Swinney accuses UK Government of holding back Scotland's renewables

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 16 Oct, 09:44 · Archive

John Swinney has accused the UK Government of undermining Scotland's renewable energy sector and criticised GB Energy for producing no results.

John Swinney has accused the UK Government of holding back Scotland's renewables sector. Speaking ahead of the SNP conference in Aberdeen, he criticised the publicly funded GB Energy, established by Labour, saying Scots had seen 'literally absolutely nothing' from it. He said the Scottish Government had 'delivered our side of the bargain' but was waiting for Westminster to take action.

Swinney said he had hoped that as North Sea oil production falls with age, 'there would be an upsurge in renewable activity to compensate for that loss of economic activity', adding that 'it wasn't happening fast enough'. He told the BBC that renewable energy development depends on 'good connections', a matter outside Scottish Government control. The Scottish Government is responsible for scoping the offshore renewable sector opportunity and consenting individual developments, which it does 'in a timely fashion', he said.

The dispute comes as the Government makes decisions on two oil and gas fields, Jackdaw and Rosebank. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said a decision on Jackdaw is 'imminent', while Rosebank will take 'a bit longer'. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander dismissed Swinney's GB Energy criticism and said the Government was being 'cautious' about public announcements to avoid repeating Conservative mistakes that led to court delays.

How it is being reported

• Government being ‘cautious’ about public announcements on Jackdaw and RosebankScottish Secretary Douglas Alexander also dismissed John Swinney’s claim GB Energy has so far done ‘absolutely nothing’.Independent Business · 16 Oct, 09:22
• Government being ‘cautious’ about public announcements on Jackdaw and RosebankScottish Secretary Douglas Alexander also dismissed John Swinney’s claim GB Energy has so far done ‘absolutely nothing’.Evening Standard · 16 Oct, 09:22
• GB Energy has done ‘literally, absolutely nothing’, says John SwinneyThe First Minister accused the UK Government of undermining and holding back Scotland’s renewable sector.Evening Standard · 15 Oct, 10:46

In this story: John Swinney · Douglas Alexander · Miatta Fahnbulleh · Scotland · UK Government · GB Energy · North Sea

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