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Renewable Energy (Jobs)
Scottish Executive Question Time — General Questions
11:40 am
Christopher Harvie (Scottish National Party)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are under way to ensure that the 26,000 renewable energy jobs that it envisages being created over the next decade are of a sufficient quality to place Scotland in a competitive position in relation to other European nations. (S3O-11334)
Jim Mather (Scottish National Party)
Under our renewables action plan and the national renewables infrastructure plan, the Scottish Government and all its agencies are working in close collaboration with industry to ensure that Scotland capitalises on its renewable energy advantage. That includes taking a strategic approach to the development of primary locations to support highly skilled manufacturing jobs for the offshore renewables industry.
Christopher Harvie (Scottish National Party)
What co-operation is envisaged between Scotland and other European and international players in the renewable energy field?
Jim Mather (Scottish National Party)
The answer is: considerable. I refer to our work with the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, European Commission work and the forum for renewable energy development in Scotland. That work is being done with a focus on skills. This morning, I met the north Scotland industries group to understand what it is doing on energy and engineering skills. I have also spoken to the divisions that look after energy, enterprise and education in the Scottish Government—divisions that are coming together and whose officials will arrange to talk to Christopher Harvie and his researcher Stefan Buettner on the matter.
Lewis Macdonald (Labour)
Does the minister agree that developing wind power further offshore and wave power in the north-east Atlantic requires specific offshore training and safety standards for those who work in such hostile environments? If so, will he say what discussions he plans to have with the oil and gas academy—OPITO—and the offshore division of the Health and Safety Executive on the application of its expertise to offshore renewable energy?
Jim Mather (Scottish National Party)
I very much agree with those points. Dialogue is on-going and the question adds further focus. The item was raised at the last meeting of the oil and gas advisory board, as it was when we spoke at the all energy summit, which brought together all the advisory boards. There is common interest on the matter. We want to ensure that we do not reinvent the wheel. We are drawing in input from the oil and gas sector on training, health and safety, project management, finance and other areas where skills exist. We want to ensure that all of that coalesces.
Stuart McMillan (Scottish National Party)
The minister is aware of my interest in bringing renewables jobs to Inverclyde. I hope for a positive response to my letter in which I invited him to come to Inverclyde to meet a couple of renewables companies. Can the minister provide reassurance that places such as Inverclyde will not be omitted from consideration for renewables jobs that come to Scotland?
Jim Mather (Scottish National Party)
Our work, including under the national renewables infrastructure plan, goes very much with the flow of the market. I encourage Inverclyde and other places to make their presence and proposition felt. Given the proximity of Inverclyde and my historic connections to it, I am happy to drop in on one of my Fridays as I head to Argyll and Bute.