East Lammermuir Community Council has drawn up a set of questions for the six constituency candidates, to be our MSP.

Voting for the constituency of East Lothian Coast & Lammermuirs and Edinburgh & Lothians region will take place on Thursday 7th May 2026

1. A recent survey of local residents in East Lammermuir suggests strong support for a pause in all large scale electricity generation projects pending the agreement of a national energy policy for Scotland.  If elected, would you support that proposal?
2. Planning applications for energy generation projects deemed to be of national importance are determined by the Energy Consents Unit (ECU). Local communities are concerned at the closed, opaque nature of the ECU’s workings, and at its record of decisions. How would you propose to open up meaningful democratic accountability at the ECU?
3. A recent survey of local residents in East Lammermuir suggests strong support for a pause in all data centre proposals, pending a national planning inquiry commission.  If elected, would you support that proposal?
4. Do you support the re-licensing of the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields for production? Please explain your position.
5. A recent survey of local residents in East Lammermuir suggests strong support for shared ownership of renewables infrastructure. How would you seek to see that realised?
6. How much electricity is sufficient for Scotland to produce? Sufficient for our own needs, sufficient for the UK as a whole, sufficient to allow us to sell to other countries?
7. If elected, given recent turmoil, how would you see that the government supports all rural residents with increased cost of living especially in regard to heating oil and petrol as we have no alternatives? 
8. Given current increase in HGV and works vehicles on A1 near Innerwick and Torness, and local disruption to roads in East Lammermuir due to energy developments, as well as the number of road traffic accidents and wind-tipped lorries, some fatal, what are your views on improvements in the short and long term?
9. Finally, with the decommissioning of Torness Nuclear Power Station looming, do you believe we are now past the point of no return for future nuclear development, and do you believe renewables will realistically provide everything Scotland needs for future energy requirements given constraints and lack of a National plan?

The Hustings is on Wednesday 22nd April, 7:30-9pm at Dunbar Parish Church, EH42 1LB.

We have also asked for email responses from each of the candidates which we hope to share here on the ELCC website.

Top image www.boundaries.scot/ Constituency of East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs