Scotland’s Economy
Debate between Graeme Downie and John Lamont(2 months, 1 week ago)
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John Lamont
I totally agree. We need to invest in the skills we have; otherwise they will be lost, particularly for more traditional industries. If the skills are lost there, they might never return.
I do not often agree with the hon. Member for Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman), but she highlighted an important point about the gap that is emerging, with skills in the oil and gas sector potentially being lost if the renewable sector does not accelerate more quickly. Those in the sector up in the north-east, in Aberdeen, highlighted that point repeatedly during my time as a Minister. They were concerned that there was such a stigma attached to the oil and gas sector now that new people were not moving into that area and would not then be able to move over to the renewable sector when that opportunity arose.
Graeme Downie
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the failure of both the SNP and Conservative Governments to plan for the site at Longannet, which closed in 2016 and now lies empty, is a missed opportunity? Does he agree that all Governments in the future should be looking to work together on that, to bring thousands of jobs back to that area of west Fife?
John Lamont
I will push back slightly on the narrative that, up until the election of the new Government, the Scottish Government and the UK Government had not been working together on the project that the hon. Gentleman mentions, or on other areas. The reality is—as, again, I know from my own experience as a UK Government Minister—that there were huge amounts of co-operation between the Scottish Government and the UK Government latterly. Yes, we did not agree on the question of independence, but it is a myth to say that just because there is a new Prime Minister, a new Labour Government, all of a sudden there is a reset. I know the UK officials behind the scenes were working incredibly hard with officials in the Scottish Government to achieve the best for all of our communities; for all of us who represent Scottish constituencies. The project he highlights is an example where both Governments should be, and have been, working together to try to achieve positive outcomes.
The last Member I want to mention is the hon. Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur). I have to say I was very disappointed that he refused to oppose the new Labour Government’s decision to scrap the supercomputer project for Edinburgh University. I know it was going to be a huge boost to the university. I know that even in my own area, again in the borders, there were a number of people directly employed with that project and they were mightily disappointed when the new Government decided to rip up that deal.