Dundee West Labour
23 May 2019
Scottish Labour Leader, Richard Leonard MSP, spoke on concerns of the future of the BiFab yards in Fife as EDF Renewables are reportedly set to award construction contracts to an Indonesian firm rather than bring over 1,000 jobs to the local Fife community. This would mean form the expected £2billion contract only 60 jobs will be created in Scotland at the company’s Edinburgh office.
He went on to say that this decision would not only be damaging to the local economy but flies in the face of the SNP government’s supposed commitment to the climate emergency as the carbon emissions of transporting the structures from South-East Asia would be monumental.
This is yet another missed opportunity for the SNP government to attempt to meet their own target of 130,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector by 2020. To date only 46,000 have been delivered.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said:
“Just last week EDF boasted that they were creating 60 new office jobs in Edinburgh. But this is a renewable energy contract worth £2 billion - ten miles off the coast of Fife, that would generate over a thousand green manufacturing jobs - in Fife.
“Instead of which it is reported today that EDF may be placing these contracts in Indonesia.
“According to the Scottish TUC the transportation alone of these structures from South East Asia would generate carbon emissions equivalent to an extra thirty five million cars on the road.
“And we are in a climate emergency. So what will the First Minister do to send a clear message to EDF, that if it wishes to be part of Scotland’s renewables future it must stand by the promises made to the workers and the communities of Fife?”
Back to previous page
Top
Scottish Labour Leader, Richard Leonard MSP, spoke on concerns of the future of the BiFab yards in Fife as EDF Renewables are reportedly set to award construction contracts to an Indonesian firm rather than bring over 1,000 jobs to the local Fife community. This would mean form the expected £2billion contract only 60 jobs will be created in Scotland at the company’s Edinburgh office.
He went on to say that this decision would not only be damaging to the local economy but flies in the face of the SNP government’s supposed commitment to the climate emergency as the carbon emissions of transporting the structures from South-East Asia would be monumental.
This is yet another missed opportunity for the SNP government to attempt to meet their own target of 130,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector by 2020. To date only 46,000 have been delivered.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said:
“Just last week EDF boasted that they were creating 60 new office jobs in Edinburgh. But this is a renewable energy contract worth £2 billion - ten miles off the coast of Fife, that would generate over a thousand green manufacturing jobs - in Fife.
“Instead of which it is reported today that EDF may be placing these contracts in Indonesia.
“According to the Scottish TUC the transportation alone of these structures from South East Asia would generate carbon emissions equivalent to an extra thirty five million cars on the road.
“And we are in a climate emergency. So what will the First Minister do to send a clear message to EDF, that if it wishes to be part of Scotland’s renewables future it must stand by the promises made to the workers and the communities of Fife?”
Back to previous page
Top