Chamber and committees

To ask the Scottish Government how its Covid recovery strategy is supporting rural and island tourism businesses. (S6O-01477)

I have been contacted by a number of hospitality businesses in my constituency, which are concerned that they may not survive this winter due to the impact of the cost of living crisis, with produce costs and energy bills both having skyrocketed. Given the devastating impact of that and of earlier events on the hospitality sector, can the cabinet secretary outline what representations the Scottish Government is making to the United Kingdom Government on the lack of adequate support for energy costs for small and medium-sized enterprises that are not on the gas grid?

I thank members who signed the motion for the debate. I appreciate that, at first glance, this topic may appear to be niche or islands-centric. If it is, I offer little by way of apology for that. Whether the Western Isles interconnector goes ahead will, in fact, have a profound impact on Scotland’s ability to reach net zero and to play our part in the global fight against climate change.

I recognise the wide array of support that the project attracts. Locally, it is an issue that has the backing of the member of the United Kingdom Parliament, the MSP and the local authority, and the Scottish Government has played an important role over the years in trying to move the project on. All the parties that are represented in the chamber can justifiably claim to have played a role in supporting it, so I very much hope that we hear some of that support tonight.

Most important is that the need for the interconnector is recognised and accepted by the communities that I represent. The lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis has a mention in the Guinness books of world records for being the windiest place in the United Kingdom, and for generations, the wind in Scotland was something to be endured rather than harnessed. Now, with the renewables revolution, we have a huge development opportunity right on our doorstep. Renewables developments are capable of bringing to the islands substantial socioeconomic benefits, which we desperately need.

The islands that I represent are, by and large, economically fragile. The industries on which we have traditionally relied, including textiles, fishing and crofting, have faced challenges in recent decades. The public sector is by far the largest employer, which leaves us vulnerable through prolonged periods of UK austerity such as we are living through now. The greatest challenge that we face in the coming years is in tackling the dual problems of depopulation and having an ageing population.

The construction of a transmission link would unlock hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of investment from shovel-ready renewables projects across the islands. It is anticipated that a sizeable number of jobs and millions of pounds’ worth of contracts for the local economy would be created during the construction phase. The community benefit funds that developers have pledged to establish would also bring in much-needed revenue.

It is worth noting that the Western Isles are at the forefront of Scotland’s drive to empower communities and to enable them to make decisions about their own areas. Community-owned land covers nearly half the land area and contains 70 per cent of our population. Community trusts have a key part to play in building stronger and more sustainable communities, and many have done so by establishing their own renewables projects. Indeed, community energy in the Western Isles has thrived. Substantial sums of money are brought directly into the community every year for important projects that deal with issues such as fuel poverty, housing, employment and additional community services.

There is, therefore, a real need for an interconnector. The history of the project stretches back over nearly two decades. There is—members will be glad to know—not enough time tonight for me to cover the whole story, but there have been many false dawns and broken promises. When there has been progress, it has felt painfully slow, and a step forward has always seemed to precede at least one step back.

In recent years, with the Scottish Government’s support, it has felt like momentum has built on the issue and it has been going in the right direction. In 2017, the UK Government reintroduced support for remote island wind, and 400MW of onshore wind in the Western Isles secured support through the contracts for difference auctions in the 2019 and 2022 rounds. However, in 2019, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets rejected a Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks proposal for a 600MW link, and instead proposed a smaller 450MW connection that would have made projects unviable for developers. For the sake of a cost difference of less than 5 per cent, the larger link was rejected.

The need for enhanced grid infrastructure for the ScotWind offshore developments has breathed new life into the case for the interconnector. SSEN has been developing plans for a substantially bigger 1.8GW link, which would have sufficient capacity to accommodate all currently contracted onshore wind sites in the Western Isles and offshore wind in proximity to the Western Isles, with additional headroom for—I hope—future projects.

All that brings us to the latest point in the saga, and the real reason for tonight’s debate. In August, Ofgem consulted on how it could support accelerated delivery of the strategic electricity transmission network upgrades that are needed to meet the UK Government’s 2030 renewable electricity generation ambitions. Despite the 1.8GW transmission link meeting all the criteria, it was omitted from the consultation document’s list of projects, which means that investment in the project continues to be stalled.

I believe that this project is of national significance, that the Western Isles have an enormous role to play in Scotland’s renewables landscape in the coming decades and that the Western Isles transmission link is urgently needed in order to unlock that potential. However, I do not believe that those who have the power to do the unlocking—Ofgem and the UK Government—have treated the issue accordingly. Ofgem has a chance to change that by ensuring that the Western Isles transmission link is included in its final list of projects that are approved for accelerated investment, which is to be published at the end of this year. I hope that members will join me in calling on Ofgem to do just that.

