Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 25 September 2024.
Douglas Lumsden
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government how its green industrial strategy will encourage companies to remain in Scotland. (S6O-03750)
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
The green industrial strategy creates certainty for businesses by spelling out where we believe the greatest opportunities lie and where we will focus our attention and resources. In doing so, the strategy provides clear direction and focus to create confidence and encourage investment. We will use all the powers at our disposal to make Scotland a fantastic place in which to invest in green economic opportunities. The strategy contains a range of specific actions, including hosting a global offshore wind investment forum next spring and working with the sector to develop hubs to address hydrogen production and demand.
Douglas Lumsden
Conservative
This morning, the Scottish Government’s task force for green and sustainable financial services published its first report. The report identifies a worrying trend of top jobs in finance drifting south. Does the Deputy First Minister accept that, if Scotland is to realise the economic benefits of the transition to net zero, the Scottish National Party Government needs to abandon the damaging tax gap that it has created with the rest of the United Kingdom—a gap that is driving away investment and putting Scotland at a competitive disadvantage?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
I am absolutely delighted that Douglas Lumsden has read the recommendations of the task force for green and sustainable financial services. I am extremely proud of the report, which was drafted by an independent group, chaired by David Pitt-Watson. It is a brilliant piece of work that outlines how Scotland can build on our strengths as a finance centre and marry that with the huge economic opportunities in the green industries. The report makes it clear that the prize is big. We start with very strong foundations and will build on them.
On the specific question, I refer the member to the independently produced figures from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs on the behavioural impact of the tax changes.
Kevin Stewart
Scottish National Party
Oil, gas and energy companies operating in the north-east have said that they are slowing down investment as a result of UK Government policies, with Unite the union warning that Labour’s plans could put 30,000 jobs
“over a cliff edge by 2030”.
Given that investment in our renewables future is dependent on those workers, can the Deputy First Minister say any more about what the Scottish Government can do to protect and build investor confidence in Scotland’s energy industry?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
Kevin Stewart is absolutely right to highlight the importance of giving investors and the sector confidence to protect the jobs. I cannot disagree at all with Unite the union’s warnings, and I sincerely hope that Labour will heed those warnings.
The fiscal regime for North Sea oil and gas is reserved to the UK Government. We have been clear about the importance of effective and substantive investment allowances for activity in the North Sea, to allow reinvestment in decarbonisation as part of a just transition to net zero.
On supporting the workers, the green industrial strategy highlights the opportunities where we want to see growth and more employment and give a future to those workers.
Willie Rennie
Liberal Democrat
The Deputy First Minister knows that I am concerned about Liberty Steel’s Dalzell plant, which is important for the green industrial strategy, and particularly for onshore wind. Can she provide the Parliament with an update on the plant?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
Willie Rennie has raised that issue with me in the past. We have constant engagement on the Dalzell plant. There are currently no matters of importance to report. I am happy to have a separate conversation with Willie Rennie if there are substantive issues that he wants to draw to my attention, and I can ensure that we get a reply to him. However, from my on-going engagement on the matter, there is nothing to update the Parliament on.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
