Reply from Simita Kumar to our emails.

Dear Gordon and Sarah

Thank you for your emails and for taking the time to share your concerns. Apologies for not being able to attend the public meeting – I finally had a week off for the first time since the start of the year and was out of the country. I am in Parliament on 3rd and will do my absolute best to come out and chat with you all. Unfortunately, I have back-to-back meetings resulting from Programme for Government and ministerial engagement. However, I’ll do my best to accommodate, even if I can get away for a few minutes.

Like you, and many other constituents, I share concerns about the potential environmental impact of data centre developments, particularly in relation to energy and water use and the wider pressures they can place on our natural resources and communities.

These concerns must be balanced with the very real concerns being expressed by communities such as yours about the scale, impact and character of proposed developments, and the way they may affect the places in which people live.

At the same time, I am mindful that AI and data centres will bring significant economic opportunities, and it is important that Scotland is able to benefit from these. However, that economic opportunity cannot come at the expense of our natural resources or the wellbeing of local communities. The Scottish Government has made clear that the voices of communities affected by these developments must be central to consideration of their future. I strongly support that principle.

I am unable to comment on any individual development proposal. The Minister for Finance has issued a new direction requiring Scottish Ministers to be notified of large-scale data centre developments and, as one of the Scottish Ministers, I have a shared responsibility in relation to these matters.

That does not mean I will step back from representing the concerns of constituents. I will continue to advocate on behalf of you and the wider community and ensure that your concerns are heard.

In the meantime, as your local MSP, I have today written to the Minister for Public Finance (see attached) to share the strength of feeling within the community and to raise the concerns that have been brought to my attention. I will, of course, share any response I receive in due course.

Thank you again for getting in touch and for making your views known. Your concerns are important, and I will continue to engage with the Scottish Government on these wider issues.

Kind regards

Simita

Simita Kumar MSP

Edinburgh South Western

Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP

T: 0131 348 5820 | E: simita.kumar.msp@parliament.scot

  Simita Kumar |   @SimitaSKumar