Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Official Report 814KB pdf

---

Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Before the minister moves the business motion, I will raise a point about the clarity of that motion. I am grateful that the Government has decided to have a ministerial statement on Tuesday next week about the publication of a report that is known as RPP2, which is to contain the policies and proposals that the Government intends to implement to achieve the annual climate change targets in future years.

However, the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires two separate reports. One is the RPP2, which relates to future years, and the other is a report that revises the shorter-term actions given that, last year, the Government failed to meet the first annual target under the 2009 act. Section 36 of the act clearly requires a report that revises the current policies and proposals to address the failure to meet that target.

What is the meaning of the title of the ministerial statement to be given next Tuesday? Will both reports be included? Will members be able to question the minister after the statement on both reports rather than just on the one that is named RPP2?

I received notification that the member wished to raise that point. Although it is an important point, it is not a point of order for the chair. However, it is a matter for ministers and I understand that they wish to clarify the matter for the Parliament now.

I am pleased to confirm to the Parliament that the statement next Tuesday will meet both the section 35 and the section 36 requirements of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. I am grateful to Patrick Harvie for giving us notice of his point of order.