Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 November 2025
12 Nov 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Rosebank Oil and Gas Field
If Douglas Lumsden looks at the Scottish Government’s amendment, he will see our position, which I hope the Parliament will vote for today.
There is an urgent need for a global transition from fossil fuels if the Paris agreement goals are to be met. Patrick Harvie referred to those goals. We will not deny the climate science that clearly shows the crisis that we are all facing. However, we also need to have a just transition. I saw the damage—as did many others who are old enough to have done so—that Mrs Thatcher did to our country and our communities when she threw thousands of workers on to the scrap heap. A just transition does not mean simply stopping all future oil and gas activity overnight. That would be wrong and would threaten energy security while destroying the very skills that we need for the energy transition.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19637, in the name of Patrick Harvie, on the Rosebank oil and gas field. I invite members who wish to par...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The Scottish Greens have secured today’s debate in order to discuss the imminent decision that will be made on the revised application to drill for fossil fu...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Everyone, which I think includes the Greens, accepts that oil and gas demand is not going away. On any analysis, we will still need oil and gas in the UK by ...
Patrick Harvie
Green
That completely ignores the fact, which I will come on to, that the vast majority of production from Rosebank will be for export. Rosebank’s projected carbo...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
I hear what Patrick Harvie has said about global reliance on oil, but does he acknowledge that peak oil extraction from the North Sea was back in 1999, that ...
Patrick Harvie
Green
The Scottish Government is also dragging its feet in relation to the pace at which we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, because it is watering down its he...
The Minister for Business and Employment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
The future of the North Sea oil and gas sector is of vital importance to Scotland’s economy and society, and it is central to our energy transition. Oil and ...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Now that the compatibility report for Rosebank has been published, does the Scottish Government support Rosebank? Yes or no?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
If Douglas Lumsden looks at the Scottish Government’s amendment, he will see our position, which I hope the Parliament will vote for today. There is an urge...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am sure that the minister is well aware that absolutely no one calls for all oil and gas production to be stopped immediately. Is it not clear that expandi...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The Scottish Government thinks that it is incredibly important that the guiding principles for new developments, which are outlined in our amendment, are fol...
Liam Kerr
Con
Will the minister give way?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
If I have time, I will take a brief intervention.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You do not have a lot of time.
Liam Kerr
Con
The minister will also accept that there is a very damaging effect from the “presumption against ... oil and gas” remaining in the draft energy strategy, s...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
There is a great deal of hypocrisy from Liam Kerr, given that we are discussing the energy profits levy and it was his Government that first extended it. The...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the Greens for bringing forward this debate and for lodging a simple motion: they oppose Rosebank—that is absolutely clear. In our amendment, we are ...
Daniel Johnson
Lab
I am interested to know whether the member can answer this question. I know that it is not popular to support due process or the decision-making process of t...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
What is needed for stable investment is clear guidance, but we are not getting that from the UK Government or from the Scottish Government. There is no energ...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member give way?
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I am sorry, but I do not have time. That will mean pay packets for families, orders for the supply chain and tax revenue for public services. My constituent...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Mr Lumsden, I caution you against using nicknames.
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I am sorry, but she is jet set in a way, Presiding Officer.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I would also caution you against challenging the chair. I have made my concern clear.
Douglas Lumsden
Con
Okay, Presiding Officer. We have the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in favour of a presumption against oil and gas; wannabe First Minister Stephen Fl...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Scottish Labour has been clear that oil and gas will be part of Scotland’s and the UK’s energy mix for decades to come. We were clear about that in our elect...
Liam Kerr
Con
The Scottish Trades Union Congress says that just one job has been created for every £1 million that has been generated by the wind industry. It contrasts th...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
What we need is to make sure that we fulfil the potential in renewables so that we have companies that make wind turbines and other kit in Scotland. For exam...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member give way?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
No, thank you. Our transport system also needs investment to deliver decarbonised infrastructure so that people can access reliable and affordable buses and...