1. The Committee took evidence on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 [draft] from Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy at its meeting on 24 October 2017. The Official Report is available on the Committee's website.

2. The Order was laid on 4 September and makes a number of amendments to the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order 2009 to provide the basis for exempting eligible Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) from a proportion of the indirect costs of the RO scheme (RO exemption). In particular, the Order makes changes to the methodology for calculating the obligation level, to take account of the amount of electricity likely to be supplied to eligible EIIs during an obligation period.

3. The Order also imposes additional obligations on electricity suppliers to provide information about the supply of electricity to eligible EIIs to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (Ofgem).

4. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the Order at its meeting on 12 September and had no issues to report.

5. At its meeting on 12 September 2017, the Committee agreed to write to stakeholders, seeking their views on the Order. The letter sent to stakeholders is available online.

6. The Committee received calls from WWF Scotland and Energy Action Scotland stating that they had no comments regarding the Order.

7. Following evidence the Minister moved motion S5M-07660—

That the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 [draft] be approved.

8. The motion was agreed to.