Ahead of the UK Spending Review, the SNP has urged the UK
government to match the Scottish Government’s funding of £500
million for a Just Transition Fund and U-turn on its decision not
to fund a phase one Carbon Capture facility in the North East of
Scotland.
The SNP Scottish Government has committed to investing £500
million in the North East and Moray over the next ten years, to
accelerate the transition to net-zero and support highly-skilled
jobs and livelihoods in the oil and gas sector.
Last week, in a response to a letter from North East SNP MPs
urging the UK government match the funding, Scottish Secretary
Alister Jack ignored the request.
SNP BEIS spokesperson and Aberdeen MP described it as a “kick
in the teeth” for the North East given it came just days after it
was announced that the carbon capture and storage facility at St
Fergus, Aberdeenshire, would not receive funding as part of the
UK government's phase one cluster sequencing process - losing out
to two facilities in England. The announcement was met with
widespread anger from MPs and industry experts across
Scotland.
A letter was sent today to the Prime Minister from a range of
Scotland's business leaders - including
senior representatives of ETZ Ltd, OGUK, Opportunity North
East, CBI Scotland, IoD Scotland, Net Zero Technology Centre,
Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber
of Commerce - calling on the UK Government to add the
Scottish Cluster as part of the Carbon Capture & Storage
(CCS) track 1 programme.
Commenting, Mr Flynn said:
"Funding a phase one CCUS facility in the North East of Scotland
and matching the Scottish Government's £500m Just Transition
funding will show that the UK government is serious about COP26
and tackling the global climate crisis.
"The UK government had the opportunity to do fund a
CCUS in Aberdeenshire last week and chose not to take it -
despite overwhelming evidence showing it makes economic and
environmental sense to fund the Scottish Cluster now given the
capacity for CO2 storage in the North Sea and the existing oil
and gas infrastructure available.
"I am urging the UK government to heed the backlash from across
Scotland and today's letter from Scotland's business leaders, and
U-turn on its decision not to fund the CCUS facility at St Fergus
in phase one of its sequencing process. Doing so would be a huge
step in our just transition journey.
"Indeed, the UK government cannot properly play its part in the
global fight against climate change if it does not put the North
East of Scotland at the forefront of the Just Transition. Oil
revenues that should have been ring-fenced for a Just Transition
for the North East have been frittered away by successive
Westminster governments - the least this Tory government can do
now to make up for that is to heed our calls.
“COP26 is due to be held in Glasgow just days after the UK
Spending Review and will be an opportunity for Scotland to
showcase our world-leading action to tackle the climate
crisis.
“The SNP Scottish Government is doing what it can with the powers
available, and setting world-leading net-zero targets - it is
time for the UK government to match this ambition, and use this
spending review to show it is serious about the fight against
climate change.”
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Letter from Alister Jack to
Stephen Flynn
Letter to the Prime Minister
from Scottish Business Leaders
