Meeting of the Parliament 11 November 2025
I, too, thank Liam Kerr for bringing this important debate to the chamber, as we need to think through the insights that come from the “Striking the Balance” report. This is a pivotal moment for our energy transition, and the question is not whether Scotland and the UK move away from fossil fuel reliance; it is how we make that shift in a way that is fair, planned and inclusive for workers and communities and that delivers for our economy at the same time, maximising opportunities, whether for manufacturing or for utilising the raft of new technologies that are becoming available.
First, we must plan ahead. As colleagues around the chamber have said, we know that oil and gas production in the North Sea will be part of our energy mix for decades to come. However, as the report correctly highlights, the pace and shape of workforce supply and demand will define whether we have a fair transition or one that negatively impacts on people’s employment opportunities and the local economy. We cannot leave the skilled workforce scrambling for opportunities; we need to ensure that the opportunities are there for them.
One key issue on which we have been lobbying is the oil and gas passport. The energy and skills passport can ensure that workers who have built their careers in oil and gas have their training, experience and qualifications all recognised as they move into a range of other jobs, whether in renewables, carbon capture or the decommissioning of existing platforms.