Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20820, in the name of Mark Ruskell, on a joint transition fund for Mossmorran. I invite members who wish ...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green

ExxonMobil’s Fife ethylene plant closed on 2 February. Some of the skilled workforce have already left Scotland; others, with the support of their unions and...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

What does Mark Ruskell think changed between his discussions in 2022 and the subsequent decision? What he has encountered from ExxonMobil is a genuinely curi...

Mark Ruskell Green

What was needed was to bring the stakeholders and operators together to look at the future. The report that I issued in 2022 laid out four clear options for ...

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic (Kate Forbes) SNP

ExxonMobil’s earlier than expected closure of the Fife ethylene plant remains a matter of deep disappointment. My thoughts remain with the workers who are di...

Mark Ruskell Green

I thank the Deputy First Minister for making that announcement. That will be welcomed by the workers. Has there been any conversation with Chris McDonald and...

Kate Forbes SNP

There are two forums where those conversations happen. The task force is meeting again in the next weeks, and Richard Lochhead attended the last one, with Ch...

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives. It is a welcome opportunity to highlight the on-going crisis at Mossmorran, which wi...

Mark Ruskell Green

The member points to my record of calling for a just transition plan for Mossmorran for years. Can he point to a single thing that he, or any of his three ot...

Alexander Stewart Con

I can assure the member that, in the 10 years that I have been in this job in this building, I have attended many events at Mossmorran—

Mark Ruskell Green

You got your picture taken for your newsletter.

Alexander Stewart Con

I was there, supporting the community. You are well aware of that, Mr Ruskell, because I was there many times, at many of those meetings—

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

Always through the chair.

Alexander Stewart Con

As it stands, this is not a just transition—it is a cliff edge. What we have heard from the Greens this afternoon is predictable. Last year’s announcement th...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

I will come to Alexander Stewart’s scripted put-downs and confected ire in a moment, but first I congratulate Mark Ruskell on bringing this important debate ...

Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) LD

I live locally and see the Mossmorran flare lighting up the sky regularly. I hear from local people how important the site is and how it provides—this is qui...

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Hear, hear.

Willie Rennie LD

We are fighting over the crumbs that come from such events, when we should be looking at a much longer-term plan.I hear Richard Leonard saying “Hear, hear,” ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

We move to the open debate, with back-bench speeches of up to four minutes.16:27

Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) Green

What is happening at Mossmorran is not an isolated industrial event; it is a test of whether Scotland is serious about delivering a just transition. I say th...

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP) SNP

I thank the Green Party for lodging the motion. The SNP amendment states that the UK Government “must match” the funding that has been provided by the Scotti...

Lorna Slater (Lothian) (Green) Green

Will Paul McLennan take an intervention?

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

Mr McLennan is about to conclude.

Paul McLennan SNP

I have only four minutes.UK energy policy has resulted in higher costs and fewer jobs. The Scottish Government’s energy strategy must have a just transition ...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

It will be regrettable if this debate becomes a proxy argument about oil and gas policies, about the efficacy of the action that is taken to tackle climate c...

David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) SNP

I put it on the record that I was formerly employed at Mossmorran, although that was many years ago.The closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant marks a prof...

Claire Baker Lab

Does Mr Torrance recognise that ExxonMobil is closing other plants across the globe? It is not just in Scotland. ExxonMobil took the decision to close the si...

David Torrance SNP

The member will find that ExxonMobil’s press statement blamed the UK Government for some of the uncertainty and for the plant’s closure.The Scottish Governme...

Daniel Johnson Lab

Will the member give way?

David Torrance SNP

No, thank you.The failure to match Scotland’s investment sends a troubled message about the priorities of UK-level energy policy and the UK’s willingness to ...