Scotland’s lack of a final energy strategy is down to “incoherence” in energy policy from the UK Government, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has said.
The SNP-led Scottish Government published its draft energy strategy under Nicola Sturgeon – which included a presumption against oil and gas – but it has not finalised the document.
This week, a spokesman for First Minister John Swinney told journalists that ongoing volatility in the energy market is the reason the policy has not been set in stone before the end of the Holyrood term.
Since taking over the top job, Mr Swinney has appeared to move away from the presumption against new oil and gas exploration, preferring instead for environmental tests to be conducted on new developments.
During an election campaign visit on Friday, Mr Flynn said the UK Government had made it hard for SNP ministers to set out their position.
“The UK Government’s position has been so incoherent that we can’t expect the Scottish Government to publish something whilst that’s happening,” he said.
Mr Flynn said UK ministers had failed to lay out their position on the move from the windfall tax to its successor levy, as well as on licensing – where the Government allowed firms to drill in areas surrounding already approved fields in the North Sea.
He also hit out at the decision by the UK Government this week to reject a £1.5 billion wind turbine factory in the Highlands over national security fears surrounding the Chinese firm Ming Yang, which is behind the plans.
Mr Flynn said: “The challenge I would put to the UK Government is why they’re turning their back on investment, why they’re turning their back on jobs, why they’re turning their back on energy security, why they’re making ludicrous, last-minute decisions in relation to the renewables future as well, given the announcement that’s just been made with regards to Ming Yang, and how none of that is in Scotland’s national interest.”
Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: “Stephen Flynn must think voters are buttoned up the back – the SNP have betrayed the oil and gas industry.
“If he really cared about the north east he would have told his SNP colleagues at Holyrood to publish an energy strategy that supported our oil and gas sector.
“The Scottish Conservatives are the only party defending our oil and gas workers and backing North Sea drilling to cut energy bills for households and businesses – that’s why you need to vote for us on the peach ballot to stop an SNP majority.”
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: “The SNP can’t even answer questions about its own position and this pathetic finger-pointing won’t fool anyone.
“Cheap political point scoring on matters of national security is low even for Stephen Flynn and the SNP.
“As long as Stephen Flynn is too cowardly to come clean with the people of Scotland about his own party’s energy policy no-one will listen to a word he says.
“This tired and out of touch SNP government has been failing Scotland for too long – but on May 7 Scotland can vote for change with Scottish Labour.”
