(Gordon) (Con)
8. What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the Government’s
role in supporting the oil and gas industry. [911394]
The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)
I have regular meetings with my right hon. Friend the Secretary
of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on a range
of issues relevant to Scotland. That has included discussions
about the support that this Government have provided to the oil
and gas sector. The UK Government are committed to ensuring that
this key industry has a long future.
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. May I
congratulate him and the Scotland Office on supporting Scottish
industry, when the SNP Scottish Government do not? It is due to
his hard work that transferable tax history was delivered to the
oil and gas industry. Does he agree that Opposition suggestions
that we should divest ourselves of the oil and gas industry would
threaten 120,000 highly paid Scottish jobs?
Mr Speaker
That goes into the matter of Opposition policy. That would be
impure, and I am sure the Secretary of State would never
knowingly be impure.
Since joining this Parliament, my hon. Friend has become a real
champion of the industry, and it disappoints me to hear
Opposition Members describing oil and gas as a dirty technology
with no long-term future. We can be clear that this party and
this Government will always stand up for Scotland’s oil.
