Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“We are committed to securing a just transition for Grangemouth. We have provided more than £12 million in funding to support the creation of up to 279 jobs. We are also committed to supporting workers who have been made redundant as a result of commercial decisions at Grangemouth.”
“The unions, especially Unite the Union, have been constructive throughout and have put the needs of their members before anything else. What role has our Government played to create a future for the workers who have been abandoned and discarded by the United Kingdom Labour Government?”
“It has worked with us to establish the Grangemouth jobs prioritisation scheme, which ensures that redundant workers are prioritised for new opportunities arising at Grangemouth as a result of the Grangemouth just transition fund.”
“Kate Forbes: I agree that attracting a varied and diverse range of investors who are able to meet the needs of companies across all projects and stages is vital. We have seen huge growth in start- ups, and now the focus needs to turn to scale-ups.”
“High streets are going to be hammered again by inaction on business rates that, in many cases, are doubling or trebling. Has the Government done any analysis of the impact of those increases on business closures and vacancy rates, and what they will do to the streets? Should the Government not look again at pausing the process?”
“Oliver Mundell: I associate myself with comments from colleagues across the chamber about the Deputy First Minister. I am concerned that the Scottish National Party- led Dumfries and Galloway Council is undoing all that hard work by continuing with its obsession with wasting £70 million of taxpayers’ money on the deeply unpopular Whitesan…”
The complete record
Every one of 615 lines we hold for Kate Forbes, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 13.
“The multiyear bond programme will provide financing for major capital projects across Scotland. All proceeds from a future bond issuance will be used exclusively for capital investment, in line with our legal powers. Specific issuance plans will be subject to market conditions at the time. The bonds will support the delivery of capital infrastructure priorities that were announced in the spending review and the infrastructure delivery pipeline, both of which were published alongside the budget in January. The bonds programme is an opportunity for us to diversify into cost-effective sources of borrowing in order to attract investment into Scotland and to grow the economy.”
“What can we do to let them know that they are? Kate Forbes: Ruth Maguire is absolutely right. Role models and mentorship are two of the most critical ways to support young entrepreneurs who are furthest from that path. There is a nomination process as part of the First Minister’s start up challenge, which relates to how we should engage with disadvantaged and underrepresented communities to ensure that they are aware of the challenge and its opportunities. There is funding for projects across Scotland through the entrepreneurial education fund, which is supporting entrepreneurial learning from primary schools to colleges in order to expose more young people to entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial mindset.”
“The draft budget introduces a £2.5 million young entrepreneurs package to support young people to start, grow and scale businesses. The new funding package will build on existing support for young entrepreneurs including the entrepreneurial education fund and the young EDGE—encouraging dynamic growth entrepreneurs—awards. We will also work with a range of partners to develop new programmes of support, such as the recently launched First Minister’s start up challenge, which is led by the King’s Trust and Dechomai. Ruth Maguire: The Deputy First Minister will be as keen as I am to ensure that bright young people get to take up this opportunity. Many people in my constituency may face economic challenges or other barriers that mean that they think that opportunities of that sort are not for them.”
“However, the accuracy of the figures that have been put to the committee are being challenged by the Scottish Government, and the expectation is that the board and the chief executive, both of whom signed off on the most recent budget forecasts, will be held to account for the forecasts that they provided to the committee.”
“We will now end up with a ferry worth £55 million that has cost us £197.5 million. If Kate Forbes has confidence in the board while the rest of Scotland does not, surely she should resign from overseeing Ferguson Marine, because she has been ignored and her position has been totally undermined. Kate Forbes: The member will recall that only about two months are left before I will no longer be in this place. On the chief executive and the board, off the back of the changes that were made earlier last year, we put in place a new structure in order to query, challenge and scrutinise the figures. That is working well, and issues have been identified late in the process. We appreciate that that is far from ideal.”
“Kate Forbes: I have great confidence in the board and the chief executive. As the member will know, Graeme Thomson was newly in the door at that point—I think that, by 13 May, which is the date that Edward Mountain cited, he had been in the job for about 13 days. We have also recently appointed a new chair. Between them, they probably have more experience of shipbuilding than any of their predecessors, so I have confidence in them. That does not take away in any way from how regrettable the latest change is. Edward Mountain: Let us be clear. When the chief executive officer moved in, he delayed reporting to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee so that he could find out the facts on the ground. He delayed that report and wrote that letter when he did.”
