Hansard

I will therefore continue, because some things need to be said about the importance of the issue.

Grangemouth fuels our cars, buses, ambulances, police cars, fire engines, agricultural equipment and emergency generators. Need it be said that fuel is important?

We know that the Scottish National Party and the Greens have shown blatant and open hostility to the oil and gas sector. We need to understand whether that has been a factor in Petroineos’s decision to end refining.

In 2016, the Scottish Government and the United Kingdom Government worked together to maintain gas processing at Grangemouth. It is worthy of the Parliament to ask ministers whether that is being explored now. Is there an option for the UK Government and the Scottish Government to work together in the best interests of our constituents? What policy does the Scottish Government have relating to the importance of the domestic production of petrol and diesel? How does the potential removal of large-scale refining from Scotland impact on emergency planning, our resilience and our economy? What will the Scottish Government do for the employees of the plant affected by the proposed change? What support will it make available for the people of Grangemouth?

Those are all questions that members—especially those who represent Grangemouth—have a responsibility to ask. They are questions that it is reasonable for our constituents to hear being asked, with answers from ministers.

One cannot help but wonder whether, if the plant and those jobs were at risk in Glasgow or Edinburgh, the Government would already have scheduled a statement for tomorrow. [Interruption.] Members may disagree with that point, but that is a consideration for people in central Scotland.

I note that the First Minister has seen fit to make a statement about the situation at Grangemouth. I understand that he did that at Bute house in front of journalists. I do not understand why a statement on the crisis cannot be made in the Parliament, with questions to come from elected members. I do not think that that is unreasonable.

I note that Neil Gray, who is the relevant cabinet secretary, has offered to meet some of us in a private Zoom meeting on Friday afternoon. That is good, but let us have an open discussion and a statement in the chamber ahead of any such private meeting.

I am grateful for the Deputy Presiding Officer’s indulgence. If our Parliament is not here to discuss such matters of importance to the people of Scotland, what is it here for?

I move amendment S6M-11374.1, to insert after “the following programme of business—”:

“Thursday 23 November 2023

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions

followed by Members’ Business

1.45 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

1.45 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition

followed by Ministerial Statement: Grangemouth Oil Refinery

followed by Stage 1 Debate: Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time”.