Chamber and committees

There are twin aims, and it is vital that people and communities share the wealth of Scotland’s abundant renewable energy resources and net zero transition. Through our good-practice principles for onshore development, the Scottish Government continues to encourage developers to offer community benefits as standard on all renewable energy projects. Community benefits are a well-established and integral part of renewable energy projects in Scotland, with more than £30 million of community benefits being offered to Scottish communities in the past 12 months.

As the member will be aware, decisions on offshore oil and gas licensing and consenting are reserved to the United Kingdom Government. The Scottish Government’s draft energy strategy and just transition plan includes a proposal for consultation of support for a presumption against licensing for exploration to identify entirely new fields. We have never proposed a policy of no new licensing at all. Where fields are already identified but are not yet in production, we consulted on support for those continuing to progress through the licensing and consenting process, subject to a robust climate compatibility checkpoint.

The judgments and issues in the strategy are informed and influenced by recent developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and court decisions. This is a rapidly changing landscape and we are taking time to reflect on those developments and the strategy before drawing any conclusions and publishing any final strategy.

I do not think that anyone could be in any doubt, realistically, about the Scottish Government’s commitment not only to finding a just transition but to supporting the jobs that exist in the sector that the member mentioned.

The member also mentioned Grangemouth. I remind her of her exchange with the First Minister on the subject, in which he reacted to the comments that she made about the situation at Grangemouth, saying:

“I am actively pursuing an option to maintain the refining capacity at Grangemouth. If that needs to be stated again, I will state it again to Parliament”.—[Official Report, 21 November 2024; c 17.]

Where new development proposals come forward, our fourth national planning framework, which was published and adopted in 2023, ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process.

On 5 November, the National Energy System Operator published advice to the United Kingdom Government on how to achieve clean power by 2030. At the same time, NESO also published a consultation on connections queue reform, and the UK Government is due to publish a clean power action plan. The outputs of that work will be considered in due course.

It is important to say that there is a statutory structure that must be followed in all decision making in the planning system. Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 requires that decisions must be made in accordance with the development plan.

I understand the point that the member makes about cumulative impacts. The cumulative impacts of development, including landscape, visual and amenity impacts, are important considerations in the determination of applications, where such impacts are identified.

In November 2023, the previous Conservative-led UK Government agreed to review Scottish consenting in its transmission acceleration action plan, as a response to recommendations from the UK Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser. Our officials have been working closely with UK Government counterparts on that work since February 2024, albeit with a pause during the election period, to impart a better understanding of the issues that are faced by all relevant stakeholders in Scotland, from developers to communities. During that period, the two Governments have exchanged formal correspondence to acknowledge the on-going work and established clear expectations. Engagement is now progressing in collaboration with the new UK Government.

I am not quite sure whether Alexander Burnett fully appreciates that the Electricity Act 1989 is reserved, UK Government legislation and that changes to the relevant clauses will ultimately be made by the UK Government. Nonetheless, the Scottish Government has been working closely with our UK counterparts and has co-designed the consultation. I am satisfied that many organisations and communities are taking part in it, but I remind Alexander Burnett of the role of the UK Government in it, too.

Rona Mackay points to our twin aims of ensuring that we have a fair process and ensuring that we decarbonise the country. I am satisfied that we are seeking to achieve both those aims. In collaboration with officials and ministers at the UK Government end, we are seeking to ensure not only that we make new projects easier to develop but that we make the process fairer and simpler and, indeed, that we update it in the way that the process has already been updated in England.

The regulation of electricity networks is reserved to the United Kingdom Government. Scottish ministers have devolved responsibility for determining applications for consent under the Electricity Act 1989. Given that, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual infrastructure projects that may come forward as I may not interfere with or prejudice any decisions that may come before the Scottish ministers for determination.

In general, however, the Scottish Government recognises that the expansion of the electricity grid will play a crucial role in delivering on our energy ambitions and maximising the economic opportunities of Scotland’s abundant renewable resources.

The national planning framework makes it clear that potential impacts on communities—the member alluded to them, although, as I said, I cannot comment on the specific case—and on nature and heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process. She will forgive me: if I read the question correctly and there was an invitation in it, the ministerial code prevents me from commenting. However, I thank her for her question.