Thank you for being here again, cabinet secretary. As I am sure that you will have heard if you were listening in, we have heard a lot this morning about the issues that such matters give rise to about the rule of law. Experts have told us their view on that from a legal point of view, but from the point of view of other European countries where the rule of law and constitutions and so forth are taken seriously, what does the current situation do for the UK’s reputation among them?

As I mentioned, we have heard from a number of experts. Sir Jonathan Jones KC, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law and the Hansard Society all expressed concern about UK ministers being allowed, through the proposed legislation, to step firmly into devolved areas and to radically change the relationship with the Scottish Parliament. I think that the Hansard Society described that as a constitutional crisis. Is it?

I will keep it to a couple of brief questions in that case.

I know that this is returning to a theme, but I want to ask about the relation between UK ministers and the Scottish Parliament that could or will emerge from the bill. We have talked a bit about Henry VIII powers and the implications for this Parliament. Thankfully, Henry VIII never had the opportunity to legislate in Scotland. Nonetheless, there is the combination of the Henry VIII powers and other provisions in the bill, together with the decline of the Sewel convention, which has been alluded to. What is the effect of that combination of things? I know that Sir Jonathan Jones mentioned a range of unfortunate precedents, or words to that effect. How does the bill combine with the fact that, arguably at least, there is a decline in the Scottish Parliament’s ability to rely on the Sewel convention?

I think that we may still be on the third point there, but I am not sure.

I noticed, Sir Jonathan, that you referred to—I was going to say “the excuse” but let me put it more neutrally—the reason that the UK Government has given for proposing to breach international law. I do not want to put words into your mouth but I think that you said the Government cited the grave threat or the emergency situation, or something like that. As much as public life in the UK at the moment does feel like an on-going emergency, I wonder what the threshold is in terms of precedent, if any, for such an extraordinary act as to propose to legislate to breach international law and whether you find the reasons offered to be convincing.

I put the same question to Dr Fox. What is the cumulative impact of the bill when it is taken together with other developments such as the changes to our understanding of the Sewel convention?

With your permission, Presiding Officer, may I check that members know which channel to use?

Tapadh leibhse gu Murchadh Friseal airson dèanamh cinnteach gun deach an deasbad seo a chumail anns a’ Phàrlamaid an-diugh.

Agus meal-an-naidheachd air Baile Mòr Pheairt, a chuir fàilte cho cridheil air a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail am-bliadhna. An-dràsda, feumaidh mi m’ ùidh fhèin a chlàradh sa chuspair seo. Bha mise a’ seinn ann am Peairt aig a’ Mhòd am-bliadhna-sa. Mar as àbhaist, bha e na thlachd dhomh pàirt a ghabhail anns na co-fharpaisean le còisir às a’ choimhearsnachd agam fhèin, Còisir Sgìr’ a’ Bhac ann an Leòdhas. Bha sinn glè thoilichte leis na duaisean a fhuair sin. Mealaibh-an-naidheachd cuideachd, bu chòir dhomh a ràdh, air a h-uile duine a bha a’ gabhail pàirt anns a’ Mhòd an t-seachdain ’s a a chaidh.

Bidh am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail a’ toirt saoghal na Gàidhlig ri chèile ann an dòigh shònraichte. ’S e riochdachadh mòr a th’ anns a’ Mhòd air de cho beartach ’s a tha ar cultar agus ar cànan, tro na farpaisean seinn, bàrdachd, ealain, sgeulachd, dràma, ciùil, dannsa agus iomadach rud eile gach bliadhna.

Bidh am Mòd Nàiseanta a’ sealltainn ar cultar do na diofar choimhearsnachdan air am bi an fhèis a’ tadhal gach bliadhna agus an cothrom aig Alba air fad na farpaisich as fheàrr fhaicinn tro sheachdain a’ Mhòid air an telebhisean no an cluinntinn air an rèidio.

Bha a h-uile duine a tha an sàs ann an saoghal a’ Mhòid—na farpaisich air fad agus an luchd-èisteachd cuideachd—ag ionndrainn a’ Mhòid gu mòr bho 2019, ged a bha tachartasan a’ gabhail àite air-loidhne anns an eadar-ama. Bha e cho math tighinn còmhla anns an aon àite airson a’ Mhòid a-rithist am-bliadhna, agus mealaibh-an-naidheachd dhan Chomunn Ghàidhealach airson na rinn sibh gus Mòd 2022 a dhèanamh cho soirbheachail.

