Swinney Opposes UK Ban on New North Sea Licences

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said he does not support the UK government's plan to ban new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. He made the case in the Scottish Parliament, saying fossil fuels will be needed for some years to come.

Which licences the bill would stop

The Energy Independence Bill would remove the North Sea Transition Authority's power to grant fresh oil and gas licences. That follows a Labour manifesto pledge not to approve new fields. The bill still has to pass MPs.

Existing fields could still add production within their current boundaries or in nearby areas. The UK government said this could yield about 60 million barrels of oil and support hundreds of jobs.

The bill also touches household costs and the grid: gas standing charges would go, and reforms would make grid connections faster. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said it would help build a clean energy future that people feel in their pockets.

It does not decide whether drilling goes ahead at Rosebank off Shetland, the largest known untapped field in the UK. That field was approved in 2022 and then faced legal challenges.

Swinney's argument at First Minister's Questions

Swinney said there is a rational basis for considering developments in Scottish jurisdiction if they produce lower emissions than imported oil and gas. He said the bill has several measures his government backs, but not the provisions on granting new licences.

Each application, he argued, should be judged by its effect on Scotland's carbon reduction target.

The Scottish government's 2023 energy strategy set out a presumption against new drilling. Under Nicola Sturgeon the government had proposed that position. The Swinney administration appears to be edging away from it, especially since war broke out in the Middle East. Ministers still say new projects must fit the goal of cutting emissions over time.

Swinney has repeatedly declined to say whether he explicitly supports drilling at Rosebank. Decisions on new licences are made by the UK government.

Reaction from the Greens and Reform

Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay called the comments a "shocking U-turn". She said the SNP has drifted far from a time when the Scottish government backed a presumption against oil and gas, and that it is a retreat that lets down future generations.

Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord welcomed the news. He said it overrules the SNP's long-standing presumption against new exploration.

The SNP plans to push for the drilling ban to be taken out of the bill. If the ban stays, the party will vote against the whole bill, though it backs other parts.

Source: BBC News