Hansard

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?