LABOUR CURBING SCOTLAND’S GREEN POTENTIAL

LABOUR CURBING SCOTLAND’S GREEN POTENTIAL

SNP Energy and Climate Change Spokesman, Mike Weir MP, has hit out at UK Government energy policy following Ed Miliband’s visit to green sites in Scotland.

Commenting, Mr Weir said:

“The quickest way for Ed Miliband to ensure more green jobs in Scotland would be to tackle the ludicrous and unfair transmission change regime which is a roadblock to delivering Scotland’s renewable potential.

“Scotland has a huge wealth of clean, green energy that puts us right at the heart of Europe’s energy generation and gives us the potential to become the continent’s energy capital.

“Ed Miliband can talk a good game on green jobs but the sad fact is that his Labour Government’s policies are curbing rather than encouraging the energy industry.

“While the SNP Scottish Government has introduced world leading climate change legislation with ambitious emissions targets, and is tripling funding for renewables and micro generation, the UK Government is contemplating new nuclear power stations that could harm investment.

“What’s more, Scotland's Fossil Fuel Levy - the levy paid by energy producers using non-renewable sources - was worth £68m when the SNP Government took office in May 2007, now stands at almost £200m and is currently languishing in a Treasury bank account.

“This money should rightly be used in Scotland to ensure investment in our renewables potential. For Mr Miliband to wax lyrical about energy investment in Scotland while locking away £200 million of Scottish money in Government coffers and failing to tackle damaging transmission charging is wholly hypocritical.”