Question reference: S5W-35456
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 23 February 2021
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Current status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34562 by Paul Wheelhouse on 1 February 2021, when it will bring forward further plans for a publicly-owned energy company, and whether such a company will be established in 2021, as was announced in October 2017.
Answer
As you will be aware from my answer to the referenced Parliamentary Question and my update of 13 November to the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee, work on the public energy company, such as engagement on the findings of the Outline Business Case, was affected as a result of redeployment of officials to support the COVID-19 response and potential local authority partners have also needed to focus resource on responding to the pandemic.
Officials have been remobilised and we are reviewing the independent, public energy company Outline Business Case to reflect on the climate emergency and our ambitious net zero targets as well as more recent energy market developments, and we are working with interested local authorities to publish the Outline Business Case alongside identifying next steps.