Following a vote at the Scottish Parliament yesterday on a Scottish Conservative motion to support future oil and gas projects, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“The debate proved conclusively that the only party which is behind our oil and gas sector - and the thousands of jobs and livelihoods that depend on it - is the Scottish Conservatives. Turning our back on this sector risks a huge loss of jobs - particularly in the north of Scotland, and could leave us needing to import energy to make up for the loss of UK production."
“The fact is, the SNP and Greens simply could not tell us where they would find the alternative well-paid jobs which the energy sector provides. Cambo alone could create 1,000 direct jobs in Scotland and 2,000 more in the supply chain. And for all their talk about renewables jobs, the SNP Government predicted 11 years ago that there would be 28,000 Scottish jobs in offshore wind by 2020, while the actual total is just 1,400."
“It’s no wonder so few in the oil and gas sector have any real confidence in the assurances made by ministers about their future, especially with the Scottish Government now a coalition of the SNP and the anti-industry Greens”.
The transcript of the debate is available here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/what-was-said-and-official-reports/what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-15-09-2021?meeting=13297&iob=120635
