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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 13 July 2025
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Displaying 1920 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

The issue has a lot of strands. You have touched on behaviours and attitudes and the importance of affordability and alignment. I want to look at accessibility. Many of us support the expansion of free bus travel to under-22s, but what about communities where the availability of bus services has reduced? You would expect me to mention Hamilton and the X1 service, which I have written to you about recently. What about people over 60 and those who are under 22 who desperately want to get on a bus but for whom the service is no longer there? We have heard, including when you were a member of the committee, about communities feeling that they are now bus deserts, because there simply is not a bus to get on.

You probably have one of the toughest jobs in Government, and we all wish you well, but what is being done to look at the areas where the alignment is really out of kilter? We have free bus travel, but the buses are disappearing. Companies are saying that there are big shortages of drivers. There are big factors, including post-Brexit issues. Are we getting everyone round the table to look at the matter in a joined-up way?

When I speak to people in my local community in Hamilton, they just cannot understand why an express bus service like the X1, which took people from a major town such as Hamilton to Glasgow, no longer exists. That is at a time when people are being asked to leave the car at home, to choose active travel and to think about what they are doing in terms of the climate and nature emergencies, but the infrastructure and services that people need are simply not there.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

My questions are also about the community right to buy. Cabinet secretary, can you explain why the approval rate for late applications is 42 per cent, which is lower than the 73 per cent rate of approval for timeous applications? Are the additional requirements for communities making late applications proportionate and necessary?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

That is great. You have anticipated my final question by mentioning community wealth. I am interested to find out how the Government is working behind the scenes to make sure that it takes a cross-portfolio approach. What work is being done with other ministers in terms of land reform and your aspirations to make sure that there is alignment between just transition and community wealth building? How does that work in practice?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

That is great; thank you. What action has the Government taken to respond to the Land Commission’s 2018 recommendations on community ownership? What expectations does the Government have of the community land leadership group?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

Perhaps this can be followed up in writing. I realise that we may have got muddled and that we can clarify things in writing. The figure of £500 million relates to bus priority measures. Is the Government still committed to that investment and when will we see those measures being delivered? If there is no time to get into that, perhaps we can get that in writing.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 19 September 2023

Monica Lennon

I think that you have covered most of it. It was about expectations on the community land leadership group and what action the Government is taking on the 2018 recommendations.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 14 September 2023

Monica Lennon

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with its “Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan”, including in relation to its commitment to pilot universal free school meals in secondary schools. (S6O-02506)

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 14 September 2023

Monica Lennon

Back in 2021, ministers promised to expand universal free school meal support to all primary pupils in the first 100 days of this session of parliament. That expansion did not materialise, and this major delay to the manifesto commitment will make hungry children wait until 2026, if we are to believe the First Minister.

In addition to what the cabinet secretary said, when will we see detailed implementation plans around the timeline not just for P6 and P7 pupils, but for the pilot in secondary schools, which is also long overdue?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 12 September 2023

Monica Lennon

I will return to the issues around public communications later. You have clarified that both Governments have very different positions on new oil and gas projects. You will be aware that there has been some criticism that the Scottish Government’s position has become less clear in recent times. It has not given a direct answer on its position on Rosebank, for example, which is quite different from the position that was taken on Cambo.

A few days ago, the First Minister was urged to “get off the fence”. Those are not my words, but those of more than 100 high-profile people from the arts and entertainment worlds—including performers at the Edinburgh fringe festival—and members of the public, who asked the Government to voice opposition to the new Rosebank oil field. Why is the Government not able to give a straight yes or no answer on that? Why is there a perception that you and your colleagues are on the fence? Do you want to get off the fence today?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

Meeting date: 12 September 2023

Monica Lennon

No pressure, then. Good morning to you, cabinet secretary, and to your officials. I have a brief set of questions for now; I will ask more later on.

I want to pick up on new oil and gas projects. It is fair to say that the Scottish and UK Governments hold different positions on continued exploration in the North Sea, certainly in the medium term. How can the two Governments ensure that, while holding those policy differences, they can work effectively to give maximum certainty to businesses and communities during what is quite an uncertain transition period?