Claudia Beamish: I have been frantically trying to cut my speech from four to three minutes, Presiding Officer; I will do my best. I thank Emma Harper for introducing the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill. What a lot of work for all involved! I am keenly aware of how necessary the bill is. Much of the South Scotland area that I and Emma Harper represent is rural, so the worrying of...
Claudia Beamish: 2. I would like to pay my respects to Mike Russell and to wish him well. In particular, I recognise all the work that he has done on protecting our environment and shaping our response to the sad demands of Brexit. I turn to my question. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Disasters Emergency Committee, “Breaking Point”, and how this will impact...
Claudia Beamish: This year, Scotland will host the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26—and the build-up to it. As a sub-state of COP26, Scotland must set an example for the rest of the world to follow in its approach to support for countries on the front line of climate impact. However, the climate justice fund has stayed at £3 million despite non-governmental...
Claudia Beamish: How will the Scottish Government help to facilitate the shift from what risk being high-carbon stranded assets to the sectors of the future? Will there be guarantees that recognise the just transition imperative and ensure low-carbon outcomes? I appreciate that that might be difficult, given that we are talking about private investment, but what robust measures and criteria will be in place?
Claudia Beamish: Can the minister give any detail on the deposit return scheme, beyond his commitment to commission an independent gateway review? The scheme has already been delayed, as he will know, until July 2022.
Claudia Beamish: I start by wishing the cabinet secretary well, as others have already, in every sense of the word. It is indeed unfortunate that she cannot be here to take part in today’s debate—it possibly being her last—and I pay Scottish Labour’s respects to her long-standing contribution to this brief. I also wish Sarah Boyack well in her new post as our spokesperson for climate change,...
Claudia Beamish: 5. To ask the Scottish Government what measures in its 2021-22 budget aim to tackle the gender pay gap. (S5O-05085)
Claudia Beamish: The fair work convention reported in 2019—pre-pandemic—that 83 per cent of staff employed in social care in Scotland were women. It also reported that the average hourly rate was £9.79. During the pandemic, this notoriously undervalued sector has been more publicly recognised. As we all know, international women’s day is on Saturday, and the hashtag #ChooseToChallenge highlights gender...
Claudia Beamish: I welcome the cabinet secretary’s continuing offer to support other parties in seeking consensus on the budget. I start with Scottish Labour’s call for radical action and up-front investment, on which the budget still needs to deliver if we are to kick-start a green jobs recovery and to set firm—[ Inaudible .]—on the path of social justice—[ Inaudible .]. Shovel-ready energy...
Claudia Beamish: Okay—thank you. I now just have the sound on. Is that better?
Claudia Beamish: That is a relief—good. Early action on retrofitting will secure local jobs, prevent rising long-term costs and tangibly improve the lives of many people. Although the £45 million of additional funding that has been announced is welcome, it does not go far enough to prevent the increasing costs of decarbonisation that will face everyone over time and increasing fuel poverty. There is also...
Claudia Beamish: I note the increase of £45 million of capital for heat decarbonisation, energy efficiency and fuel poverty. Although today’s announcement is a welcome and good step, will the cabinet secretary consider extending the specific energy efficiency budget to £244 million in order to make significant inroads into fuel poverty, bring local jobs across Scotland and lower our emissions, as Scottish...
Claudia Beamish: Why is a target for native woodland planting not included in the climate change plan update? Will the cabinet secretary reconsider that?
Claudia Beamish: Will the Scottish Government commit to considering monitoring the advanced technology whereby green hydrogen is used to contribute to the production of liquid fuel for aviation, in particular, which has such high emissions, but also for haulage and shipping—[ Inaudible .] [ Inaudible .]—negative impact on land use while contributing robustly to our net zero emissions target?
Claudia Beamish: On the far side of these challenging Covid times, there is a real opportunity to shape the future together, with a new, fairer way forward for the people of Scotland in the context of the climate and nature emergency. In that context, I am heartened by the wide engagement that the committee undertook, which led to our green recovery report and its robust, unanimous recommendations. I identify...
Claudia Beamish: The commission recommended the inclusion of natural infrastructure in the plan. Scottish Environment LINK calls for—[ Inaudible .] “Strong government support for ... Scotland’s Nature Network ... central to a green recovery ... creating a positive change to the economic and social activities of our communities.” What reassurance can the cabinet secretary give today after really quite...
Claudia Beamish: 6. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Teach the Future’s call for a review into how the whole of the formal education system is preparing students for a climate emergency and ecological crisis. (S5O-04966)
Claudia Beamish: I thank the cabinet secretary for that welcome response. I, too, have met Teach the Future representatives virtually. In this context, I particularly want to highlight the importance of one of its asks that it stressed to me, which is for initial teacher training and possibly even a new professional teaching qualification to help to ensure that skills are developed for future innovation in...
Claudia Beamish: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no. I was not able to type in the PIN today, for the first time.
Claudia Beamish: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I still could not type in the PIN. I would have voted no.
