Timeline for Hannah Mary Goodlad
#15 16 Sept
Confirmed her Direction covers live and new applications
Data Centres: Boom and Backlash: Scottish MSPs back data-centre planning pauseBackground
Hannah Mary Goodlad is a Scottish National Party MSP for Shetland Islands and Scotland's Minister for Public Finance. Her ministerial REMIT places her within the Scottish Government's financial decision-making.
Before entering Parliament, Goodlad worked for Equinor and its predecessor Statoil from 2014. She later led renewables portfolio and strategy work for the company's Asia Pacific region. That energy-sector experience gives her a professional background in investment and infrastructure questions alongside her parliamentary role.
Common Questions
Who is Scotland's Minister for Public Finance?
Why did Scotland not adopt a data-centre moratorium in September 2026?
Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad said a moratorium was "not necessary, not appropriate", arguing her existing planning Direction already covers applications in the system, and promised guidance by the end of 2026.Source: Lowdown update 715
