Nicola Sturgeon Vows to Maximise Decommissioning Jobs
Scotland’s First Minister has vowed to “maximise” the opportunities for the Scottish economy from the dismantling of oil platforms in the North Sea.
Dundee is well-placed to reap the rewards of a £17bn oil decommissioning industry, but the Scottish Government has been accused of not doing enough to help Scots firms to capitalise.
In her programme for government speech Nicola Sturgeon said that, as well as “supporting a healthy future” for oil and gas, she is “determined that our economy gets maximum benefit from planned decommissioning”.
She said Scottish Enterprise is developing a comprehensive Decommissioning Action Plan to “help to maximise the economic return to the Scottish economy”.
Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats leader, said Scotland needs more than “vague promises of an action plan on decommissioning”.
Charles Hammond, of Forth Ports, which has invested £10m preparing the Port of Dundee for the decommissioning market, said: “We call on the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise to provide the support required to ensure that these jobs can come to Dundee for the benefit of the Scottish economy as a whole.”