Investing in our future

The economic potential that exists off Scotland’s shores thanks to the renewables industry is something that I have written about in several previous columns. The scale of the resources that can be harnessed make it a compelling topic and one with real opportunities for people in Banff & Buchan.

The offshore renewables industry will require significant infrastructure to support it and it is ports like Peterhead which are set to benefit from the manufacturing and maintenance businesses that will be created. Some months ago, the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan identified Peterhead as one of 11 key sites for Scotland’s offshore renewables future and highlighted both the investment needed and the potential economic returns for Scotland.

That investment came closer recently with an announcement from the First Minister that a £70 million fund would be opened for applications from ports seeking to develop infrastructure necessary for the renewables industry. This fund compares with a similar scheme in England and Wales which totals just £60 million. That extra investment for Scotland is intended to give us a competitive advantage and underlines our commitment to the future of this industry.

There are still significant barriers that must be overcome before we can achieve our potential in this area, not least of which is the UK’s transmission charging system which unfairly penalises electricity generators in Scotland. The case for change is overwhelming if the UK Government is serious about meeting its climate change obligations and further obstruction would be inexcusable.

The UK Government should also end its obstruction on Scotland accessing the £191 million Fossil Fuel Levy which is currently idling in a Treasury bank account. This is money which by law can only be spent on renewables projects in Scotland, but which Treasury rules block the Scottish Government from accessing without penalty. Rather than attempting to con Scotland out of this cash as they recently tried, the UK Government should accept that it should be put to work investing in our future and release the money to help grow Scotland’s renewables sector.

Ending the wait for new homes

Recent days have seen the completion of the final stages of the Housing (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament, a measure which will be of enormous significance to many people across Scotland. The new legislation brings an end to the right-to-buy council homes for new tenants and will help to increase the availability of social housing.

One of the most common issues that constituents bring to all MSPs is the problems they face with the waiting lists for council homes. With the right-to-buy meaning that people are able to snap up new council homes, there is little incentive for local authorities to construct new properties.

This has led to poor conditions and massive waiting lists, a situation that was certainly not helped by the fact that the previous administration only oversaw the construction of 6 council homes across the whole of Scotland during its last four year term. The SNP Government has invested a significant amount of money in sparking a new generation of council house construction, but the end of the right-to-buy for new tenants will be the real catalyst for change.

Although the rights of existing tenants to purchase their property will be unaffected by the measure, it will untie the hands of local authorities and let them address the chronic availability problems that have been allowed to build up. In time it will make a real difference to people who are stuck on interminable waiting lists, and is a positive step for Scotland.