Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Hopkins Excerpts
Wednesday 9th December 2020

(3 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Secretary of State was asked—
Rachel Hopkins Portrait Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab)
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What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on promoting green industrial jobs in Scotland.

Tony Lloyd Portrait Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab)
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What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on promoting green industrial jobs in Scotland.

David Duguid Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (David Duguid)
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The Secretary of State for Scotland meets Cabinet colleagues regularly to discuss all matters of importance to Scotland. This Government are committed to levelling up across the whole United Kingdom, and that is why the Prime Minister has set out his ambitious 10-point plan for our green industrial revolution, which will support up to 250,000 jobs.

Rachel Hopkins Portrait Rachel Hopkins
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The SNP has joined the Tory party in abandoning workers at BiFab, forgoing the green industrial jobs they claim to want to encourage. Within days of the Scottish Government withdrawing their support for BiFab, they launched the Scottish National Investment Bank, stating it would support Scotland’s transition to zero carbon emissions. They say one thing and do another. What discussions has the Secretary of State had with Scottish Ministers about protecting jobs at BiFab and developing a green supply chain in Scotland to facilitate the expansion of its offshore wind capacity?

David Duguid Portrait David Duguid
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After exploring all options, both the UK and Scottish Governments have concluded that there is currently no legal right to provide further financial support to BiFab in its current form. A joint working group will be formed between the Scottish and UK Governments to consider ways to strengthen the renewables supply chain in Scotland and to secure future possibilities and opportunities. Both of Scotland’s Governments have committed to exploring options for the future of the yards and to strengthen measures to support the renewables supply chain.