Swinney meets Ineos chiefs… but no record of minutes ever taken
An opposition MSP has blasted the Scottish Government after it emerged John Swinney had sat down with Ineos chiefs – but no minutes of the meeting were taken.
SNP
Opinion: Decommissioning is a key focus of the SNP
Ensuring Scottish companies are given support from government to win contracts to decommission major oil and gas assets is an industry priority of the SNP, and a key focus of ours when we address what the sector needs now and in the near future.
SNP calls for UK Energy Secretary to put “his money where his mouth is” in support of North Sea
The SNP last night demanded the new energy secretary put his money where his mouth is by taking steps to support the oil and gas industry.
Ministers accused of ‘failure of leadership’ on North Sea decommissioning
A lack of leadership by the Scottish Government could see the country lose out on billions of pounds of decommissioning work in the North Sea, with union leaders claiming it does not fit the SNP’s “political narrative” to invest in the area.
Opinion: The end of DECC – threats and opportunities
You don't have to be an expert to recognise that the best time to repair the roof is when it ain't raining. And that generally means summer rather than winter.
Sturgeon signals Aberdeen boost from decommissioning jobs
The north and north-east could be in line to benefit from a boom in oil and gas decommissioning jobs.
Exclusive: SNP’s £12million flagship retraining fund delivers cash to less than 100 people
The SNP’s £12million flagship retraining fund for redundant oil and gas workers has delivered cash to less than 100 people.
Holyrood backs ban on fracking as SNP abstains from vote
The Scottish Government has said it will continue to explore the potential for fracking in Scotland despite a vote in parliament in favour of an outright ban.
Fergus Ewing removed from energy brief in Scottish cabinet reshuffle
Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled her new Cabinet in a reshuffle which has removed Fergus Ewing from his energy role.
Nicola Sturgeon hails historic third term in Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP has won an historic third term in government at Holyrood, as Labour suffered further losses in its former Scottish heartlands.
Swinney vows “strong and committed” response to help North Sea oil and gas industry
The SNP’s finance chief has vowed a “strong and committed response” to help the struggling oil industry as he visited an Aberdeen factory that relies on the sector for 70% of its business.
Exclusive: Nicola Sturgeon pledges to help struggling offshore sector by securing renewables deal
Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to help Scottish oil and gas companies secure contracts in the offshore renewables industry if her party is re-elected on May 5.
SNP: When the industry needed the broad shoulders of the UK, they shrugged
The other day on the doorstep, I got into a conversation with a man who was facing redundancy in the oil and gas sector, we discussed the work being done by the Energy Jobs Taskforce, set up by the Scottish Government, and he said he was pleased to see support coming to the North East via the extended investment in the City Region Deal, and support for individuals to retrain.
SNP fracking policy questioned as Labour confirms opposition
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted fracking in Scotland “ain’t allowed to happen“ as Labour announced its opposition to the controversial process.
Lib Dems attack SNP for refusing energy debate
The Scottish Liberal Democrats had urged the administration to host a session in the Scottish Parliament on the future of the offshore industry, amid spiralling job losses in the sector.
David Cameron: Low oil price has led to “collapse” of SNP policy
The low oil price has led to a “complete and utter collapse” of the SNP’s policy, the Prime Minister has claimed. David Cameron told MPs in the Commons that a low oil price “basically is good for the British economy” but they needed to look at helping the oil and gas industry.
MSP lobbies Chancellor to take action on oil jobs
North east MSP, Kevin Stewart has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking him to take action on securing jobs in the oil and gas sector.
UK Government urged to support Peterhead CCS project
The UK Government is being urged to outline how it will support a world-leading north-east gas project after the energy secretary announced plans to phase out coal by 2025.
Oil industry “may require further tax cut” says OGUK chief
The North Sea oil sector may need a further reduction in its tax bill if prices remain low, the head of an industry body has said.
Ineos senior exec ‘not too concerned’ about fracking motion
A senior executive of fracking company Ineos has said he is “not too concerned” about a motion at the SNP conference that could result in a further clampdown on the controversial practice. Party members meeting in Aberdeen will today be asked to back a move that would place tighter restrictions on the party’s moratorium on shale gas extraction. The Scottish Government has already halted any fracking until 2017.
SNP claim Labour ‘sat on their hands’ over oil jobs
Callum McCaig has branded the Labour Party “shameful” amid claims the SNP failed to act to protect North Sea oil and gas jobs. The Aberdeen South MP told a packed conference hall he would have “appreciated some help” from other MPs in his efforts to protect the “vital industry”. Mr McCaig was responding to comments from Kezia Dugdale reported in Energy Voice's sister publication the Press and Journal.
Action call on “worst ever industrial crisis”
The Scottish Government has been challenged to tackle the "worst industrial crisis" in the country's history - and help the offshore industry plan for a brighter future.
Sturgeon shifts North Sea blame
The first minister has admitted that there is a “great deal” that needs to be done to protect oil and gas jobs – and insisted the Scottish Government is doing all it can to help alleviate the crisis. Nicola Sturgeon said that her taskforce was working to minimise job losses, but that the UK Government needed to stop hampering progress in the sector. The Conservative’s energy spokesman Murdo Fraser rounded on the first minister, saying she needed to do more than “pass the buck” while people are “worried about their futures”. Labour’s energy spokesman Lewis Macdonald agreed that her efforts so far have only “scratched the surface” of the crisis affecting the North East.
Scottish Government’s Energy Jobs Taskforce extended for further six months
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the Scottish Government's Energy Jobs Taskforce has been extended for a further six months.
Conservatives raise concern over SNP’s energy policy
The Conservatives have accused the Scottish Government of having no strategy to “keep the lights on” after the closure of Scotland’s biggest electricity-generating stations. The party’s energy spokesman Murdo Fraser attacked the SNP administration for putting “all its eggs” in the basket of “intermittent” wind power. Mr Fraser used a Tory debate at Holyrood to call on the Government to consider a new gas-powered generator at the site of the troubled Longannet power station in Fife. Last year it emerged that the station may be forced to close due to what the operator Scottish Power described as “disproportionately high” transmission charges to connect to the main grid network. Scottish generators, including Longannet, account for around 12% of the capacity connected to Britain’s high-voltage electricity network but pay around 35% of the charges, according to the Scottish Government.