Fergus Ewing: Will Finlay Carson give way?
Fergus Ewing: I hope that we are all here not to play politics with the past but to propel progress in the future. To that end, I would just reflect that, when I was energy minister, one of my most frustrating experiences was finding out that it could take 12 years to get consents for an onshore wind farm that it took 12 months to construct. I therefore suggest to the minister that the Scottish Government...
Fergus Ewing: Will Mr Kerr give way?
Fergus Ewing: In the spirit of continuing the worthy cause of educating Mr Kerr, may I share with him a piece of information that I gleaned one evening when reading the fascinating and excellent “Jamieson’s Dictionary of Scots”? I came across a word that I thought may be of interest to Mr Kerr: the old Scots word “bluffleheid”. [Laughter.] Presiding Officer, I can see that you recognise it....
Fergus Ewing: —without ascribing it to any member in the chamber, because that would be unparliamentary—
Fergus Ewing: —to add to the political lexicon.
Fergus Ewing: I share the minister’s sentiments and wish her well, and I hope that she is enjoying the portfolio as much as I did. I would like to direct the minister’s attention to new research that was commissioned by Scottish Forestry, the outcome of which provided firm evidence that it is our established spruce forestry that will capture most carbon in the near future—it will capture 14 times...
Fergus Ewing: Does Mr Whittle agree that the industry throughout Scotland, whether in the sawmill sector or in the panel products sector, very much relies on and requires there to be a continuous, reliable, steady and long-term provision of commercial species, mostly coniferous species, so that it can continue to use wood as a construction material and thereby contribute to not only the economy but the...
Fergus Ewing: I share many of Mr Smyth’s sentiments. However, I allude to the research that I referred to earlier, which was commissioned by Scottish Forestry and prepared with the assistance of Forest Research. The research states that the impact of reducing commercial spruce forestry would result in more imports and threaten climate targets.
Fergus Ewing: I commend all the speakers in the debate thus far. On Rachael Hamilton’s last point, plantation high in the river catchment areas can contribute to alleviation of flooding, for example. Most industry in Scotland is conducted in cities or towns. Very few industries are, or can be, conducted in rural Scotland. Forestry is the industry of rural Scotland and rural Britain. When we hear the...
Fergus Ewing: I am pleased that Mr Mountain has gone from being my greatest critic to being a mind reader, because I was just about to say precisely that. The process—not simply the planning process but the overall process—was simplified and streamlined by Jim Mackinnon, the former chief planner. Because he was so well respected, he took people with him and his 21 recommendations were implemented....
Fergus Ewing: The forestry officials who serve the minister are excellent and of high quality—many of them are here today, so I am just buttering them up a wee bit. With their help and with a bit of change, I am sure that we can achieve the ambitious target and that the minister can succeed where I did not quite manage so to do.
Fergus Ewing: Will the member take an intervention?
Fergus Ewing: Will Mr Kerr give way?
Fergus Ewing: Will Mr Kerr give way?
Fergus Ewing: Mr Kerr is not really engaging in a “serious debate”, then.
Fergus Ewing: Will Mr Kerr give way?
Fergus Ewing: Will the member take an intervention?
Fergus Ewing: Will the minster give way on that point?
Fergus Ewing: I am grateful to the Scottish Conservatives for giving us the opportunity to debate these vital matters. For many people in the Highlands and beyond who have lost loved ones in their families—in some cases, more than one family member—and have lost friends as I and others have, as we have heard, 2022 will be their annus horribilis. It leaves behind the devastation of a life-long impact on...