Meeting of the Parliament 20 January 2016
No, I need to make some progress, if Mr McDonald will forgive me. If he checks the evidence that was given to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, he will see that the issue is covered in it.
Thirdly, there is the question of regulatory changes that are being driven through by the Oil and Gas Authority, which is still a relatively new body and one that is winning industry respect.
All those things are necessary to ensure that we have a viable industry for the foreseeable future. However, they do not change the fact that we have a downturn, which might last several years or more, and that those who have lost their jobs need support to find alternative employment. Here I have some sympathy for the notion of a transition to the new economy.
Our amendment makes specific reference to some of the opportunities that are available. The Beatrice offshore wind farm, a 588MW scheme in the Moray Firth, is expected to commence commercial operations in 2018-19, backed by an early investment deal under the UK Government’s contract for difference programme. That 110-turbine scheme could create up to 5,000 jobs. Along with other Mid Scotland and Fife members in the chamber, I have been backing Burntisland Fabrications as the bidder for the contracts from SSE to install those offshore turbines. BiFab is an important local employer in Fife, which has seen significant contraction recently, and the opportunity from the contract could be of considerable value in securing jobs, and creating new ones, in the local area.
Fergus Ewing rose—