Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 15 January 2026.
Baroness Katy Clark
Labour
2:30,
15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote the development of municipally owned energy sources. (S6O-05386)
Gillian Martin
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government is committed to growing community and local energy to ensure that communities across Scotland play an active role in renewable energy development as part of a just transition towards net zero. That includes providing support to local authorities such as the recent funding that has been given to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, which is exploring opportunities for shared ownership of energy projects alongside community groups.
We also continue to work with Great British Energy on its local power plan to ensure that any support and funding that are provided through that initiative will work for local authorities in Scotland to develop their own energy projects.
Baroness Katy Clark
Labour
The new solar farm in Kilwinning, which was switched on in October, is the first of its kind in Scotland, being both owned and operated by a local authority. I commend the work of the previous Labour administration in North Ayrshire that pioneered the project, which will create enough energy to power 2,000 homes. The income that is generated by the solar farm will be used to fund local services and encourage the development of further local renewable energy projects. North Ayrshire Council is also set to deliver a second solar farm at Irvine.
Will the Scottish Government learn from the North Ayrshire experience? What more can be done to support councils in developing municipally owned energy sources?
Gillian Martin
Scottish National Party
I am delighted to hear of the success of the project that Katy Clark mentions. Of course, there are many others throughout the country. It is really important that councils share good practice in this area in the same way that they do when they work together at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other forums that they meet in. We have leaders in this space who can encourage and facilitate the learning of other councils, and the Government stands ready to support that work.
Douglas Lumsden
Conservative
Now that the Cabinet secretary is no longer responsible for approving large-scale energy projects, including municipally owned energy sources, will she do something that she has failed to do so far and meet the campaign groups up and down the country who are seeing their communities trashed with monster pylons, substations and battery storage?
Gillian Martin
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government will be consulting on the good practice principles, and that will give me an opportunity, as the Cabinet secretary who is responsible for the principles, to engage with all stakeholders throughout Scotland on good practice for all energy developments.
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
That concludes portfolio questions on climate action and energy, and transport. Before we move on to the next item of business, there will be a short pause to allow the front bench teams to change positions.
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.
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