“Ferguson has planned to hand over the vessel in quarter 4, and we would expect it to enter service six weeks after handover. Edward Mountain: On 13 May last year, Graeme Thomson and the Deputy First Minister each wrote to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. Graeme Thomson said that he was “comfortable” with the new plan and the revised costings for the Glen Rosa. The Deputy First Minister stated the Government’s “expectation that the senior leadership at Ferguson Marine must demonstrate capability and accountability in the delivery of MV Glen Rosa”. Now that there is a further increase of £12.5 million—not £7.5 million; there was a contingency sum in there that, it was hoped, would never be spent—does the Government have any confidence in the board and new chief executive of Ferguson Marine?”
“Last week, the chief executive of Ferguson Marine advised the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that the estimated cost to finish building the Glen Rosa had increased by £7 million. To account for potential risks, the business has allocated an additional £5.5 million of contingency, resulting in a total forecast cost to complete of £197.5 million. In line with normal practice, the Government is carefully assessing the information provided to understand the full implications of the revised timetable and costs. Although I understand that the final stages of building and testing a complex vessel are highly technical and some risks become clear only at that point in the process, the further delay and increased costs are still extremely disappointing, particularly for island communities that rely on these services.”
“Will the Scottish Government work with stakeholders such as Social Impact Scotland to look at how we could deploy social impact bonds in Scotland across a range of areas in order to secure that additional investment? Kate Forbes: I have followed with interest the launch of the United Kingdom Government’s better futures fund and the office for the impact economy. I see the potential opportunities of a social impact bond model to support a wider policy approach to the third sector and social enterprises. The short answer to Michael Matheson is yes, we are happy to continue to explore all options to deliver on those commitments to support the people of Scotland and a sustainable third sector. Arts (Young People) 7.”
“There is an opportunity for a more considered and consistent approach to philanthropy in Scotland, which has the potential to add value to the Scottish Government’s approach to social justice. The Scottish Government remains constrained in terms of borrowing powers and flexibility for new financing arrangements, but we are committed to improving opportunities for young people, including in Falkirk West. Michael Matheson: The Deputy First Minister will be aware that social impact bonds can leverage significant additional investment to support the expansion and delivery of social enterprise and third sector organisation services. They have been successfully used in England for a number of years, securing millions of pounds of additional investment for those sectors.”
“Last year, we consulted on permitted development rights and on the reform of compulsory purchase, which are key issues that affect town centre regeneration, and on the reuse of vacant buildings. We are analysing the responses to that consultation to inform the next steps, and that analysis will be published in due course. We can also learn from examples such as Aberdeen’s Our Union Street project, where partnership working by the local council and the business improvement district and additional support from the Scottish Government have helped transform the town centre. That project included work with landlords to revitalise units and shopfronts that had fallen into disrepair.”
“The result is the continued deterioration of buildings and empty shops, with the negative impact on everyone who has to look at those blights to our towns every day. Can the Deputy First Minister say whether any alternative approach, legislative or otherwise, might be pursued to look at that problem afresh and to see whether the Government, councils, building owners and retailers can come together to tackle the issue and to improve the look and feel of our towns, for everyone’s benefit? Kate Forbes: As Willie Coffey outlined, local authorities have powers to act. I urge councils to work with communities, including landlords, to agree on town centre plans and priorities. We are looking at further options.”
“I am aware that that is an issue across many of our towns, which is why we continue to deliver on the long-standing commitment to regeneration with investment of up to £47 million in 2026-27. That includes support for revitalising town centres, encouraging town centre living, addressing the blight caused by vacant and derelict land and supporting community ownership. Willie Coffey: The fact of the matter is that councils such as East Ayrshire and others do not deal with that by serving amenity notices under section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, because they feel that there is little hope of success and that there is a risk that the public purse will have to pick up the bill.”
“Does the Scottish Government support their calls for international law to be upheld, for NATO allies to respect the sovereignty of its member states and for the future of Greenland to be decided solely by the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark? Kate Forbes: Tariff increases by the US would be a real concern for Scottish exporters, and well- established sources are detailing those concerns right now. I welcome Greenland’s clear statement of its right to self-determination and the endorsement of that by European leaders and by the UK Government. Decisions concerning Greenland can be made only by the people of Greenland, and we are clear that all nations must abide by the international rules-based system.”
