4. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Lothian Council regarding its “Climate Change Strategy 2020–2025”. (S5O-05093)

The Scottish Government is committed to working closely with local government to facilitate high ambition in tackling the global climate emergency. Ministers and officials across the Scottish Government frequently meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, including East Lothian Council, to discuss support across a broad range of issues.

Climate change officials last met East Lothian Council on 28 October 2020, and discussed the recent Scottish Government climate change plan update and how it aligns with the ambitions that are set out in East Lothian Council’s “Climate Change Strategy 2020-25”. Climate change officials also interact frequently with East Lothian Council on the climate emergency through public sector leadership forums such as the Sustainable Scotland Network, among many others.

East Lothian Council’s strategy is already driving real change. The council has worked with the People’s Energy Company to launch an affordable energy tariff for county residents. Household recycling rates have been increased to 55.3 per cent of total household waste and there has been great progress on the installation of solar photovoltaics in the council’s housing stock. Most recently, the ambition to develop the East Lothian climate forest has been added, with the aim of planting 2 million trees across the county over the next decade. All that good work is taking place in the face of a £4 million shortfall in funding for the council. How can the Scottish Government provide real and practical support to the strategy?

I pay tribute to Iain Gray, because this is probably the last time that I will interact with him in his work on behalf of the people of East Lothian.

In the 2021-22 budget, which was agreed yesterday, East Lothian Council will receive a total funding package of £203.6 million to support local services. That includes an extra £5.5 million to support vital day-to-day services. I am sure that there are other aspects of tackling climate change that the council will be looking at, such as the Scottish Government’s low-carbon fund and the vacant and derelict land fund, which is to support local authorities in expanding green space.

In my previous role as Minister for Public Finance and Migration, I had very good engagement with East Lothian Council. If there is capacity between now and the election period, I would be happy to receive correspondence and, potentially, to engage with it on its priorities.