Question
The Government are accelerating the decline of an industry that supports thousands of jobs across Scotland, while promising replacement jobs that are not materialising quickly enough. Scotland’s oil and gas workers are paying the price for the Government’s ideological opposition to the oil and gas sector. Will the Secretary of State confirm now whether he supports Labour’s ban on new licences?
Answer
There is a certain irony in the Conservative party lecturing the Government on deindustrialisation in Scotland. In reality, it left an energy system in 2024 that was less secure, more exposed to international shocks, and slower to invest. The hon. Lady’s question might have more credibility had we not agreed Jackdaw just last week.100% point-scoring
Verdict: RED (8/100)
The question asked whether the Secretary of State supports the proposed ban on new oil and gas licences, and the reply does not state a position on that ban. Instead, it makes political remarks about the Conservatives' record and mentions the Government's agreement on the Jackdaw gas field, which relates to the wider North Sea debate but not to the licensing question. A member of the public would not learn the Government's view on the ban and would likely need to ask again.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Secretary of State supports Labour's proposed ban on new oil and gas licences. | Not Addressed | Generic | The item asks whether the Secretary of State supports the proposed ban on new oil and gas licences, and no statement states a position on that ban. The reply instead makes point-scoring remarks about the Conservatives' record and says the Government agreed the Jackdaw gas field, which touches the broader North Sea topic without addressing the licensing ban. |