The oil and gas sector is vital for the north-east and for the whole of Scotland. The Rosebank energy development will create 1,600 jobs and will bring £6 billion of investment to the country. Why does John Swinney oppose that? (S6F-03240)

The issues in connection with the Rosebank oilfield have been the subject of a very active case, which is influenced by a decision in the Supreme Court today, so I will need to be careful about what I say in relation to the Rosebank development.

As Mr Ross will acknowledge, the Scottish Government believes that any new application for oil and gas developments has to have associated with it a very detailed and specific climate compatibility assessment, which should be undertaken to determine whether any such development can proceed in a fashion that is compatible with our journey to net zero. That is the approach that the Government believes should be taken.

We are talking about 1,600 jobs, £6 billion of investment and a Scottish National Party First Minister who cannot welcome that and cannot support it, because the SNP opposes every single new oil and gas development in the North Sea.

No.

Oh! We are hearing “No” from Kevin Stewart. I wonder whether John Swinney will be able to tell us which developments the Scottish Government supports.

Here is what some of John Swinney’s predecessors have said. Nicola Sturgeon, who John Swinney stood side by side with for decades, said that Rosebank was the

“greatest act of environmental vandalism”

in her lifetime. When the development was given the green light, Humza Yousaf said that it was “the wrong decision”. Just last week, John Swinney, speaking about new oil and gas licences, said that the granting of them was “utterly irresponsible”.

Why has SNP leader after SNP leader been against granting new oil and gas licences for the North Sea?

I think that one of the reasons why Douglas Ross is leaving the leadership of the Conservative Party—

You don’t answer the questions—that’s why.

Mr Ross!

Oh, so Mr Ross—

First Minister!

Mr Ross, we will not continue in such a manner. We must conduct our business in a courteous and respectful manner.

I suspect that one of the reasons why Douglas Ross is leaving the leadership of the Conservative Party is that he is not presenting an accurate picture of the remarks that I have made. [Interruption.]

Members, let us hear one another.

The specific remark that I made was that a commitment by the Prime Minister to undertake 100 new oil and gas licences without any scrutiny was climate change denial of the first order, and utterly and totally reckless. Those were my words, and I will not have them misrepresented by Douglas Ross.

We have a rational and considered process, which we have argued for, which is that every individual application should be subject to a climate compatibility assessment, because there is a journey that we as a country have to make to reach net zero. That is inescapable.

What is clear from the position that has been taken by the Prime Minister, which has been supported by Douglas Ross and the Conservatives, is that they do not care about the journey on climate; they are not interested in the crisis that we face with the climate emergency. The Scottish Government will take the responsible approach to managing the transition and the challenges of the climate emergency.

What we have just heard from John Swinney—and his MSPs are applauding—is that he and the SNP do not care about tens of thousands of jobs in the north-east of Scotland. They do not care about the oil and gas sector, which is needed for our energy security now and going forward. When Rosebank and Cambo were approved—just as when any new development is approved—the SNP opposed it. The SNP opposes new oil and gas developments.

John Swinney did not seem to want to hear what the previous First Minister said, nor did he want to hear his own comments that new licences were “utterly irresponsible”. Let us hear from some of his current cabinet ministers. Màiri McAllan, the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, said:

“we do not agree with the UK Government issuing new oil and gas licences.”—[Official Report, 22 November 2022; c 12.]

That is from the SNP Government’s energy secretary.

I have with me a letter that her predecessor, Neil Gray, the former energy secretary, wrote to climate activists. He said:

“We have long expressed our concern about Rosebank being given the go-ahead.”

Before that, Michael Matheson lodged a consultation on a presumption against new oil and gas licences. Why does SNP energy secretary after SNP energy secretary oppose new oil and gas licences, which are crucial to the Scottish energy sector?

I think that if Mr Ross were to look at the material that the Government has published and the process that we believe should be taken forward in a rational and considered way, he would find that the Government’s position is anchored around a number of principles. First, we have to assess the compatibility of any oil and gas licence application with the journey towards net zero, and a rigorous and thorough process must be undertaken around that. Secondly, in coming to that assessment, we must consider issues in relation to our energy security. Thirdly, we must take a responsible approach to managing the transition to net zero.

I am not going to stand here and be lectured by a leader of the Conservatives, whose party presided over the industrial devastation of central Scotland, the consequences of which we as a Government are still having to address. The Government will take a responsible approach to the management of the oil and gas sector and its transition to net zero, and we will take absolutely no lessons from the Conservatives.

I say to John Swinney that there is nothing rational or considered about turning your back on the Scottish oil and gas sector by claiming that you are against every oil and gas licence but being unable to say so, being unable to be truthful with the people of Scotland. The First Minister should just be honest: the SNP opposes every single new oil and gas licence being issued by the United Kingdom Government—that is the case. Whenever a new development is proposed in the North Sea, the SNP opposes it. It opposes every round of new licences that are granted for the oil and gas sector. In recent years, it has not supported any new fields—not one.

Whatever John Swinney is claiming today is only a temporary position for the SNP. Its position is very clear: it does not, and will not, stand up for Scotland’s oil and gas industry. It is willing to put tens of thousands of jobs and the north-east’s economy at risk. The Scottish Conservatives support Scotland’s oil and gas industry. Why does the SNP oppose it?

I am not sure that Douglas Ross is on his strongest ground—

About oil and gas?

—in taking me to task about honesty.

Here is Honest John.

Mr Ross, I ask you to apologise for that comment.

I apologise for calling the First Minister Honest John.

Mr Ross, we are not going to continue like this. I ask you to reflect on your conduct.

I do not think that Douglas Ross is in a particularly strong position today to raise issues of honesty with me, when the Gambling Commission is investigating the alleged conduct of senior figures in the Conservative and Unionist Party. I think that Douglas Ross is on thin ground.

I also do not think that—

Sorry, First Minister.

Mr Ross, this is actually First Minister’s question time, when many members across the chamber wish to have an opportunity to put a question to the First Minister. I would like to make sure that that is possible for as many members as possible. In order to do that, we must conduct ourselves in a courteous and respectful manner.

I also do not think that Douglas Ross is on strong ground in attacking me about the rational and considered position that the Scottish Government is taking, when the Prime Minister is ignoring the climate emergency by sanctioning 100 oil and gas licences without any questions being asked. That is irresponsible. That is action that will accelerate the climate emergency.

This Government will take a rational and considered approach to oil and gas developments. We will also support the oil and gas sector to transition to the essential work that we need to undertake on renewables, because Scotland’s future lies as a green energy renewables powerhouse, and the Scottish Government is putting in place the measures to make that happen.