Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect of climate change on the work of his Department; and what steps he is taking in response to that effect.

We are delighted that the UK Government is hosting COP26 in Glasgow in November. This will be a great opportunity for the UK government to continue to show great leadership on this vital issue, having already become the first major economy to pass new laws to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050.

Achieving net zero is a priority for the whole of government, which is why the Prime Minister is chairing a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change to drive action across all sectors of the economy and demonstrate the UK’s global leadership as we prepare to host the crucial COP26 talks in Glasgow.

The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland has put in place a number of measures necessary to adapt to future climate change including contributing to the overall reduction in the size of the UK Government estate and the amount of carbon emissions for which the UK Government as a whole is responsible; reducing unnecessary travel and utilising public transport; minimising paper use and eliminating the purchase of single use plastics.

The UK Government will set out further plans to deliver net zero throughout 2020 ahead of COP26, including plans on energy and heat in buildings.