Chamber and committees

I go back to what the Granite Care Consortium did in Aberdeen. There has been a real shift in power. The health and social care partnership essentially handed over a budget. The providers were at the table, and they were able to work collaboratively to provide seamless care and to shift things to each other if things did not quite fit.

I keep hearing, “We don’t want to lose all the good work we’ve done.” I say to Geri McCormick that I totally appreciate that. A lot of great work has come out of the IJBs, but we still hear that voices are not being heard. Providers feel that they are not heard and that they need to be at the table. Surely having providers at the table, and not just as people who can speak to the IJB, is really what care boards are all about. There is a difference between engagement and listening, co-designing and continuing to be part of the process all the way through.

I am worried about the idea that we would lose lots of good work. Surely there would be the people around the table who are already there as well as the providers and people with lived experience, so that people would move forward together in a growing, collaborative process.

What difference has it made to the people who receive care?

Yesterday’s ruling has profound implications for the UK and Scotland’s democracy, and in particular, as the First Minister says, for the notion of the UK being a voluntary partnership of nations. If the UK Government wants to evidence that it is a voluntary union, all that it has to do is to stop standing in the way of democracy, come to the table and reach an agreement with the Scottish Government on holding a legal referendum. Why does the First Minister think that it is continuing to shy away from doing so?

I thank Paul McLennan for leading the debate. Scotland recognises the emergency that our climate faces. We have an ambitious net zero target, and our transition to a clean energy system is well under way. My colleagues have already mentioned the Fraser of Allander Institute report, which highlights that the economic impact of Scotland’s renewable energy industry is not limited to the economic activity of the sector but extends beyond it.

Renewables projects create jobs for people throughout the supply chain, from research and design to the maintenance and development of energy storage systems—all of which have a knock-on impact on local economies right across Scotland, from my constituency of Uddingston and Bellshill to Orkney. Although the renewables sector is flourishing with creative thinking and ambitious policy making, we can support further growth across all renewables, creating massive opportunities for new industries, jobs, training and skills.

I will focus on the Scottish solar industry. Solar is the most democratised form of energy—it goes on the rooftops of homes and businesses and, undoubtedly, has strong potential for reducing fuel poverty, with targeted deployment. However, I argue that it is Scotland’s most underutilised renewable resource, despite being the cheapest energy source that is available to Scottish people at a time of rapidly rising costs. The untapped potential of Scottish solar means that there is a unique opportunity for major growth.

If we look at Denmark, for example, we will see the brightness of the opportunity. Although Denmark is on a similar latitude to Scotland, Danish solar generation contributes nearly five times as much to the Danish electricity mix, on a percentage basis, as Scottish solar does to Scottish electricity. To capitalise on the sunny prospectus that solar can provide Scotland, Scotland needs to be bolder, as other nations have been, and that includes setting a target for solar energy generation. Analysis of UK, United States and European Union employment data shows that, if the Scottish Government set a 2030 deployment ambition of 4GW to 6GW of solar energy capacity, the industry could support 9,000 new jobs.

I look forward to the cabinet secretary’s update on Scotland’s solar vision within the energy strategy and just transition plan that is due later this year. I hope that the strategy will include a clearly defined gigawatt target that is in line with other countries’ ambitious targets, as called for in Solar Energy Scotland’s paper “Scotland’s Fair Share: Solar’s role in achieving net-zero in Scotland”.

Although setting gigawatt targets is essential to provide industry confidence and drive investment, it is just as important that we transform ourselves into a green-skills powerhouse, as others have mentioned, and address our current and future skills gaps. Solar Energy Scotland’s vice chair, Josh King, has stated:

“The potential for solar in Scotland is huge, but a clear ambition and stable policy are vital to capitalise on the opportunity.”

During a recent meeting with solar business Emtec Energy, which is in my constituency, it reiterated the ever-increasing demand for green skills in Scotland’s solar industry. I was told that our culture places too much focus on university degrees and that there remains a societal barrier to viewing apprenticeships as equal. There is a continued need for the industry to partner with secondary, higher and tertiary education institutions to think creatively about routes into renewable energy.

The Edinburgh Climate Change Institute recommends splitting green jobs into three categories: new and emerging jobs, existing jobs requiring enhanced skills and existing jobs that are now more in demand. I applaud those definitions, as it is only when we develop policies and initiatives to target each unique category and attract talent for the present and the future that we can unleash the economic potential of our renewables sector.

As we all know, the transformation of how we power our society is set to accelerate over the coming years, and solar energy, as well as the renewables sector more broadly, will play a key role in supporting the Scottish Government to achieve its net zero targets while helping to target fuel poverty and energy insecurity.

Scotland can be proud of its renewable sector. Our natural resources, education and skills and creativity mean that the outlook is good, the foundations are strong and the potential is enormous.

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Supreme Court decision regarding legislating on an independence referendum. (S6F-01564)

Minister, you have already talked about local care boards continuing to shape changes at local level. To what degree do you expect that ministers will be responsible for service delivery and directing those care boards? How will any shift in the powers and responsibilities of local and national Government ensure that the flexibility to adapt to those local circumstances is not lost?

Chapter 3 of the bill is about creating an NCS charter. Will that be a touchstone for the work to develop the NCS? Is the charter likely to be limited to principles, or will it include rights and responsibilities?

You have spoken about the need to improve accountability. I am interested in how that might work in practice for individuals. Should ministers have a duty to ensure that advocacy services are available for children and young people with disabilities and additional support needs?

Patient safety is key in all this, so Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s independent inspections of Forth Valley royal hospital are welcome. Will the cabinet secretary provide an update on the next steps that we can expect, following the inspections?

Will the member take an intervention?

Dr Meechan’s last point is really interesting, and I would like to hear some more detail on that. If my understanding is right, there is consensus on individuals’ owning and controlling their data. That is to do with consent, choice and setting limits, and the approach to that must be person centred. Should that be stated in the bill?