Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Douglas Lumsden S6M-17525 That the Parliament recognises the importance of reducing emissions in a way that is credible, costed and publicly supported; regrets the absence of a clear, deliverable plan for achieving net zero, particularly in relation to the future of Scotland’s energy sector and industrial base; condemns the Scottish and UK governments’ ideological opposition to oil and gas, nuclear power and a balanced energy policy; calls on the UK Government to end its policy of issuing no new oil and gas licences; notes with deep concern the economic and employment impacts of the closure of the Grangemouth refinery and recent job losses at Harbour Energy in Aberdeen; further notes that the increase and extension of the UK Government’s Energy Profits Levy has had a damaging effect on investment in the North Sea; argues that current Scottish Government policy on nuclear, oil and gas is having a detrimental effect on energy prices and energy security; points out that Great British Energy is a gimmick that will do nothing to bring down bills, and condemns the explosion of electricity infrastructure across the Scottish countryside, and calls on the Scottish Government to adopt a pragmatic, pro-growth energy strategy that supports the workforce, secures investment, delivers affordability and ensures energy reliability and national competitiveness for the future. Gillian Martin S6M-17525.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-17525 in the name of Douglas Lumsden (Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry), leave out from "regrets" to end and insert "notes with deep concern the economic and employment impacts of the closure of the Grangemouth refinery and recent job losses at Harbour Energy in Aberdeen; further notes that the increase and extension of the UK Government’s Energy Profits Levy, by the previous and current UK administrations, has had a damaging effect on North Sea investment, including on the transition; believes that a just transition must support workers and that the transition to net zero must deliver tangible benefits for consumers, communities and the wider economy; argues that the voice of communities must be heard in this process; condemns the anti-climate rhetoric of the Conservative Party, which ignores the reality of the impacts of climate change, and calls on the UK Government to fully fund and support the Acorn/Scottish Cluster carbon capture project and demonstrate that, unlike the previous UK administration, it supports this vital scheme for jobs in Grangemouth and the north east of Scotland." Michael Marra S6M-17525.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-17525 in the name of Douglas Lumsden (Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry), leave out from first "condemns" to end and insert "recognises the UK Government’s commitment to a sustainable long-term energy mix, including increased renewable sources, new modern nuclear generation as well as continued oil and gas production for decades to come; notes the loss of jobs at Grangemouth and recently announced job losses at Harbour Energy, which re-emphasise the need for a just transition plan including the immediate publication of the long-delayed Scottish energy strategy; commends the creation of Great British Energy as a publicly owned energy generation company, headquartered in Aberdeen, which will help to deliver energy security, build supply chains, create thousands of jobs across the country and reduce energy bills over the long term; welcomes the £200 million of funding committed to the Grangemouth transition as part of a clean energy future to power Scotland’s economy and communities, and calls on the Scottish National Party administration to drop its ideological opposition to nuclear power."