“There are a number of examples of how we are building trading relations around the world, including through our participation in the Osaka expo in 2025, which opened new opportunities for businesses in Japan. Later this month, the second Scotland week to be held in the United Arab Emirates will further boost trade and investment ties. Plans for increasing our engagement with India are advancing well, too. We have also approved and financed 19 trade missions led by chambers of commerce through our international trade partnership programme. Evelyn Tweed: European leaders have stated their full support for Greenland and for the Kingdom of Denmark. The Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission have warned that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk creating a dangerous downward spiral.”
“Evelyn Tweed: The US is Scotland’s largest export market, and many businesses will be concerned by this move by Washington. Will the Deputy First Minister set out what steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that Scottish businesses can identify new markets and can thrive in spite of the punitive tariffs? Kate Forbes: Evelyn Tweed is absolutely right to highlight how critical the US is for Scotland as an export market. International trade is crucial to our economic growth and resilience. We will continue to promote the export growth of Scottish businesses in both current and emerging markets in response to the increasing global uncertainty.”
“We are deeply concerned about the President of the United States’ proposed use of tariffs to change Greenland’s future. Greenland’s future should be decided by the people of Greenland, and threats of tariffs should not be a bargaining chip in place of reasonable dialogue between international partners. Any US tariff increase on the United Kingdom will be a concern for Scottish exporters, but, so far, the legal texts that would be necessary for the US Administration to implement such a policy have not been issued. Therefore, it is not possible to assess the precise economic impact. Needless to say, any further tariffs would be deeply damaging for jobs and economic growth across Scotland, given that the whisky industry has already reported the loss of 1,000 jobs last year. We will continue to engage with key partners on the issue.”
“On the status in the infrastructure investment plan, investment in the trunk road network over the next four years, which has been confirmed, will allow us to make further progress on dualling the A96, including the Nairn bypass. It is important that the Government is able to follow up with Mr Ewing in setting that out clearly, so that he has the information that he is looking for. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on the Deputy First Minister’s responsibilities, the economy and Gaelic. Finance and Local Government Pension Contributions (West of Scotland Local Authorities) 1.”
“I asked the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government about that yesterday, and she gave an extensively equivocal answer. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that that failure is completely at odds with what she has just said about the centrality of decent transport links to achieving the Scottish Government’s economic ambitions? Kate Forbes: It is important to state that work has begun: the statutory procedures have been completed, the land is acquired and funding is included in next year’s draft budget to commence the delivery of advance works for the scheme. In parallel to those advance works, Transport Scotland is continuing to look at the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme.”
“We fully recognise the crucial role that transport infrastructure, particularly the A96, plays in supporting sustainable economic growth. Connectivity underpins so much of our economic growth and expansion. The Government’s current position on the A96,has not changed. It is still in support of full dualling of the A96 and it is currently progressing the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass. Fergus Ewing: Does the Deputy First Minister therefore share my disappointment that the Nairn bypass and the section of the A96 that the Scottish Government has been committed to dualling since 2011 is not included in the league 1 list of development projects but is only in league 2—which means that there is no money for the Nairn bypass this decade?”
“Kate Forbes: That is one of our priorities, precisely for the reason that Fulton MacGregor sets out. There has been a huge increase in demand for Gaelic early learning and childcare and Gaelic-medium education. It is important to ensure that there is a pipeline of teachers and practitioners to support that. We continue to work with providers of education such as Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to ensure that there is such a pipeline. I always encourage any young person who is considering what to do next to consider a career in Gaelic-medium education. Glasgow (Economic Performance) 6.”
“We are fully committed to increasing young people’s involvement in Gaelic language and culture. In order to achieve that, a range of opportunities exist in schools, in media, in arts, in culture and in outdoor activities. The Scottish Government’s funding of, for example, MG Alba, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig makes that possible. Fulton MacGregor: I have recently been speaking with early years practitioners at a local nursery, who tell me that they have concerns about getting Gaelic-speaking early years practitioners. I appreciate that that might not concern the cabinet secretary’s portfolio directly— it is more an education matter—but what steps is the Government taking more generally to encourage Gaelic-speaking people to consider early years or other care-based roles and professions?”
