Chamber and committees

The SPS agreement that was announced in yesterday’s summit cuts red tape, will save businesses thousands in fees and has been welcomed across the food and drink sector. What impact will the SPS agreement have on Scotland’s food and drink exports and how it will support the Scotland Food & Drink partnership’s ambition for food and drink to be a £20 billion sector?

In a changed world, it is more important than ever that we keep relationships with our partners around the world strong, and that we work in areas of mutual interest to meet goals that benefit our security and our economies. Following years of our international standings declining under the Conservatives at Westminster, it is positive that we now have a UK Government that is working to rebuild those relationships and is open about the value of international co-operation.

Last week saw Scotland and Europe mark the 80th anniversary of VE day. Such memories of war act as a stark reminder of what can happen when we fail to work with our international colleagues. That is why I welcome the holding of the first UK-EU summit next week, when we can cement our new relationship. As the Prime Minister has said, we should “look forward, not back” and work to build a new strategic partnership with the EU to benefit Scotland’s economy, defence and public safety.

On our economy, I am pleased to see consensus reached with the UK Government on the importance of an SPS agreement. Of all the parts of the United Kingdom, Scotland exports the most food and drink, and that sector is worth £16 billion to our economy. However, since the Tories’ Brexit deal, we have seen our agri-food trade with the EU fall by 29 per cent for meat exports and 26 per cent for dairy. In the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee’s review of the trade and co-operation agreement we saw the impact that the situation is having on businesses, in that imports are taking far longer and costs are going up.

It has been estimated that achieving a veterinary agreement will increase exports by at least 22.5 per cent. That delivers what businesses want as soon as possible—not in several years’ time.

On defence, with threats to Scotland and the United Kingdom greater than they have been in previous years, co-operation is also key. The European Union has been taking a greater role in defence in recent years, following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Formal collaboration will be key to supporting security across the continent but will also be important to Scotland’s defence sector, which will be bolstered by the UK Labour Government’s increase in defence spending. That investment will boost Scotland’s industry and defence sector, which employs thousands of people.

The industry has told the Westminster Defence Committee that collaboration is vital to sustain capacity at home and our competitiveness in global markets. It also says that we have an opportunity to engage in a strategic conversation on defence with the EU, due to the renewed relationship that the UK Government is pursuing. That is what a positive future with the EU looks like.

Scotland also benefits from positive and collaborative relationships with non-EU countries. The trade deal with India that was announced last week will add to the £600 million of exports that we currently achieve and give Scotland unique access to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The deal will benefit Scottish businesses by lowering tariffs in areas in which we are leaders, such as whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association said that it was “transformational”, increasing exports by £1 billion over the next five years and creating jobs.

Those actions—rebuilding our relationship with Europe, improving our security and defence and securing trade deals that boost the Scottish economy—demonstrate the power of international co-operation and the fact that we are taking a pragmatic approach to tackling the challenges that we face. They show that, if we want to be successful in delivering for Scotland’s people, we must look to the future and work together when it is in the best interests of our country to do so. Further, they prove the value of stepping up to deliver, not sniping from the sidelines or picking sides.

The First Minister talks about prevention, but the Edinburgh integration joint board is being forced to make cuts to preventative care and third sector organisations, including the Stafford centre, which supports 640 people with mental health issues and is estimated to save the NHS up to £4.4 million in hospital admissions. Given the situation in joint boards across Scotland, does the First Minister recognise that prevention will not be possible if IJBs are in permanent financial crisis?

I agree with Mr Torrance.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My voting app would not connect. I would have voted no.

The analysis of proton versus photon radiotherapy in oligodendroglioma and assessment of cognitive health—APPROACH—trial is currently exploring whether proton beam therapy can improve cognitive outcomes for people with primary brain tumours in England and Wales. However, Scottish patients are unable to participate due to lack of funding to cover excess treatment costs.

What consideration has the Scottish Government given to support patients during the APPROACH trial to ensure that no one misses out on cutting-edge treatment?

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I had the same issue again. I would have voted no.

Last week, constituents contacted me because they were worried about the risk of rape and sexual assault in public parks in Edinburgh. They mentioned the lack of lighting that makes our parks unsafe at night, especially in winter. How is the Scottish Government ensuring that our built environment is not contributing to such horrific attacks?

I congratulate Christine Grahame on securing this members’ business debate and giving us all a lesson on making crisp packets into blankets. I especially congratulate St Andrew’s primary school on its commendation for learning for sustainability in the Eco-Schools programme. It is a testament to its outstanding commitment to building a sustainable future and creating global citizens. I also recognise the work of the Eco-Schools team at St Andrew’s primary school, and I am sure that, having received that commendation, they will be happy that their hard work has paid off.

