Chamber and committees

I thank the member for that very appropriate intervention, and I would not underplay the challenge that such big projects present. However, it is perhaps up to us to challenge and monitor what is happening, with particular regard to representing our constituents.

Before concluding, I want to highlight the role of Government. Notwithstanding how policy decisions at UK level impact on the way in which Scotland meets its net zero targets, the Scottish Government’s approach, as outlined in its “Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan” document, as well as the just transition fund and the forthcoming green industrial strategy, reflect, in my view, a distinct, more planned approach to addressing our climate crisis, which I very much welcome.

As time passes, progress on Scotland’s transition to net zero will become increasingly critical to the future of the UK, due not only to the social and environmental imperative of curbing climate change, but to the economic upside that is associated with the transition to a cleaner, cheaper and greener energy system, bringing fresh investment to our shores, regeneration to our industrial heartlands and high-value jobs to the next generation.

I offer my thanks again to everyone who supported the motion, and I look forward to hearing members’ contributions.

I will backtrack a little, to the matter of planning, which Sarah Boyack highlighted. Does she welcome the proposal for a floating resource of planners and the commitment to halve onshore wind planning timescales?

It is my real pleasure to introduce this members’ business debate on “The Economic Impact of Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector—2023 Update”. I thank all those colleagues who supported the motion, and I am grateful to those who are taking the time to speak this afternoon.

Before I get into the detail of the report, I will focus some remarks on the north-east, including my constituency of Aberdeen South and North Kincardine; the opportunities that our net zero economy brings to an otherwise cloudy economic picture; and the role of Government in bolstering competitiveness and supporting Scotland’s clean energy transition.

Renewable energy generation is the foundation of any net zero economy. In Scotland, we are fortunate to have a plethora of renewable technologies, including onshore and offshore wind, marine energy, hydro power, solar and clean heat, which will all play a key role in reducing our carbon footprint and supporting our future energy security.

Scotland has set ambitious targets, and challenges exist in delivering those ambitions. However, today is a time—I hope—for us to acknowledge the positive impact that the renewables sector is having on jobs and economic output in Scotland.

Nowhere has the energy transition been more evident than in the north-east. As an Aberdonian, and now as a north-east constituency MSP, I have followed the journey of the energy industry, which was built around oil and gas and is now transitioning to renewables. Hitting the sweet spot between a declining fossil fuel sector and a growing renewables footprint is the challenge that we all face, and we must endeavour to deliver for our planet and our future prosperity.

According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit’s report, “The UK’s net zero economy—The scale and geography of the net zero economy in the UK”, which was published last month, Aberdeen remains one of many local economies in Scotland to see a significant proportion of its gross value added attributed to the net zero economy. The city and the wider region continue to host a diverse mix of operators, developers and supply chain businesses that support energy generation activities.

Robert Gordon University has published a series of reports that set out scenarios for how the north-east can continue to exploit its world-class energy ecosystem, and present a range of workforce outcomes that could materialise in the coming years. Its “Powering up the Workforce” report found that the United Kingdom’s offshore energy workforce can increase by up to 50 per cent, from over 150,000 in 2023 to 225,000 by the end of the decade, with new renewable jobs outnumbering oil and gas roles, if a successful transition is achieved, thereby helping to secure Scotland’s world-class energy sector for future generations.

The area of technology and innovation is a fundamental part of our energy transition, and the north-east hosts a wealth of activity in that space. Last week, I was delighted to attend the opening of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult floating wind innovation centre in my constituency, which is the UK’s first centre that is focused purely on floating offshore wind technology. The National Energy Skills Accelerator has brought north-east academics and industry together to accelerate the upskilling of our existing and future workforce. The Net Zero Technology Centre works with stakeholders to drive technology for a net zero industrial future. Those initiatives demonstrate how Scotland is combining our strengths, bringing creativity together with expertise to support the delivery of a successful energy transition.

I turn to “The Economic Impact of Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector—2023 Update”, which was commissioned by Scottish Renewables and produced by the Fraser of Allander Institute. The report provides the latest estimates of economic output and job figures for Scotland’s renewables industry and its supply chain. The sector was supporting more than 42,000 full-time jobs in 2021, with offshore wind supporting the most employment: around 15,000 full-time equivalent roles. Onshore wind supported just over 12,000 full-time equivalent roles and renewable heat supported around 7,200. Scotland’s renewables industry supported more than £10.1 billion of output in 2021, with offshore wind understood to contribute output of £4 billion, and onshore wind and hydro power generating £3.4 billion and £1.2 billion respectively.

At this point, I will make a brief observation about the just transition. I recognise that, with the transformation of Scotland’s energy sector over the coming decades, the lives of communities and workers will be directly affected. A truly just transition calls for action on providing green jobs, building community wealth and embedding genuine participation, and I agree with calls for greater clarity on how we are going to measure progress in that regard.

The renewable energy industry currently presents Scottish supply chain companies with the biggest opportunity for business growth. However, that growth depends on enabling a stable and ambitious pipeline of clean energy projects, and will require both the Scottish and UK Governments to collaborate on enabling deployment, including by driving efficiencies and extra resource into our planning and consenting system, maximising Scottish capacity in contracts for difference, building new transmission infrastructure, upgrading our ports and investing in skills. On transmission, I welcome SSE’s investment programme in Scotland, in particular the north of Scotland build-out, which is anticipated to be worth £20 billion alone and will provide lasting economic and social benefits across Scotland.

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on how women born in the 1950s were affected by increases to the state pension age, and given that women are more likely to live in poverty than men, what assessment it has made of the potential impact that changes to the state pension age have had on the poverty rate among women in Scotland. (S6T-01903)

It is incredibly disappointing that, since the publication of the ombudsman’s report last week, the Labour Party has repeatedly failed to give a guarantee that its party in power would honour Westminster’s responsibility to provide justice and full compensation to the estimated 3.6 million WASPI women. Can the cabinet secretary provide assurances that the Scottish Government will urge the next UK Government to deliver justice?

Given the substantial impact that the issue has had on so many women, does the cabinet secretary agree with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendation that the UK Government, whether Conservative or Labour, should apologise for its failure of the WASPI women who have been affected by the increase in the state pension age and set up a compensation scheme? Does she agree that the Department for Work and Pensions should “do the right thing”?

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any potential implications for Scottish universities and colleges of the Migration Advisory Committee’s “rapid review” of the graduate route visa, as announced by the United Kingdom Government. (S6O-03236)

Since 2019, international students have contributed between £4 billion and £6 billion to the Scottish economy. The UK Government has stated that the intended purpose of the review is to confirm, among other things, that the visa can support pathways into high-quality jobs. Any curtailment of the graduate route has serious implications for Scotland’s university sector at a time when the UK Government’s decision to end dependents’ visas for postgraduate students has had a significant impact on demand from key international markets such as Nigeria, India and Pakistan.

Does the minister agree that any change to the graduate route visa must ensure that it remains an attractive and competitive offer to those who wish to study here, and that the UK Government must ensure that Scotland and the UK remain open and that a warm welcome awaits international students?

Does the First Minister share my extreme disappointment that Scotland will not be included in the United Kingdom Government’s Horizon legislation, which was announced this week? Can he outline the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to right the injustice imposed on those living in Scotland who were profoundly affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal?

Does the minister agree that capital investment is vital if we are to transform how we support farming and food production in Scotland, so that we help farmers and crofters invest in improved slurry storage and take action to tackle climate-related issues such as water scarcity and flooding? How does the failure of the Westminster Tory Government to provide any additional capital for Scotland in the budget affect our plans to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture?