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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 17 August 2025
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Displaying 1525 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Is waiting until October too late?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Thank you. It will obviously be a really multidisciplinary approach.

We have talked a little bit about routes into local government, including apprenticeships. We understand that there is an opportunity for a planning apprenticeship in England and, possibly, Wales but not in Scotland. Given the national importance of the work, what is the Government doing with colleagues in education and skills to make communities aware that the work provides really important green jobs and to promote it? Right now, young people are sitting exams and thinking about life after school. Perhaps local government does not seem to be the most exciting place for them to work. How can we promote that work and get people enthused about it?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

I think that we all agree that the issue is very urgent. I think that we are out of time, so I will hand back to the convener. However, if any of the other panel members have anything to add, perhaps they could do so in writing.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Thank you. That is helpful.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Good morning, minister and officials. This has been quite a good discussion. It seems that there is a lot of support for the order, but issues to do with resourcing, capacity and timescales have been raised. It is therefore good that we are having a proper discussion today.

I agree with what you said, minister, about locally led planning, which you emphasised in your opening remarks. Do you recognise that local government planning departments have been shrinking in recent years? Through this committee’s inquiry, we have heard that there has been a reduction of around 20 per cent in planning officers. We also know that there is quite a lot of work to do on skills, particularly as we need to take a multidecade approach to this work, as you have said. Alongside the discussions about resourcing, does the Government realise that there has been quite a big reduction in the planning workforce? What is being done to actively address that?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

It is welcome that you went to the House of Commons last week and set out a proposal. You said to the UK Government that there should be a social tariff that would take £1,000 off the bills of people who are struggling the most. If the Government does not agree to do that, what will be the consequence? Without a social tariff, what do you fear will happen?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Thank you for that answer. I would say, though, that many people will disagree and say that there is a moral case for a freeze.

Natalie Don touched on the issue of profits, and you have given quite a comprehensive answer on that. Another figure that I have seen in some media sources in recent months is the more than £7 billion in operating profits that the big six energy firms have banked in just five years. Do you understand why some people feel quite offended when energy companies—I am not saying that your company does this—tell them to hug their pets, put on socks or jump up and down? Can you see why people feel let down? Do you see why, when people hear companies say, “Don’t freeze the cap—let’s bring in a social tariff,” they feel that the Government and the companies need to do more?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Thank you, Chris. I am aware of the time, so I will hand back to the convener.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 April 2022

Monica Lennon

Indeed. Just for clarity, the deputy convener mentioned finance skills as an example of a skill set that will be required. Can you be specific about some of the other skills that you feel are integral to this work to enable us to deliver on the ambition for local heat and energy efficiency planning Scotland-wide? What examples of skills do you have in mind when you think about this discussion?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Energy Price Rises

Meeting date: 19 April 2022

Monica Lennon

This has been a really interesting session so I have been quite happy to mostly listen. I was struck by one of the comments about the behaviour changes that people can make. I accept that there are things that we can all do, but it strikes me that we do not have a behaviour crisis here—it is a market crisis and a system crisis.

One view is that increasing democratic ownership of Scotland’s energy resources could help to support local energy co-operatives and smaller energy companies. Do panel members have a view on the role that a Scottish publicly owned energy company could play in protecting consumers and the climate by providing clean, green and affordable energy? I know that people want to hear about immediate solutions so that we do not have bills of £3,000 a year, but if we think about what an energy system could look like in the medium to longer term, what could the Scottish Government be doing?