Slater accused of misleading parliament over ‘make-believe’ energy figures
A GREENS minister has been accused of showing a “lack of integrity” amid claims she misled parliament over “make-believe” figures boasting about Scotland’s renewables potentials.
The Scottish Government has admitted that a figure touted by SNP ministers as far back as 2010 is not accurate.
Ministers have repeatedly claimed that Scotland holds 25 per cent of Europe’s offshore wind potential – a key argument in the case for independence.
On Tuesday, Greens minister Lorna Slater told MSPS that the Scottish Government was first made aware of the wrong figure on November 8, before it was revealed in analysis by pro-union think tank These Islands.
But emails reveal that civil servants highlighted the figure as having “never…been properly sourced” as far back as October 2020.
Civil servants told the office of former SNP energy minister Paul Wheelhouse and current business minister Ivan Mckee that the figure has never been verified two years ago, according to the emails.
A spokesman for the First Minister said “it shouldn’t be assumed” that because a ministerial office had been sent an email, that had been passed on to the ministers.
Asked if Ms Slater misled parliament, he said: “No.”
Scottish Conservative energy spokesperson, Liam Kerr, told MSPS that “the information that minister Slater provided to parliament two days ago does not, apparently, accord with the facts”.
Mr Kerr added: “Parliament has been misled, again.
“This Government appears to hold the ministerial code and the honour and privilege of office in utter disdain. The implications of ministers consistently and brazenly misleading parliament are huge, as are the implications of ministers not acting in accordance with the ministerial code after having done so.”
Scottish Libdem leader, Alex Colehamilton, said the error being ignored for two years was “frankly astonishing”.
He said: “Quite simply, nobody knows where the figure came from. In truth, the statistic has always been make-believe, but to suggest that it is outdated would sound to any reasonable person as though it had been true at some point.
“I am concerned that, in an attempt to excuse the original falsehoods, the Government is now creating fresh falsehoods to cover its tracks.”