JOHN Swinney has urged Andy Burnham to reconsider plans for a Chinese company to open a wind turbine factory in the Highlands after the UK Government blocked them.
Ming Yang – one of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers – had been looking to build the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility at Ardersier near Inverness, which the company said would have created up to 1500 jobs.
But in March this year, the UK Government blocked the factory after concerns were raised about whether the firm had links to the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and around Chinese laws meaning companies in the country are obliged to work with security services.
Previously, the Scottish Government had lobbied Ming Yang to build the factory, but First Minister John Swinney said it was “dependent” on national security decisions from the UK Government.
Reports later emerged that Ming Yang is now eyeing up investment into Europe after it was blocked from building the factory in Scotland.
Now, The Scotsman reports that Swinney used his first meeting with the new Prime Minister to call for a rethink on blocking the proposals, warning that Scotland will miss out on jobs and economic growth as a result of turning down the plans.
According to the paper, Swinney has formally written to Burnham over the issue.
It is also understood that Ming Yang has approached the UK Government directly, under new management, urging the new leadership to reconsider the decision.
However, a UK Government source told The Scotsman that there were no current plans to reverse the ban on Ming Yang's proposals.
And speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast programme on Wednesday, UK Government Energy Security Minister Michael Shanks said Swinney's demand was "irresponsible".
Shanks said that he had personally arranged for Swinney to have a “security briefing at the highest level” on the issue, adding that it was therefore “surprising” that “having had that security briefing” the First Minister is continuing to pursue the matter.
“I do think it is surprising he is now making what feels like a political intervention,” he said.
“I think it is for him to answer why he is balancing what seems to be a political intervention against the country’s national security.
“I think it is irresponsible for the First Minister to do that.
“There is no inherent reason why the UK Government would not want to see jobs created in the north of Scotland either, so I hope people would take it on face value when I say there are national security implications. That is a legitimate reason for us to say no to a particular investment.”
The Scottish Government's Energy Minister, Stephen Gethins, said: “We are deeply disappointed that the UK Government blocked the use of Ming Yang turbines in UK waters and in doing so prevented Ming Yang’s investment at Ardersier.
“That decision by the UK Government will have had implications for jobs and investment locally, but we are continuing to work with the facility and I look forward to my visit there today.”
He continued: “While recognising the importance of national security considerations, the First Minister has written to the new Prime Minister urging the UK Government to undertake a review of the assessment, highlighting the economic and industrial significance of Ming Yang’s £1.5bn investment proposal and the potential benefits for Scotland's economy, supply chain development, and the wider UK renewable energy industry.
“Scotland has a tremendous offshore energy opportunity and we would encourage the UK Government to fully get behind that ambition.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: "After careful consideration the government concluded that there are national security risks associated with the use of Ming Yang wind turbines in UK offshore wind projects.”
