Swinney: ‘Swift decision-making’ on the Acorn project critical to address Grangemouth challenge

First Minister John Swinney has pushed Prime Minister Keir Starmer for “swift decision-making” and "urgent progress" on the Acorn carbon capture project.

Speaking at St Andrew’s House, as Edinburgh hosts the Council of the Nations and Regions, Swinney said: “One of my biggest concerns is the fact that we are facing a very sharp decision, or sharp timescale position in the [Grangemouth] refinery and I'm worried about the gap that there may be between the refinery and any future prospects.”

He added: “The UK Government's being involved with the project will help to try to accelerate some of that work. But I think one of the other things that would help to accelerate that work would be the steps to taking forward project Acorn, which is in my view a compelling carbon capture and storage project, which could provide new opportunities, and in other parts of the successive use of infrastructure in the oil and gas sector”.

Last month, it was announced that Grangemouth, Scotland’s only oil refinery, will cease operations next year.

The site is in the process of transitioning into a fuel import terminal, but the closure of the refinery would lead to the loss of 400 jobs.

During First Minister’s Questions, Swinney said both the UK and Scottish governments had “made the case for refining to continue”, while local MSP Michelle Thomson revealed an unnamed third-party buyer was interested in purchasing the site wholesale.

Meanwhile, in July, the Scottish Government invested £2m in the Acorn project in Aberdeenshire, which aims to store carbon underneath the North Sea using pipelines.

However, there have been ongoing concern over the lack of commitment from the UK Government on the project, which Swinney described as “critical” for the transition of Grangemouth.

The UK Government also came under fire earlier this month after Starmer announced £22bn for “carbon capture clusters” south of the border yet fell short of announcing any economic boost to the Scottish project.

However, Swinney said Starmer understands the urgency of the issue, adding there are ongoing conversations with net zero secretary Ed Miliband.

Asked about Starmer’s former chief of staff Sue Gray’s new position as the envoy for the nations and regions, Swinney said he had not been explained what the “nature of the role was”, adding that if he had any issues, Starmer had made clear, he was “to approach him directly”.

Gray did not attend the meeting, as she is said to be taking a break between jobs.

On the row over Scottish city council leaders not being invited to the summit, Swinney said he had put the matter forward to the prime minister but confirmed he wouldn’t adopt the metro mayors policy, claiming there was “no necessity for them” north of the border, despite English metro mayors having been invited to the meeting.

Swinney also said the council, which is to meet every six months, will “tend to replace a lot of the other join machinery” such as the Joint Ministerial Committee.