Only 17% of the Scottish Government’s £500 million Just Transition Fund has been released — almost halfway into its 10-year funding period, it has been revealed.
Huge doubt has now been cast over the £500m pot after SNP energy secretary Gillian Martin admitted it was “difficult to deploy as much money as was set out by previous First Ministers”.
The bombshell revelation that only £83.5m had been spent was labelled an “outrageous betrayal” to the North East and another “stab in the back” to oil and gas workers whose futures are on the line.
Launched in 2022, the SNP’s Just Transition Fund claimed it would support workers and communities in the North East as the oil industry declines, and would hand out half a billion pounds over 10 years.
But in parliament, after being questioned by Douglas Lumsden MSP, Gillian Martin admitted “more needs to be done” by her government to get money out.
It was announced last year that the fund had only saved 230 jobs across the region despite the Scottish Government’s refusal to back new oil and gas extraction from the North Sea.
During Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, Gillian Martin said: “A lot more needs to be done.
“The fiscal situation that we are in has made it difficult to deploy as much money as was set out by previous First Ministers who made that commitment.”
Following the admission, Scottish Conservative shadow energy secretary and North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said: “The crazy revelation that the SNP may now not be able to release the full £500m from its Just Transition Fund is an outrageous betrayal to the North East.
“Their reckless incompetence is costings tens of thousands of jobs, and this is yet another stab in the back to oil and gas workers.
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“This SNP government is intent on dismantling our oil and gas industry, with no care for protecting jobs for the future.
“It’s becoming clearer by the day that the North East will never see the full £500m as we approach the halfway point of this fund, with a pitiful £83.5m released.
“Rather than failing to deliver on more promises, it’s about time John Swinney drops the irresponsible playground politics, backs North Sea oil and gas and safeguards our energy security.”
