Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the question S6W-20602 on
‎ 29 August 2023. 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 is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate commitments. That is why we are calling for a robust and transparent climate compatibility test to be applied to all new developments.

The Scottish Government has made our position clear, we are committed to a just transition for Scotland's energy sector. Our focus, as outlined in the draft Strategy, must be meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.

Responsibility for policy on oil and gas exploration and production is a reserved matter and sits with the UK Government.

The Scottish Government continues to call for the climate compatibility checkpoint to be strengthened and to seek a four nation approach to developing climate compatibility tests, and is disappointed that the UK Government has again made announcements without consulting the devolved Governments.

The Scottish Government has made our position clear, we are committed to a just transition for Scotland's energy sector. Our focus, as outlined in the draft Strategy, must be meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.

We are already investing in the transition, through the Just Transition Fund and Energy Transition Fund, over half a billion pounds (£575m) to support a just transition. We will take the workers with us on our journey to net zero. We won’t do what Margaret Thatcher did to our mining and steel communities, where workers were discarded without hope.

We value our culture sector and the fundamental part this plays in our everyday lives, our national identity, and how we present ourselves to the world.

The figures published recently by Creative Scotland are the results of the notice of intention to apply to their new multi year funding programme. Notice of intention to apply is only the first stage of the process and we expect this figure to reduce once Creative Scotland has started assessing applications and completed necessary due diligence.

We provide significant funding to Creative Scotland each year and will continue to do so, alongside our obligation to balance the budget and deliver the best value for every taxpayer in Scotland.

We will continue to work with the sector to identify barriers to recovery and do everything within our powers and resources to help it overcome these.

There have been no power purchase agreements put in place so far for the sale of self-generated renewable energy to the grid under the current national framework agreement for the supply of electricity for the Scottish public sector. However, the new framework agreement which commences in April 2024 contains provisions for various type of PPAs.

To assist in engagement with public sector organisations, we have convened a Cross-Sector Working Group. This group met for the first time on 14 August. Organisations represented at the meeting were: Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers; Built Environment Forum Scotland; Chartered Institute of Housing; City of Edinburgh Council; COSLA; Fife Council; Heads of Planning Scotland; Historic Environment Scotland; Local Authority Building Standards Scotland; NHS Scotland Assure; Police Scotland; Scottish Funding Council; Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; Scottish Association of University Directors of Estates and Scottish Property Federation. This is an open group and other sectors are likely to join as RAAC is discovered within their estate.

A note of the meeting will be published on a resource page for the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety.

I can advise Parliament that the UK Government has today published the Target Operating Model (TOM) for the UK which interacts with areas of devolved responsibility, this model is intended to set controls on imported goods entering the UK from the EU. It is a direct consequence of Brexit.

Over recent months the Scottish Government has worked constructively and collaboratively with the UK Government to help it meet its self-imposed deadlines, in light of our shared interest in, and responsibility for, biosecurity. In July, I signalled the Scottish Government’s agreement to the publication of the TOM as it stood at that time – despite our dissatisfaction with the process, reservations about some of the model and the fact that some key points would remain to be resolved after publication.

It was therefore hugely frustrating that the UK Government then unilaterally proposed changes to the model upon which we, and the Welsh Government, had agreed. I have been clear with UK Ministers that this approach is unacceptable.

Following a frustrating time revisiting negotiation, I have, once again, signalled to the UK Government that we are prepared to agree to the publication of the TOM. Given how imperative protecting Scotland’s consumers and businesses through robust biosecurity controls is, the UK Government’s unilateral decision to delay implementing the model is regrettable. However, I trust that publication of the model will give stakeholders both the ability to plan ahead and significant reassurance that we are acting to protect Scotland’s biosecurity.

The Scottish Government’s view remains that the best trading relationships for Scottish and UK businesses are to be found as members of the European Union. However, until Scotland is in a position to re-join the European Union and enjoy the security of its wider biosecurity controls, trade without controls on imported goods would create growing risks to biosecurity.

The Scottish Government still has a number of outstanding concerns around the model. My decision to adopt this latest version was subject to securing agreement from the UK Government that work will continue on resolving these concerns.

One such concern was around how the model interacts with the Windsor Framework. Over recent months, officials have spent a significant amount of time working through this. Stakeholders will see that the model sets out how different types of goods entering Great Britain via Ireland and Northern Ireland are to be treated. However, we will need to continue working with the UK and other Devolved Governments and other key stakeholders.

For some time now, since the UK’s exit from the EU, our Scottish exporting businesses have had to comply with strict requirements to export to the EU, while importing businesses face, and will continue to face, considerably fewer hurdles. This imbalance, alongside a disadvantageous position for Scottish businesses compared to the unique arrangements in place for Northern Ireland businesses, creates an unlevel playing field for Scottish exporters. I have pressed the UK Government to consider mechanisms to re-set this imbalance – in particular, pursuing a veterinary agreement with the EU, which would pragmatically align standards and smooth trade. It is disappointing that the UK Government continues to refuse to consider these sensible solutions.

I want to make it clear to Parliament that the Scottish Government acknowledges that there are nevertheless remaining biosecurity risks. Therefore, the Scottish Government’s agreement to the model has been contingent on UK Government commitments that these risks will be closely monitored and reviewed across all the four nations and backed by appropriate governance structures, data and intelligence sharing and technical expertise.

Similarly, as the model will need to be underpinned by legislation, our agreement to publish the TOM has only been enabled by the commitment from the UK Government that the devolution settlement will be respected.

We acknowledge that the model is imperfect and that there are considerable areas which require further work across the four nations. Given the imperative of offering clarity for businesses which have been waiting for the ‘rule book’ for some time, the Scottish Government accepts the need to adopt this model. Adoption of this model is critical if we are to protect Scotland’s people and businesses from biosecurity threats; protect the wellbeing of our people, our fauna, our flora and our natural environment; and protect the provenance of our produce. We will therefore focus attention and resources on its implementation.

We cannot risk further delay to the model. The implementation dates set out by the UK Government must be final. Should there be any suggestion of further delay, the Scottish Government will not hesitate to reconsider its position.

Further information on the model can be found on the UK Government’s website:

The Border Target Operating Model: August 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I met with the UK Government’s Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries on 13 June 2023, to discuss the imminent publication of the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Creative Industries Sector Vision.

The UK Government have not confirmed if there will be any Barnett consequentials as a consequence of their announcement.

While the management of Scottish waters is an area of devolved competency, the Scottish Government continues to work with the UK Government and other devolved administrations through the delivery of the Marine Wildlife Bycatch Mitigation Initiative (BMI) which is a joint plan for tackling bycatch across the UK to minimise, and where possible eliminate, bycatch of sensitive marine species.

It is important to note that all vessels authorised to operate in Scottish waters do so under the appropriate licences, and are obliged to follow Scottish domestic management rules. This includes a mandatory requirement for all vessels (including EU vessels) operating in UK waters to report all incidences of marine mammal bycatch to the Marine Management Organisation.

Sustainability, support for biodiversity, and consideration of the wider ecosystem is at the heart of how we manage Scotland’s fisheries and protect our marine environment. For this reason, actions contained within both Scotland Fisheries Management Strategy and in the Blue Economy Vision for Scotland, sets out our ambition for the sustainable management and shared stewardship of Scotland’s seas and coasts.

I refer the member to the question S6W-20630 on 29 August 2023. 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