“There are no immediate commitments to return Ferguson Marine to the private sector.”
“The member will know that my approach is to ensure that the MV Glen Rosa moves towards completion and that we support Ferguson Marine to be as competitive as possible by investing capital and providing support as it tenders for new opportunities. We have no immediate plans to return Ferguson Marine to the private sector in advance of those steps being taken. Graham Simpson: Can the Deputy First Minister set out a timescale for returning Ferguson Marine to the private sector? Is it going to be months or years? What is her expectation? When Ferguson Marine is finally sold, how will the Government protect jobs and skills in Inverclyde during any transition to private ownership? Kate Forbes: I am very clear that my immediate priority is to safeguard the yard and the jobs, and to ensure that the company can compete on the open market.”
“Lastly, the member mentioned the issue of the four-week timeframe, but this has a longer tail than that. We are conscious that there will be on-going activity for a considerable amount of time, which will allow us the opportunity to continue to explore the options and deliver solutions as quickly as possible. The Deputy Presiding Officer: A number of members are seeking to ask a supplementary. I shall try to get them all in, but we will need briefer questions and responses.”
“Kate Forbes: I commend the member for his long-standing interest in the plant. To address his specific questions, I note that he talked about contributions from others. My ambition would certainly be to use the £9 million of funding as leverage for further funding from the private sector, in particular from those investors, developers or businesses that are looking for an opportunity to relocate to use either the assets or the land at the site. Secondly, we have had some engagement in the past 24 hours with the company to look at what could be available soon and what commitment it is making to legacy. Mark Ruskell will recall the conversation about legacy that started at the summit in November. There is an openness to explore those questions.”
“In yesterday’s budget, we announced £9 million over the next three years to help to mitigate the closure impacts and to support a just transition for the skilled workforce. Mark Ruskell: I am very pleased about what was announced in the budget yesterday—I have been calling for such a fund for many years. However, given that the plant is scheduled to close in four weeks’ time, communities need to know when the fund will be up and running. While £3 million is a good starting point, it does not fully address the problems that are left behind by ExxonMobil’s decision. There must be a full positive legacy for both communities and workers. What steps will the Government be taking to help leverage more funds, not just from the UK Government but from ExxonMobil, which made substantial profits from the operation of Mossmorran over many decades?”
“We continue to make the case to the UK Government for additional support, but in the meantime, rather than waiting for anything, we have progressed our own activity both to make funding available, which I am delighted about, and to support Scottish Enterprise with the work that it is doing essentially to match assets and land available at the site with potential employers who have expressed an interest either through the Grangemouth process or separately from that. Mossmorran Just Transition Fund 5.”
“We will need both Governments to invest if we are going to secure long-term employment for the Cowdenbeath area. Kate Forbes: I firmly believe that there is an industrial future for the plant, and I say that for a number of reasons. First, the funding that was announced yesterday means that there will be up to £9 million of funding for the site over the next few years. Secondly, Scottish Enterprise has been engaging closely with ExxonMobil in order to understand what the opportunities are. I met with ExxonMobil representatives yesterday afternoon to listen to them and get an update from their perspective about what is being provided to Scottish Enterprise. Those talks are progressing well. There are opportunities to progress.”
“The Scottish Government is participating in the task force, which is led by Fife Council, and my officials are engaging regularly with the council and with other partners. Our priority has been to ensure that we provide the necessary support to enable the workforce to transition to other employment opportunities, and I believe that it is vital that the task force is fully focused on mitigating the impact of the decision. Alex Rowley: As I understand it, the first meeting of the task force will be on 28 January in Fife. Does the Scottish Government believe that there is an industrial future for the Mossmorran site once we get past supporting—rightly—the workforce who are currently there? Has the Scottish Government had any talks with the United Kingdom Government?”
“The Secretary of State for Scotland wrote to me, along with other stakeholders, seeking input on potential neighbourhoods for receipt of pride in place funding, but that was after he had already determined the selection methodology. The UK Government did not consult us on the development of the pride in place programme and the methodology does not align with our approach to delivering regeneration in Scotland. Therefore, the UK Government made the decision on which places will receive pride in place funding and the Scottish Government was not involved.”
