The SNP government has yet to publish any evidence its “much vaunted” Just Transition Fund (JTF) has created or saved any jobs, MSPs heard today.
The JTF was announced in 2021 as a 10-year plan to help the north east move from fossil fuel-based jobs to work in renewables.
But only £75m was deployed before finance secretary Shona Robison slashed funding for the project by three-quarters, earlier this year.
Scottish Conservative shadow energy secretary Douglas Lumsden today challenged SNP minister Gillian Martin to outline how the scheme has progressed.
He said:
“From written questions we know that £75m of just transition funding has been allocated but the Scottish Government does not hold figures relating to employment outcomes or job creation as a result of the funding.
“We also know that the Net Zero Technology Centre has no certainty of funding after the (Aberdeen) City Region Deal term ends in 2026.
“Would the cabinet secretary accept that thousands of jobs in the North East are being put at risk by the abject failure of this government to have a proper plan in place?”
Ms Martin said she had commissioned analysis of the fund’s outcomes “a couple of months ago”, and the SNP’s Programme for Government had committed to publishing its energy plans “shortly”.
Mr Lumsden said later:
“The fund was much-vaunted as helping people bridge the skills gap to low-carbon jobs, but no evidence of that has been put forward by Gillian Martin.
“Not only that, but it’s been slashed by the SNP, only a third of the way to 2030.”
The JTF’s worth was initially valued at £20 million in 2022-23 — its first year — with this rising to £50 million in 2023-24.
However, its budget for 2024-25 was cut to £12 million.
In March this year, Holyrood’s economy and fair work committee sought “clarity about the future sustainability” of the fund.
A report stated: “This represents a 75% reduction on the previous year’s allocation and raises questions about the fund’s future direction, and the Scottish Government’s stated ambition to accelerate the development of a transformed and decarbonised economy in the region.”
The cut came after Scottish Ministers u-turned on an £80 million fund to boost carbon capture in Scotland, the year after it was announced in January 2022.
