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In my, as always, rather long-winded way, for which I apologise, I am asking whether you think that you could work with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and with the UK Government to have in place a package of measures in advance of a woman leaving, to ensure that she has certainty and has cash in her pocket at the point at which she leaves, instead of being in crisis after she leaves?

Thank you. I got my money’s worth out of that question, minister.

There is going to be a new legal duty for social landlords to develop and implement a domestic abuse policy. The equally safe strategy commits to supporting social landlords to embed gender equality commitments. How is that going? What work is taking place in relation to that?

I find that a reassuring answer. I do not want to follow up on that. That answer was pretty strong.

The committee has heard how the high cost of refugee accommodation, the lack of suitable temporary accommodation and the high cost of housing all contribute to the difficulty of leaving an abusive relationship. In what ways is the Scottish Government taking that into account when developing its housing policy?

I get that that is a cross-portfolio issue that also goes across Governments, because some of the structural issues are Home Office matters; however, what is the Scottish Government doing to try to resolve that?

So there are no specific actions at the moment. One suggestion that was made about how to reduce the costs of green hydrogen was to blend green hydrogen into the existing gas networks, which could reduce costs by up to 30 per cent. That could be actively considered now and taken forward, so is the UK Government actively looking at that?

Okay. I have no further questions, but I will put on the record that, if we can reduce electricity costs for green hydrogen, blend into the existing gas network and secure carbon capture and project union for Scotland, that could transform key elements of project willow and the market. Investors need certainty, and they need it quick, minister. Anything that you can put in concrete and in writing would be incredibly helpful.

Minister, I am sorry to interrupt, as it is not in my nature to cut across people who are giving evidence to the committee. I apologise—it is only because I have time constraints in relation to my questions.

I know that I mentioned REMA, but the point that I was trying to make was about the actions that the UK Government can take to reduce the electricity costs for green hydrogen. I am not being discourteous but, rather than asking for an extended explanation of what REMA is, I am asking: what is the UK Government doing to reduce the electricity costs for green hydrogen? That is what the five energy companies and the Acorn project wanted to know.

Good morning. Minister, I was pleased to hear you say that you want to do everything that you can to speed up investment, so I want to make some suggestions to you about the things that we can do now. I also sit on the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, which, yesterday, heard from five energy companies and the general manager of the Acorn project on the hydrogen economy and project willow. One of the major barriers is that more than 70 per cent of the costs of green hydrogen relate to electricity. Those costs can be brought down, and some suggestions were made about how to do that. I am conscious that, more generally, there is a review of electricity market arrangements in the UK.

Direct action could be taken to dramatically reduce the costs of producing green hydrogen. Those costs are a key barrier to getting the investment that we want, so what is happening on that, minister?

That would be helpful. I think that you can get to about 20 per cent in blending before you have to start looking at the infrastructure and changing the pipe network.

I want to ask about project union, the 1,500-mile transmission pipeline grid for hydrogen that is being considered. At yesterday’s meeting of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, one of the witnesses—I think that it was the general manager of the Acorn project; I apologise if it was a different witness—said that the Scottish Government should put pressure on the UK Government to give certainty in relation to when the Scottish part of the project will be complete. I understand that the next leg will be in Scotland, hooking up the Acorn project, the Grangemouth cluster and other grid networks.

We have been told that a lack of commitment to carbon capture through the Acorn project and also to grid and pipework infrastructure will surely compromise the investment that we all want to happen. You said that you will do everything that is possible to speed up investment. It would help industry and investors if the UK Government could say, “Project union in Scotland means that this will happen by date X, and this is what it will look like.” That would bring investment into the sector now. Can you give any clarity on that, either just now or following up in writing?

Yes.

I do not want to put words in your mouth but, to paraphrase, you are, in part, saying that the lack of certainty and clarity is impacting on investment now.