Role to promote oil and gas never filled and now shelved

The position was announced with great fanfare by David Cameron on a trip to Aberdeen almost two years ago, as Scotland’s oil and gas industry was in the doldrums.

Speaking in January 2016, the then prime minister promised that a new Oil and Gas Ambassador would be appointed to “promote the North Sea around the world”.

But 19 months on, it has now emerged that no such person was ever appointed and that the position has

been quietly forgotten by the government.

On a visit to Aberdeen, Westminster energy minister Richard Harrington said the role sounded like a “good idea”, adding that he would “like to be that person myself ”. However, he admitted that he was “not aware” of the promise made by Mr Cameron. “It’s not crossed my desk,” he said.

At the time, the government said the ambassador would “help ensure the best possible access for UK companies to markets overseas, promote the North Sea around the world and boost inward investment”.

The SNP accused the government of creating a “fictional” position to win positive news coverage.

Kirsty Blackman, the SNP MP for Aberdeen North, said the fact that nobody was ever appointed was “deeply embarrassing” for the Tories, claiming they had been “caught red-handed”.

She said: “Not only have they broken promises made to the oil and gas industry in its hour of need, they’ve conspired to brush their inaction under the carpet. It’s a display of shameful contempt towards the sector and to workers who have lost their jobs.”

Government sources said the role was a “commitment from a different government”, and Prime Minister Theresa May had “never said” she was going to appoint an Oil and Gas Ambassador.