“Colin Beattie: The United Kingdom Government recently announced pride in place funding, and I was disappointed that Mayfield in my constituency was not included, following the abandonment of a previous funding pledge from the Conservative UK Government in 2024. Will the Deputy First Minister advise whether the UK Government had any contact with the Scottish Government during the allocation of that funding? Kate Forbes: I am conscious that Welsh Labour politicians are also raising legitimate concerns about the UK Government’s approach to devolution, describing the decision to impose policy on Wales as “deeply insensitive” and “a constitutional outrage”. I hope that the Scottish Labour members will speak out as well as their Welsh counterparts.”
“We have a strong history of supporting community-led regeneration in Scotland through a range of policies, initiatives and funding opportunities across Scottish Government. Those include, for example, our regeneration programmes—which we have delivered successfully for more than 10 years—such as the regeneration capital grant fund. Through that fund, we have supported the delivery of more than 230 community projects with nearly £250 million of investment. That is complemented by our strengthening communities programme, which supports community organisations to build their capacity to develop and take forward shared local plans for the community.”
“I put on the record my acknowledgment of all that Liz Smith has done with this bill. As interventions are usually questions, I also ask whether Liz Smith agrees that all the best outdoor residential centres are in my constituency. Liz Smith: I must partially agree with that—it certainly has the best mountains, and I look forward to climbing them when I stand down from the Parliament. I am proud to ask the Parliament to vote for the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill. [Applause.] The Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate on the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill at stage 3. Decision Time 18:00”
“Although it is good to have support from committee members, MSPs and the wider BSL community, constructive challenge as we look ahead is even more important as we work to deliver the actions that are outlined in the current BSL national plan.”
“The cross-party group on deafness also does critically important work in advocating for BSL users and the deaf and deafblind communities in Scotland. More importantly, I thank the BSL community for the role that it has played in educating people about BSL and wider aspects of deaf culture. As a community, it has continued to campaign for the full realisation and delivery of the act and for greater understanding and recognition of BSL as a language. When engaging with the community, I have seen at first hand the difference that the act has made and what more can be done to tackle the remaining barriers. If the act raises expectations about what equity should look like, it also reveals the gaps in current provision.”
“It is important to have this debate to reflect on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee’s report, and to mark the 10- year anniversary of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015, which we have been doing over the past few weeks. I welcome our guests in the gallery—it is wonderful to have you here. BSL is one of Scotland’s languages and is used by many people every day. I am proud that Scotland has been a leader in BSL not just in recent years but over the past few centuries. I thank the many MSPs who have contributed to that progress, particularly Mark Griffin for his tireless work in lodging the bill that became the 2015 act; Karen Adam, the convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee; and the rest of the committee’s members.”
“Those are slightly more medium- term opportunities. Secondly, and in the short term, Scottish Enterprise is looking at how to mitigate the impact on the local community by identifying ways to increase the number of jobs locally through supporting other employers in the community. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There is time for a couple of supplementary questions, but they will need to be brief.”
“Will she tell us of more tangible progress that is being made, such as who has been interested in coming to the site, how many jobs could be secured from that and how quickly it could happen? Kate Forbes: I would be very happy to give Willie Rennie an update today, but—and perhaps this would be more useful—I want to continue to keep him updated as the process develops. As part of Scottish Enterprise’s early engagement, it has been working very constructively with ExxonMobil since the announcement was made. We are looking at two potential opportunities. The first involves projects that were identified through project willow or the Grangemouth task force. Some of those projects might be a better fit for Mossmorran, and some of the companies are indicating that Mossmorran might be of more interest to them.”
“We are engaging with them extensively, and I very much appreciated Willie Rennie’s attendance at the summit that I hosted a few weeks ago. Since the announced closure, the First Minister and I have been in regular discussion on the topic. I have also been engaging with the Minister for Public Finance and the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy to ensure that the Government remains focused on securing the best possible outcome for the site. Willie Rennie: I appreciated the Deputy First Minister’s leadership at that summit. Apart from the initial furore, there has been a lot of silence since the announcement, despite the fact that it will have a big impact on the local economy—I am sure that that is what the Deputy First Minister found when she visited the plant.”
“Our strengths are recognised by global credit rating agencies, which gave the Scottish Government a rating that is the same as the UK’s and higher than that of major European and global economies. Closure of Fife Ethylene Plant 8.”
