SCOTLAND “remains an afterthought”, the SNP have said, after the Labour Government announced it was investing in a carbon capture project in England.
On Thursday, the UK Government announced a deal with energy company Eni which will see the firm award around £2 billion in supply chain contracts for their Liverpool Bay carbon capture and storage project, spanning north Wales and the north west of England and creating 2000 jobs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced the deal at an energy security summit in London, said: “We said we’d deliver jobs and growth through carbon capture technology, and now we have.
“Shovels ready for the ground, supporting over 2000 new jobs and supporting thousands more, transforming the lives of hard-working people.”
The project works with industrial, power, hydrogen, bioenergy and waste-to-energy businesses who wish to capture CO2 emissions and send them into permanent geological storage under the North Sea.
Last year, the UK Government announced the project would progress to its “track two” stage, and in November Miliband said more information would become available “in the coming months”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband previously said he would “consider” fast-tracking the Acorn project, adding that the move could help secure a future for workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery.
However, The National reported that he told MPs last month that a decision would be made at the June spending review.
The SNP urged the UK Government to “urgently come good” on promises of investment in Project Acorn.
Commenting, SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: “This announcement of further funding for carbon capture in England, while they dither on Project Acorn, shows that Scotland remains an afterthought in the eyes of Westminster.
“It seems that the UK Government can nationalise industries, roll out carbon capture sites, and build supercomputers so long as they are in England – but are unable to do the same for Scotland.
“People are now seeing this for what it is – UK governments which will always put England first.
“While Westminster is pouring money into England, Scotland is paying the price.”
It is not the first time a Scottish carbon capture project has been snubbed – in October, the UK Government announced £22bn in funding for two “carbon capture clusters” in Merseyside and Teesside in England.
The energy security summit on Thursday was met with protests, as campaigners demanded ministers called time on all oil and gas drilling.
Following Thursday's announcement, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Today we keep our promise to launch a whole new clean energy industry for our country – carbon capture and storage – to deliver thousands of highly skilled jobs and revitalise our industrial communities.
“We are making the UK energy secure and backing our engineers, electricians and welders so we can protect families and businesses and drive jobs through our Plan for Change.”
