen various figures for the money that will be needed to fund the transition, and all of them are eye watering. What seems to have been done so far is relatively small, compared to those figures. We will have to tap into huge sums of money—billions and billions—over a period. There will be competition for that money from everywhere.

How well developed are our links to private finance so that we ensure that Scotland receives its fair share of funding and can produce enough viable projects? Some projects are not necessarily profitable but nevertheless need to be done, which would imply public funding as opposed to private funding. How is that all being brought together? Is a group working on that by maintaining and developing relationships and contacts, and ensuring that there is a pipeline?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

I am sure that some of my colleagues will also have questions on that.

Let me move on to a more specific question. The Auditor General’s report describes the deputy director network as

“a key climate change governance body”

and states that it has responsibilities for delivering on the policies within the climate change plan update. However, it operates informally; there are no minutes of meetings. Is there a reason why there are no minutes of meetings? How are decisions taken, recorded and communicated?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

What is in people’s heads in deciding to produce no minutes? There are no minutes for a key board.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

So it is correct.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

On that, it appears that you still have a bit of a challenge ahead of you, but let me move on, as I am conscious of time.

The Verity house agreement, which was signed recently by the Scottish Government and local government, sets out how both parties will work together to deliver shared priorities, including on climate change. What impact, if any, will the new agreement have on the Scottish Government’s existing governance and risk management arrangements?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals”

Meeting date: 7 September 2023

Colin Beattie

I will leave it at that.

Public Audit Committee

Written Authority: Completion of Vessel 802

Meeting date: 22 June 2023

Colin Beattie

Okay. Well, as I said in the debate:

“Governments are judged by what they do, not by what they say they do”.—[Official Report, 8 June 2023; c 75.]

I thank the cabinet secretary for giving evidence. It is greatly appreciated that you have done that yourself. I also thank Colin Cook and Kate Hall for joining you.

We will now take a short break to allow for a changeover of witnesses.

09:56 Meeting suspended.  

09:57 On resuming—  

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Scottish Government Policy Priorities (Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy)

Meeting date: 10 May 2023

Colin Beattie

The assessment has already been made that adequate private capital is available globally, which to me seems a bit odd. Given that private capital is much in demand to finance our existing industries, it seems strange that there would be a massive surplus of capital waiting to come in. However, I realise that that was a global calculation. What is the calculation of the availability of capital in the Scottish and UK markets, for which we do not have to compete with other countries?