“It also downgraded its forecast for the UK for 2026, 2027 and 2028. In the light of those forecasts, what policies has the Scottish Government implemented to help to grow Scotland’s economy? Kate Forbes: Economic growth is a priority for the Scottish Government. We will continue to support businesses through transformative initiatives such as the Scottish National Investment Bank and Techscaler, and through investment of up to £500 million in offshore wind. Scotland is a top destination outside London for foreign direct investment, and Scotland’s green freeports are attracting early-stage investment, such as Sumitomo’s £350 million commitment at Nigg and Haventus’s £300 million commitment at Ardersier.”
“Ahead of the UK budget, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set out the Scottish Government’s priorities, but, once again, Scotland did not receive what we had highlighted—I have already talked about changes to the energy profits levy. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast, which was published alongside the budget, downgraded the outlook for the UK economy, based on weaker productivity growth. Since 2007, gross domestic product per person in Scotland has grown by 10.2 per cent, compared with 6.8 per cent in the UK, while productivity has also grown at a higher average rate. Gordon MacDonald: The OBR has updated its growth forecasts for the next five years. It now forecasts average GDP growth to be slower than was projected in March 2025.”
“We had our first meeting under the new name of Tog this week, and there are—for the first time, I think—representatives from the private sector on that group. That indicates how important it is that the private sector is also supported. Through that group, we are considering how to support the creation of new jobs. Given that the light on my microphone is flashing, I will write to Rhoda Grant on the issue of qualified teachers, which is a matter of priority.”
“What specific measures are being taken to expand the pipeline of qualified teachers in Gaelic-medium education in order to tackle staffing shortages? Kate Forbes: Rhoda Grant has asked a number of questions, so I might not do justice to them all in my answer. First, the need to provide support for the Gaelic heartlands is precisely why the establishment of areas of linguistic significance is critical. I am keen to move at pace in encouraging local authorities to engage with communities before presenting proposals for the designation of areas as areas of linguistic significance, because that will unlock a number of other support provisions. Secondly, on support for employers, we recently renamed the Gaelic group that I help to chair.”
“A number of sources of financial support are in place to respond to requests for Gaelic school provision. That can include support from the learning estate investment programme, the local authority’s capital programme and the Scottish Government’s Gaelic schools capital fund. We also provide resource funding to help with the delivery of Gaelic-medium education. Further support for GME in schools comes from a range of bodies, including Education Scotland and Stòrlann. Rhoda Grant: The cabinet secretary will be aware that the retention and development of the Gaelic language hinge on tackling depopulation in the Gaelic heartlands. What support is the Scottish Government providing to employers and further education institutions to enable them to target population retention?”
“We totally understand the importance of national security, but the time that it is taking for the decision to be made is damaging for the supply chain and developers, because the uncertainty is essentially stalling momentum, which means that others are not making the timely decisions that are required to boost our economy.”
“What engagement has the Deputy First Minister had with the UK Government on the issue? Will she ensure that she presses the UK Government for an early decision on the matter, given the economic benefits that that investment would bring not only to the Highlands but to Scotland as a whole? Kate Forbes: Jobs in the manufacturing sector are among the biggest prizes for our economy in the just transition. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build, create and manufacture products that will be essential for the just transition and the renewables industry. The export of such products will ensure that Scotland is at the heart of the global transition to net zero.”
“The Scottish Government is committed to a thriving manufacturing sector, as underlined by our £75 million investment in the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland. Manufacturing accounts for 178,000 jobs and more than half Scotland’s international exports. In 2023, the sector contributed £18.1 billion in gross value added to Scotland’s economy. Michael Matheson: The Deputy First Minister will recognise that securing manufacturing capacity in the renewable energy sector in Scotland is critical to the delivery of a just transition. She will also be aware that Ming Yang has proposed a £1.5 billion investment in a manufacturing facility at Ardersier. She will recognise that the delay in the United Kingdom Government making a decision on the matter is now causing significant uncertainty in the renewable energy sector.”
“Does the Deputy First Minister agree that we should do everything that we can to reverse the worrying downward trend in oil and gas jobs, which will damage our energy transition in the long term? Kate Forbes: Every employer that is facing the prospect of redundancies in the oil and gas industry right now cites the energy profits levy and the damaging effect that it has. If the Conservatives had not extended the levy, it would have expired at the end of this year, so perhaps the Conservatives need to ask why they extended it.”