Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 26 November 2025
26 Nov 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Oil and Gas
I will come to Fergus Ewing in a second, after I make this point.
Communities are being affected not just in the north-east but across Scotland. Donna Hutchison, the chief executive of Aberdeen Cyrenians, has made clear the real-world consequences. She said:
“Every job lost in the energy supply chain lands somewhere—in a home, a family, and a community. It can mean rent arrears, foodbank visits, or a parent quietly skipping meals so their children don’t have to.”
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19894, in the name of Douglas Lumsden, on backing oil and gas. I invite members wishing to participate in...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Today is a really dark day for the oil and gas industry and for the north-east of Scotland. We have seen headline after headline in The Press and Journal thi...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind)
Ind
Does Mr Lumsden agree that we should take a leaf out of Norway’s book, given that Equinor has just announced plans to drill 250 new wells, invest $5.9 billio...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I could not agree more with Mr Ewing. The sad fact is that not only is Norway producing more, it is actually selling to us. Norway is producing oil and gas f...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Both.
Douglas Lumsden
Con
Does the SNP no longer have any idea what should be in the plan, or does it fear the backlash when people realise what is in it? I agree with Mr Carson—I thi...
The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin)
SNP
The Parliament debated oil and gas policy just two weeks ago, and we now return to that policy in the light of significant United Kingdom Government announce...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
The environmental compatibility report for Rosebank has been available for some weeks now. Does the SNP Government back Rosebank—yes or no?
Gillian Martin
SNP
It is getting a bit tiresome explaining the Scotland Act 1998, the Electricity Act 1989 and all the reserved functions of the UK Government to the Conservati...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
Will the minister give way?
Gillian Martin
SNP
I will come to Fergus Ewing in a second, after I make this point. Communities are being affected not just in the north-east but across Scotland. Donna Hutch...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
Would the way to avert those job losses not be to preserve and create the 1,000 jobs that would come from Cambo and Rosebank? Equinor’s analysis is that 12 ...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I will use the short time that I have to make one point to Fergus Ewing. I am fully in favour of electrification of production platforms. The decrease in pro...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude.
Gillian Martin
SNP
It is simply a tax on the industrial workers and communities of Scotland. I am appalled that it has not been scrapped. There is one more thing to say before...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Can we please make sure that we can hear the person who has the floor? A bit of response and reaction to what is being said is one thing, but barracking in t...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open the debate for Scottish Labour. Today’s debate should have been an opportunity for Parliament to come together and set out a clear, cred...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
No, thank you.
Douglas Lumsden
Con
It is not about political theatre; it is about—
Sarah Boyack
Lab
No, thank you. I had four minutes, and now I have less time than that. There has been a complete absence of SNP strategic leadership. Let me be clear from t...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
No, thank you. I just want to be clear on this topic—it is a short debate. Scotland’s huge renewables potential must be unlocked by maximising the opportuni...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The green voting sheet for this afternoon’s debate was not difficult to fill out. Very obviously, we will oppose the motion. The Scottish Conservatives are h...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will Mr Harvie take an intervention?
Patrick Harvie
Green
No. I do not have time. My real worry at the moment is that the Tory and Labour position—the new antagonism to any kind of credible climate policy—not only ...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
In what was quite a unique collaboration, Offshore Energies UK and Scottish Renewables joined forces recently and called for the energy profits levy to be sc...
Gillian Martin
SNP
Does Willie Rennie agree that decommissioning has not been mentioned enough in the debate? Much of the activity that the supply chain and workers would have ...
Willie Rennie
LD
For years, we have talked about a just transition, and we now have it—live—in front of us but lacking a joined-up approach. Last night, I was at the Mossmorr...
Fergus Ewing
Ind
Will the member give way?