Mur eil mòran eòlais agaibh air dè th’ anns a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta agus cho dèidheil ’s a tha mòran Ghàidheil air, innsidh mi sgeulachd dhuibh bho Mhòd o chionn beagan bhliadhnaichean.

Bha duine ann a bha air na saor-làithean aige, air turas socair, sàmhach leis an RSPB - Comann Rìoghail Dìon nan Eun. Rinn e mearachd mhòr ge-tà, oir ’s ann a bhùc e a-steach dhan aon taigh-òsta ri leth-dusan còisir aig a’ Mhòd. Bha an truaghan seo a’ gnogadh air doras an t-seòmair an ath dhoras aig dà uair anns a’ mhadainn, leis gun robh an t-seinn ’s am fealla-dhà fhathast a’ dol gu làidir. Chuir e ceist air na fichead duine a bha cruinn còmhla anns an rùm sin—carson idir a bha gille òg nam measg a’ seinn na pìoba?

Ach, a’ cur an aon duine mhì-fhortanach sin dhan dàrna taobh, tha taic fharsaing ann an Alba dhan Mhòd, agus dhan Ghàidhlig. Bha sin furasta fhaicinn ann am Peairt an t-seachdain ’s a chaidh, agus tha mi toilichte a ràdh gu bheil an taic sin ri faicinn anns a’ Phàrlamaid seo cuideachd, a’ chuid as motha den tìde, thairis air na pàrtaidhean, mar a tha follaiseach an-diugh.

An e am Mòd an t-aon rud a tha cudromach dhan Ghàidhlig? Uill, chan eil duine sam bith a’ dèanamh a-mach gur e. Le cinnt, mar a bha daoine eile ag ràdh, tha a’ Ghàidhlig ann an staid chugallach; mar sin, tha e cho cudromach gum bi sinn ga bruidhinn cho tric ’s as urrainn dhuinn gu làitheil, a’ bharrachd air a bhith ga seinn.

Tha dualchas beòthail aig ceòl na Gàidhlig, agus tha am Mòd a’ dèanamh obair mhòr airson a’ chànain fhèin agus gus coimhearsnachd na Gàidhlig a tharraing còmhla gach bliadhna. Tha e ceart gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid a’ moladh sin an-diugh. Tapadh leibh.

Following is the simultaneous interpretation:

Thank you, Presiding Officer. First, I thank Murdo Fraser for ensuring that the debate has been held in the Parliament. I congratulate the people of Perth for giving such a warm welcome to the Royal National Mòd during the past fortnight.

At this point, I must declare an interest of sorts, as I sang at the Mòd in Perth this year. As ever, it was great fun to take part in the competitions as part of my local choir from Back, in Lewis. We were very pleased with the prize that we won. I congratulate everyone else who took part in the Mòd this week.

The Royal National Mòd draws the Gaelic world together in a unique way. It represents the richness of our language and culture through singing, poetry, art, storytelling, drama, choral and instrumental music, dance competitions and many others each year.

The Royal National Mòd showcases our culture to the various communities that the festival visits each year, when people can see the best competitors from Scotland on the television or hear them on the radio. Everybody who is involved in the Mòd—competitors and audience alike—have missed the Mòd greatly since 2019, although some events were held online in the meantime. It was great to gather in the same place again for the Mòd, so I congratulate An Comunn Gàidhealach on its work to make the 2022 Mòd such a success.

For members who do not know much about the Mòd and what it means for many Gaels, I will tell a story about something that happened at the Mòd a few years ago. A man was on his holidays, having a relaxing and quiet trip with the RSPB. He made the mistake of booking into the one hotel of the Mòd, when there were half a dozen others that were quieter. The man had to knock on the door of the room next door at 2 am due to the loud fun and games and singing that were going on. Twenty people were gathered in that room, including a young man who was playing the pipes.

Putting that young man to one side, the Mòd is supported throughout Scotland, as is Gaelic. That was seen in Perth last week, and I am glad to see that clear support across all parties in the Parliament today.

I do not think that anyone would claim that the Mòd is the only important thing to Gaelic, but Gaelic is certainly in a vulnerable state, as others have said. Therefore, it is vital that we continue to speak it as well as sing in it as much as we can, every day.

Gaelic has a lively musical tradition. The Mòd contributes hugely to encouraging the language and, as it brings the community together every year, it is right that the Parliament praises it today.