S1M-2472 Europe's Energy Capital (Aberdeen)

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr Murray Tosh): The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-2472, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on promoting Aberdeen as Europe's energy capital.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament recognises the City of Aberdeen's role as Europe's oil and gas capital and the long-term contribution that the offshore sector will continue to make to the Scottish economy; believes that every effort should be made to ensure that the city evolves into Europe's "Energy Capital" thereby benefiting from the industry's enormous economic and environmental potential that can place Scotland in the vanguard of renewable energy business internationally; considers that the Scottish Executive should produce specific strategies aimed at supporting Scotland's oil and gas sector and renewable energy sector that also promote Aberdeen as Europe's energy capital, and further considers that the Executive should promote measures to ensure that, as far as possible, the new energy revolution is driven by indigenous interests.

... ... ... 17:32

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): It seems to be a convention that motions for members' business debates are relatively uncontroversial. It is good that there is support for the motion across the chamber. Or is there? Not one Labour member—members would not expect ministers to be included in my criticism—has signed the motion and the only Labour member who has so far contributed to the debate did not indicate whether she supported it. That is a shame. She represents an oil constituency and is convener of the oil and gas special interest group in the Parliament. The Labour response may tell us more about Labour whips than about anything else.

Elaine Thomson: Will the member give way?

Stewart Stevenson: No. The member would not take my intervention when I wished to make that point to her, so I will not take her intervention now. In future, Labour members should consider the merits of a motion and then sign or not sign.

Let us turn to the substance of the motion. When I went to Aberdeen in the 1960s as a student, it was a very different place from the place it is now. When I first flew from Aberdeen, the airport consisted of two Nissen huts. In the hour and 40 minutes that I spent at the airport, only one flight other than mine departed.

This debate is not only about Aberdeen. The prosperity that oil and gas have brought to Aberdeen spills out across Aberdeenshire and further into the north-east. My constituency is a big beneficiary of the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen. Fifty per cent of the UK's oil and gas comes ashore at St Fergus; Peterhead is the biggest oil service base in Europe and perhaps the world; a large amount of the UK's oil comes ashore at the Cruden bay terminal at Whinnyfold; and Transco has just completed a major upgrade to the gas infrastructure with a pipeline from St Fergus to Garlogie, just outside Aberdeen. Energy success in Aberdeen is success for an area much larger than the city. This year, the industry may contribute £3.3 billion to public finances.

Richard Lochhead talked about independence and immediately the cry went up that that was an irrelevance. Curiously, the more independence is ignored, and the more we fail to act independently in defence of our industries, the more compelling is the argument for independence. One of the little wrinkles of the settlement that was made in the UK Parliament's legislation is that Scotland gets no guaranteed share of the revenue. Curiously enough, however, the Isle of Man does—those are the benefits of an independent legislature that is determined to stand up for its economy at a time when it really matters.

What do we need to ensure that Aberdeen continues to grow in importance as Europe's energy capital? We need investment, not just warm words. For example, my constituency is one of the few mainland constituencies with no railway—Peterhead is the biggest town in Scotland with no station and Fraserburgh may be the second biggest. There are 20 lorries a day, carrying 10 to 20 tonnes, on the road between Peterhead and Aberdeen—we have no railway and no other option.

The western peripheral route is important not just to Aberdeen and the continuing prosperity of the city as an energy capital, but to the hinterland. Aberdeen's prosperity can lead to Scotland's prosperity. The motion neatly encapsulates what we require in Aberdeen and the north-east. I commend Richard Lochhead for bringing it to our attention.

17:36