MSPs took evidence on BBC Charter renewal on 27 September 2016, you can watch the evidence session here., external

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Anne Bulford the deputy director-general of the BBC; Alan Dickson the BBC's chief operating officer, the BBC's director of nations and regions Ken MacQuarrie and Bill Matthews the trustee for Scotland gave evidence. 

The Scottish government published its proposals for strengthening BBC Scotland, external.

It said its suggestions would help the BBC deliver "better, more representative content" for Scottish audiences.

They included calls for a decentralised BBC structure, with BBC Scotland given greater control over budgets and commissioning.

Image source, Getty Images

It also proposes a new Scottish-focused version of the Six O'clock News.

And it has called for the creation of a new Scottish TV and radio channel.

The paper also called for a semi-autonomous Scottish board to be created to hold BBC Scotland to account. The board would itself be accountable to the Scottish Parliament.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop says the Scottish government had a consultative role on the charter renewal process for the first time.

Ms Hyslop says she has passed on the Scottish government proposals to the UK culture secretary.

Last month the government published the draft new Charter and Agreement.

Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC said:

“This hard won charter is now an opportunity to write the next chapter in the BBC’s history. 

"It will deliver the strong and creative BBC the public believes in."

Image source, bbc

"It provides an 11-year charter and a licence fee guaranteed for 11 years.

"It endorses the remit, scale and scope of the BBC, and backs it as a great British institution."

The present BBC Charter provides the current constitutional basis for the BBC. 

It sets out its governance arrangements, including the duties of the BBC Trust and the Executive Board.

It also sets out the public purposes of the BBC, guaranteeing its independence. 

The current Charter was agreed in October 2006 and runs until 31 December 2016. 

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop leads a debate on the draft BBC Charter.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur welcomes the government's decision to block UCG in Scotland.

Mr McArthur moves to the issue of fracking and asks about the consultation.

The minister says more detail will be given to colleagues as quickly as possible.

Conservative MSP Graham Simpson says if an application comes before a council and they grant it, what would the Scottish government's response be.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government does not support UCG in Scotland and it will have no place in the energy plan.

He says in the absence of any licenses begin UCG can not take place.

Horizontal fracking can go ahead, the government has said, in a landmark ruling for the UK shale gas industry.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has approved plans for fracking at Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton in Lancashire.

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Labour MSP Elaine Smith asks if the minister is concerned by the fracking announcement in England.

Mr Wheelhouse says the Scottish government will consult the public on fracking, in contrast to down south.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell welcomes the Scottish government's decision on UCG.

Mr Ruskell calls for amendments to planning policy to make the block legally watertight.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government will block UCG but there is due process to be gone through.

The Scottish government will not support underground coal gasification (UCG) developments in Scotland following the publication of an independent report that highlights serious environmental concerns.

UCG should not be confused with hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, or coal-bed methane both of which are Unconventional Oil and Gas (UOG) technologies. 

Today’s announcement has no bearing on the policy on either of these technologies, which remain covered by the Scottish Government’s moratorium on UOG technologies.

Professor Campbell Gemmell of University of Glasgow was tasked to undertake an independent examination of UCG. 

The report finds that it would appear logical “to progress toward a ban” of UCG, based on a variety of reasons, including:

• the UCG industry having a history of incidents of pollution and losses of containment and;• UCG presenting a serious issue to face in reducing Scotland’s carbon/greenhouse gas emissions without an operational storage method, such as carbon capture capture

Mr Wheelhouse says his government will block the use of UCG in Scotland.

Image source, Thinkstock

In January an energy company which had hoped to extract gas from under the Firth of Forth said it will now focus on projects outside Scotland.

Cluff Natural Resources planned to build the UK's first deep offshore underground coal gasification (UCG) plant at Kincardine in Fife.

But its plans were put on hold last year ahead of the Scottish government imposing a moratorium on UCG.

Cluff said it had stopped all expenditure related to the project.

It said this was despite its expectation that the moratorium on UCG would ultimately be lifted after a government study and consultation on its potential impact ends in the spring of next year.

UCG is an unconventional method of producing gas from coal seams deep underground.

The Scottish government placed a moratorium on the controversial technique in October 2015 in addition to the existing temporary ban on onshore unconventional oil and gas, which includes hydraulic fracking.

Scottish Labour MSP Claudia Beamish calls for an outright ban on all unconventional gas extraction.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government has taken a sensible and cautious approach.

The minister says the people of Scotland will be allowed a say on this matter via the consultation.

Scottish Conservative MSP Alexander Burnett says he is deeply disappointed the stance the UK government is taking on UCG today.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government has listened to scientific advice.

Mr Wheelhouse says Prof Gemmell says it would be wise to approach UCG cautiously.

The minister says UCG poses numerous and serious environmental risks and UCG will have no place in Scotland's energy mix at this time.