Exclusive:Shona Robison urged to halt ScotWind funds 'scandal' after Westminster boost

The SNP Finance Secretary has been urged to hand back £460m of ScotWind revenue used to plug her budget gap after receiving more cash from the UK government.

Shona Robison has been urged to reverse her decision to use up the Scottish Government’s remaining ScotWind revenue after being handed billions of pounds extra from Westminster.

Ms Robison announced in September that her Government would need to allocate the remaining £460 million of revenue from leasing the Scottish seabed for renewables projects under the ScotWind scheme to help plug a hole in this year’s Budget.

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Shona RobisonShona Robison
Shona Robison | PA

The Scottish Government has said it is “doing all we can to minimise use of this funding”.

But union bosses have called on Ms Robison to restore the funding after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an extra £1.5 billion in this financial year for SNP ministers and an additional £3.4bn in the next year.

The Scottish Government has claimed the £1.5bn increase was in line with their projections so will not constitute any extra funding.

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The Scottish Government “reluctantly” used up to £460 million of money raised via the ScotWind scheme – where parts of the Scottish seabed are leased out for offshore wind farmsThe Scottish Government “reluctantly” used up to £460 million of money raised via the ScotWind scheme – where parts of the Scottish seabed are leased out for offshore wind farms
The Scottish Government “reluctantly” used up to £460 million of money raised via the ScotWind scheme – where parts of the Scottish seabed are leased out for offshore wind farms | PA

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, has penned a letter to Ms Robison, seen by The Scotsman, warning the decision to use up the ScotWind revenues was “frittering away our country’s future in renewables”.

The union chief has urged the finance secretary to restore the funding and called for investment in home-grown manufacturing sites for renewables to be pushed forward.

GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour. Picture: Andrew CawleyGMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour. Picture: Andrew Cawley
GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour. Picture: Andrew Cawley

She said: “I hope that ScotWind funds can be returned in light of the UK Budget’s settlement for Scotland securing £1.5bn for this financial year.

“That money must be put to work. The £500m to build wind manufacturing sites in Scotland is welcome, but with an increase in the Scottish Budget, that fund must be increased and invested at pace.

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“Whilst foreign businesses and manufacturing yards reap the benefits of Scotland’s renewables, energy workers at home face North Sea job losses with no opportunities in wind. With every turn of a turbine, Scotland’s workers are missing out because those turbines are not produced in Scotland.”

The union chief has also warned Ms Robison over a repeat of the public pay strategy - that forced Ms Robison to make cuts and use up the ScotWind funding.

Ms Gilmour said that constituted “poor financial planning”.

She said: “This year, the Scottish Government must prudently financially plan for a public sector wage bill which will be realistic, credible and value public sector workers across Scotland. Our offer to discuss a public sector pay strategy remains.”

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Scottish Labour finance spokesperson Michael Marra said: “Year after year the SNP’s hopelessly poor planning and reckless waste has left the Budget in chaos.

Scottish Labour’s finance spokesperson Michael MarraScottish Labour’s finance spokesperson Michael Marra
Scottish Labour’s finance spokesperson Michael Marra

“The SNP has mortgaged Scotland’s clean power future by raiding ScotWind funding to temporarily plug the blackhole in their finances – it is a scandal.”

He added: “Labour has ended austerity and delivered a record block grant settlement for Scotland, so the financial mess the SNP has found themselves in is theirs alone.

“This Budget must deliver a genuine change in direction and must invest in Scotland’s extraordinary clean power potential.”

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A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Budget will prioritise our resources in line with the First Minister's priorities of ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero.

“Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament. While some additional ScotWind funding has been provisionally allocated to address financial pressures, we are doing all we can to minimise use of this funding.”

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