Government is ‘committed’ to helping bring renewables jobs to Scotland
THE UK Government has said it is committed to helping Scots firms with opportunities in the renewables sector after fears were raised about jobs going abroad.
Trade unions GMB and Unite wrote to Scottish Secretary Alister Jack urging him to intervene over employment opportunities in the sector, asking him directly to help protect manufacturing jobs for a new wind farm in Angus from going overseas.
The letter from GMB’S Gary Smith and Unite’s Pat Rafferty referenced SSE’S Seagreen Wind Farm development 27km from the Angus coastline, along with the three empty Bifab yards in Scotland.
They stressed the importance of changing the Government’s Contracts for Difference scheme, which is currently under public consultation.
The scheme has generated controversy as experts say it is being used by investors to get stakes in companies for much cheaper than it would cost to buy stocks directly.
They also say the anonymous nature of the scheme beneficiaries make it ripe for abuse, and have called for greater transparency.
The Government said it welcomes public views on how the scheme, and the supply chain policy, can support ‘industrial objectives’.
In response, a Scotland Office spokeswoman told The Herald: “The UK Government is wholly committed to supporting Scotland’s renewables sector and helping to deliver opportunities for Scottish companies, although the Scottish Government is responsible for industry policy. “
Trade unions said they will be raising the issue with the Scottish government, however GMB Scotland chief Gary Smith previously accused Mr Jack of being ‘missing in action.
He said: “Any credible chance of a ‘green recovery’ depends on urgent reform of the controversial Contracts for Difference scheme.
“Billions of pounds of bill-payers money is being trousered by sovereign wealth funds, private equity vultures, Far East financiers and state-backed international competitors, taking the bulk of jobs abroad while Scotland’s struggling supply chain gets scraps from our own projects.
“The withdrawal of the Seagreen manufacturing contracts from China is a second chance for Scotland but instead of doing the right thing and giving the domestic economy some much needed hope, speculation is rising that SSE will award this work to yards across Northern Europe.
“An intervention is needed to end this scandal but Alister Jack has been missing in action. Rather than acting like an absentee landlord he needs to start making the case CFD reform to help bring desperately needed jobs and investment into our renewables manufacturing supply chains.
“It is completely unacceptable for Scottish bill-payers to subsidise the big players in this industry, only for those same companies to make clear what little regard they have for creating work in Scotland.”