UK Government urged to act to secure Scotland’s industrial future

The Scottish Government has called on UK ministers to take “urgent and decisive action” to deploy the £200m they committed to Grangemouth to ensure high-quality jobs and economic opportunity are not lost.  

Deputy first minister Kate Forbes will use a parliamentary debate this afternoon to urge the UK Government to act quickly to “secure Scotland's industrial future”.   

Ahead of the debate, she said Scotland’s only oil refinery needs clarity “with the same urgency and decisiveness” shown to Scunthorpe steelworks.  

It will also be used to urge progress on the Acorn Carbon Capture project at Peterhead, following the announcement of further funding for other carbon projects in England.  

Forbes is expected to say: “I welcome the UK Government’s confirmation that £200m has been ringfenced within the National Wealth Fund to support the deployment of projects at Grangemouth.  

“However, many of the proposals for the site outlined in Project Willow may not meet the current criteria being applied by the fund and we must not find ourselves in a position where good intentions are not translated into meaningful practice.  

“I call on UK ministers to take urgent and decisive action to ensure its £200m commitment is deployed. There must be clarity – and that clarity must be provided with the same urgency and decisiveness that we have now seen the UK Government show in respect of Scunthorpe - that these monies will be available for Grangemouth as soon as business needs it.”  

Earlier this month Holyrood asked First Minister John Swinney if the Scottish Government has explored the opportunity of nationalising Grangemouth. He confirmed it would require help from the UK Government to “the scale”.   

He said: “We need to work with the UK Government given the scale of that project. There is an opportunity for common ground and common purpose, and we are willing and open to taking that forward.”