Meeting of the Parliament
Thursday 2 June 2011
Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.
The meeting opened at 9.15 am.
1. Faster and Further to Secure Scotland’s Place as the Green Energy Powerhouse of Europe: The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism (Fergus Ewing) moved S4M-00169—That the Parliament supports the Scottish Government’s pledge to move faster and further to secure Scotland’s place as the green energy powerhouse of Europe; agrees that the investment and job opportunities presented by the low-carbon economy represent Scotland’s greatest economic opportunity; welcomes the target to generate the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020; supports the Scottish Government’s aim to maximise the benefits for communities from renewable energy and to transform the level of opportunity for local ownership; supports demands for the release of Scotland’s Fossil Fuel Levy surplus for investment in renewable energy in Scotland; supports the campaign to locate the Green Investment Bank in Edinburgh; supports the Scottish Government’s plans for Scottish Water to become a renewable energy generator; calls on the UK Government to accept the case for the Scottish Ministers to have a greater say in the design of the Electricity Market Reform mechanisms and to subsequently outline greater powers over energy policy in the UK Energy Bill for the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament, and supports the devolution of the Crown Estate to the Scottish Parliament to ensure that Scotland’s natural assets are managed in Scotland for the benefit of all of Scotland’s people.
Sarah Boyack moved amendment S4M-00169.1 to motion S4M-00169—
Leave out from first “supports” to end and insert—
“believes that Scotland's renewable energy resources present an important opportunity to develop a sustainable, low-carbon economy and considers that the social and community opportunities in terms of ownership and investment need to be maximised and calls on the Scottish Government to now deliver its renewable targets by setting out a plan that includes supporting policies and finance, planning issues, procurement, training, grid development and management, and measures to deliver community and cooperative ownership and management opportunities; believes that the promotion of green energy should go hand in hand with ambitious energy efficiency targets and calls on the Scottish Government to work with local authorities, social housing providers and Scottish companies to deliver a sustained programme of home energy efficiency and community and householder renewables installations, to work to deliver the best deal for Scottish consumers, communities and businesses, to set out its ambitions for delivering on housing efficiency in order to maximise the use of householder and community renewable heat and power schemes and to prepare a transition plan for transport to drive forward the infrastructure to enable the expansion of low-carbon and electric vehicles in use and calls on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to support the establishment of the Green Investment Bank in Edinburgh, to get the best deal for Scotland in relation to the release of Fuel Fossil Levy monies and the development of the UK energy market so that it meets Scotland's needs in terms of both exports and imports, and calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward as a matter of urgency the results of its consultation on the Crown Estates Commission so that they may be considered by the Parliament.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 39, Against 74, Abstentions 0).
Jackson Carlaw moved amendment S4M-00169.2 to motion S4M-00169—
Leave out from "agrees" to end and insert—
“is concerned that the Scottish Government’s target of generating the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewable sources within nine years is wholly unachievable; is further concerned that the Scottish Government’s refusal to replace existing nuclear facilities will lead to an excessive reliance on onshore wind farms and thereby jeopardise the security of Scotland’s energy supply; believes that a viable, low-carbon and secure energy capacity for the future requires investment in the full range of renewable sources, the life extension of existing nuclear facilities and the development of world-leading carbon capture technology; further believes that the UK Government’s Green Investment Bank should be located in Scotland, and calls on the Scottish Government to amend the national planning framework to designate the replacement of existing nuclear facilities as national developments and to introduce robust national strategic planning guidance to ensure that new wind farms are sited only in appropriate locations.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 11, Against 102, Abstentions 0).
The motion was then agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 11, Abstentions 39).
2. General Question Time: Questions were answered by Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers.
3. First Minister’s Question Time: Questions were answered by the First Minister (Alex Salmond).
4. Contribution of Sport to Scotland: The Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport (Shona Robison) moved S4M-00168—That the Parliament recognises the important contribution that sport makes to Scotland’s economy, culture and international standing; welcomes the government’s commitment to increase participation in sport and physical activity, thereby creating a lasting legacy for the 2014 Commonwealth Games; notes the benefits to the physical and mental wellbeing of the Scottish people through participation in sport; acknowledges the priority given to increasing physical education in primary and secondary schools, and notes the progress being made in improving community access to sporting facilities.
Dr Richard Simpson moved amendment S4M-00168.1 to motion S4M-00168—
Leave out from “acknowledges” to end and insert—
“notes that the commitment to deliver two hours of PE has been extended to 2014 and that Active Schools Coordinators can play an important part in delivery of this pledge, and notes the intention to make progress in community access to sports facilities.”
Liz Smith moved amendment S4M-00168.2 to motion S4M-00168—
Leave out from "acknowledges" to end and insert—
“and recognises that far more priority must be given to increasing and improving physical education in primary and secondary schools, to delivering opportunities in outdoor education for all pupils and to improving grassroots support in clubs and schools and community access to sporting facilities across the country.”
After debate, amendment S4M-00168.1 was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 102, Against 12, Abstentions 0). As a result, amendment S4M-00168.2 was pre-empted.
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to (DT).
Accordingly, the Parliament agreed—That the Parliament recognises the important contribution that sport makes to Scotland’s economy, culture and international standing; welcomes the government’s commitment to increase participation in sport and physical activity, thereby creating a lasting legacy for the 2014 Commonwealth Games; notes the benefits to the physical and mental wellbeing of the Scottish people through participation in sport; notes that the commitment to deliver two hours of PE has been extended to 2014 and that Active Schools Coordinators can play an important part in delivery of this pledge, and notes the intention to make progress in community access to sports facilities.
5. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on items 1 and 4 as noted above.
The meeting closed at 5.07 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
2 June 2011
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)
Subordinate Legislation
Negative instruments
The following instruments were laid before the Parliament on 2 June 2011 and are subject to the negative procedure—
Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants (Scotland) Amendment Scheme 2011 (SSI 2011/262)
laid under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972
Knife Dealer’s Licence (Historical Re-enactment of Events) (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/263)
laid under section 27S(1) and (2) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Amendment Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/264)
laid under section 190(2) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and section 11(4) of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004
National Health Service Central Register (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/165)
laid under section 61(3) of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006