Decommission investment hint from Sturgeon

First Minister suggests Dundee’s port could benefit

Dundee could be in line to benefit from a boom in oil and gas decommissioning jobs, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Both Labour and the Greens had been attacked by senior SNP politicians before last month’s Holyrood election for arguing for greater investment in the city’s port to set it up for the industry.

But the First Minister yesterday signalled her intention to support the sector when questioned by Liberal Democrat MSP Tavish Scott at Holyrood.

She said: “Although we do not want to see premature decommissioning in the North Sea, decommissioning nevertheless is a massive economic opportunity for us and we want to make sure that the benefit of that opportunity is enjoyed here in Scotland and not elsewhere.”

Ms Sturgeon also pledged to lobby the UK Government to make sure there are tax incentives in place to attract investment.

And her official spokesman further hinted at a boost for Dundee when questioned by The Courier after First Minister’s Questions.

He said: “Decommissioning will become an economic opportunity for Scotland and places like Dundee are very well placed to benefit.”

Dundee-based Labour MSP Jenny Marra said these are “warm words” but added that the SNP Government “need to be accelerating their city deal, with investment for decommissioning jobs at the heart of it”.

Picture: Andrew Cowan. Nicola Sturgeon says she wants to make sure Scotland benefits from any oil and gas decommissioning opportunities.