I am lucky enough to represent a region that includes, alongside St Andrew’s in Gorebridge, so many other schools that go above and beyond to protect our environment. Since the younger generation will bear the brunt of climate change, it is our responsibility to equip them with the knowledge and skills to protect and cherish the environment. I saw that in action a few weeks ago, when I joined my colleagues Sarah Boyack and Ash Regan to meet inspiring young people representing more than 30 schools at a Protect Our Future demonstration held outside the Parliament.

Those young people presented us with a paper chain with 6,000 handwritten messages from children across Scotland, demanding that we keep our promises on climate change and deliver for the younger generation. The paper chain is not only a symbol of unity in its demand, but a warning that, if we do not keep our promises on climate change, the chain will break, along with our young people’s futures. I was humbled and moved by that meeting, but I was heartened to see that our young people are so well informed about the biggest issues that we face as a society. It makes me more confident about our future.

I have no doubt that the Eco-Schools programme, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, has played a large role in creating a generation of young people who understand the importance of the natural world. Since the programme’s launch, more than 8,000 green flags have been awarded to Scottish schools. The programme has been expanded to include subjects such as food and global citizenship, and it is now running in schools in 79 countries.

Events are planned for the 30th anniversary, with the eco-schools celebration week being held in June. That will include the one planet picnic, in which schools around the globe will celebrate their achievements in promoting sustainability. It will act as a demonstration of the “act local, think global” mantra that is so important in tackling the climate emergency.

Before that, however, I hope that St Andrew’s RC primary school in Gorebridge will be celebrating its well-deserved achievement in receiving this commendation.

Hydrogen is a key part of our journey to net zero. Although we can decarbonise many parts of our economy through electrification or renewables, hydrogen is necessary in the areas where that is not viable.

The sector has immense potential. The Hydrogen Energy Association has estimated that hydrogen technologies will be worth £700 billion globally by 2050 and will deliver hundreds of thousands of jobs in Scotland alone. Given our existing knowledge in our energy sector, we should be pursuing those opportunities, and I am glad that there is agreement across parties and Governments on that point.

The shortlisting of eight Scottish sites in the second hydrogen allocation round should be welcomed, particularly that of the Selms Muir hydrogen project in Livingston, which could deliver 6 tonnes of hydrogen a day and fuel the Lothian bus fleet. That would be complemented by Grangemouth hydrogen and a pipeline to Forth Ports in Leith, which could enable exports to other countries. All that would build a cluster of hydrogen knowledge in the central belt.

If we want to be successful, we must build up capacity quickly. However, as we have seen in other areas, the planning system is sluggish and inefficient in introducing new energy infrastructure. We have heard from the Improvement Service that understanding of hydrogen among planners and decision makers is limited and can vary between areas. I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government is establishing a planning hub to improve that situation.

We need knowledge to be embedded in all parts of the system—including local development plans—and a clear pipeline of projects so that decision makers can have clarity. In addition, as with all planning, we need to ensure that there are enough planners working to make decisions.

Public engagement is also key. Some industry figures report public unease regarding hydrogen proposals. Much has been said about community input in energy infrastructure. When people hear the word “hydrogen”, many think of the Hindenburg disaster, so ensuring understanding of the safety of such systems should be a priority.

I come back to skills. With our expertise in oil and gas, Scotland is well placed to enable the hydrogen economy. Those sectors include people with transferable technical skills, such as those in engineering and project management, and people with skills in safety, risk and regulatory compliance. Creating a clear pathway from oil and gas to hydrogen should be on the cards to ensure that workers can adapt and to guarantee them a just transition.

However, ClimateXChange found that skills transfer from industry alone will not be sufficient in the long term to meet the objectives of the hydrogen action plan. Therefore, this is a great opportunity to boost apprenticeships and deliver opportunities for young people across all areas of the country.

That brings me to my last point on infrastructure. Hydrogen is a versatile element. It can be transported in liquid or gas form and by pipeline or boat. Infrastructure to ensure that hydrogen can flow cheaply and easily from where it is produced should be delivered at the same time as investment in green generation so that we do not find ourselves playing catch-up in the years to come.

I again welcome the shortlisting of eight Scottish sites in the latest hydrogen allocation round. That reflects the talent and appeal of Scotland in the hydrogen sector. However, we cannot just hope to be a world leader in green hydrogen. The Scottish Government should tackle the planning and skills issues that I have outlined and develop a clear strategy that ensures that green hydrogen can be used in as many areas of our economy as possible in order to hit our net zero target.