Douglas Alexander criticises SNP's 'incoherent' approach to North Sea after Jackdaw decision
The Scottish Secretary said he was ‘saddened but unsurprised’
The Scottish Secretary has criticised SNP ministers for their “incoherent and uncertain” approach to the North Sea after the approval of the Jackdaw gas field.
Labour’s Douglas Alexander said he was “saddened but unsurprised” that the Scottish government had not explicitly welcomed the decision as a “win for Scotland”.
Wednesday’s announcement brought to an end months of speculation about the development, which is based 150 miles off the coast of Aberdeen.
First Minister John Swinney said he hoped it would “provide some certainty for the north east after many years of difficulty thanks to UK government policy”.
He added: “It must also kickstart a renewed drive to deliver our long-standing clean energy ambitions.
“Climate compatibility tests must have formed the basis of the UK government’s decision, alongside a recognition that carbon emissions from this field would have been lower than imports.”
Speaking to The Scotsman, Mr Alexander said: "It's uncomfortable sitting on a fence and the SNP-led Scottish government have been incoherent and uncertain in their approach to oil and gas for some time.
"The equivocation that we witnessed today reflects the equivocation that we've seen for a number of years.
"At the time of COP26, Nicola Sturgeon argued for the fastest possible transition, and they then failed to publish the long-promised energy policy.
"And so I'm saddened but unsurprised they haven't felt able to say what I said this morning, which is that the Jackdaw decision is a win for Scotland, a win for the Scottish economy and a win for the UK's energy security."
In a statement after the announcement on Wednesday morning, SNP energy minister Stephen Gethins said: “The decision to consent the Jackdaw gas field has obviously taken longer than anticipated given previous UK government decisions being challenged in the courts.
“We hope this will provide some stability and certainty after many years of difficulty in the sector thanks to UK government policy.
"We have been clear that utilising domestic oil and gas resources is preferable to international sources, where importation leads to a bigger carbon footprint.
“We would expect that this, alongside wider climate compatibility assessment, has been the basis of the UK government's decision and look forward to seeing the detail of this.
“Perhaps the most significant failure of the past half century of Westminster energy policy has been the failure to establish a futures fund. The UK has been almost the only country to discover oil and gas but not deliver a long term benefit from a finite resource. That must change today.
"It is crucial that all further income from oil and gas resources taken by the UK Treasury is placed in a future generations fund.
“That would deliver a long term benefit from a limited resource. Any such fund should grow Scotland's renewables industry, support the communities who have generated hundreds of billions of pounds in taxation for Westminster, and strengthen the supply chain to ensure ongoing investment and job creation in Scotland.
"I am sure that the Prime Minister will agree that it is absolutely critical that if any new production goes ahead, then the economic benefits should be felt in Scotland and should be used to bring energy bills down, rather than flowing to plug more short term spending gaps by the Treasury.
“The UK government must also replace the energy profits levy with a fair system that protects jobs, energy security and investment in our energy sector.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.