Wednesday Volume 685 9 December 2020 No. 149 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 9 December 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 825 9 DECEMBER 2020 826 have committed to exploring options for the future of House of Commons the yards and to strengthen measures to support the renewables supply chain. Wednesday 9 December 2020 Tony Lloyd [V]: The Minister’s seeming disinterest belies the whole problem. His original words were fine. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock The reality is that when BiFab, the only manufacturer of the steel cases for these turbines,went into administration, the Edinburgh Government and the London Government PRAYERS walked hand in hand away from that situation. What does that say about the ambition to be the Saudi Arabia of offshore wind production, and what does it say to the [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] workers and the skills base at BiFab when the Government Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, simply abandon them? 4 June). David Duguid: The situation at BiFab is a culmination [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] of a number of issues, the main one being the unwillingness of the parent company and majority shareholder, JV Driver,to provide working capital, investment or guarantees for the company. We are determined to secure a new Oral Answers to Questions future for the yards in Fife and the Western Isles, and we will explore options for the future of these sites and, through the new working group, work with the Scottish Government to strengthen the renewables and clean SCOTLAND energy supply chain. The Secretary of State was asked— DavidMundell(Dumfriesshire,ClydesdaleandTweeddale) (Con): Does my hon. Friend share my disappointment Green Industrial Jobs at the SNP Scottish Government’s continued dogmatic opposition to nuclear power, despite the fact that in Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab): What recent recent weeks it has been the leading source of zero carbon discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on generation in the UK? Does he agree with me that the promoting green industrial jobs in Scotland. [909869] refusal to contemplate a replacement of the Chapelcross power station at Annan in my constituency is depriving Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab): What recent discussions the area of the high-quality green jobs from which it has he has had with Cabinet colleagues on promoting green benefited from the last 60 years? industrial jobs in Scotland. [909890] David Duguid: It will come as no surprise that I do The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland share my right hon. Friend’s disappointment. This (David Duguid): The Secretary of State for Scotland Government believe that nuclear has an important role meets Cabinet colleagues regularly to discuss all matters to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear of importance to Scotland. This Government are committed power stations provide the dependable, low-carbon power to levelling up across the whole United Kingdom, and that is required to complement renewable energy to ensure that is why the Prime Minister has set out his ambitious a low-cost, reliable, diverse generating mix to meet our 10-point plan for our green industrial revolution, which net zero ambitions for 2020. will support up to 250,000 jobs. Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab) [V]: Mr Speaker, Rachel Hopkins: The SNP has joined the Tory party this is the first Scottish questions since the Scottish football in abandoning workers at BiFab, forgoing the green team qualified for Euro 2020, so I am sure you will industrial jobs they claim to want to encourage. Within allow me to pass on my congratulations to Stevie Clarke days of the Scottish Government withdrawing their and his team for cheering up our nation, and of course support for BiFab, they launched the Scottish National we look forward to being further cheered when we win Investment Bank, stating it would support Scotland’s at Wembley in the championships in June next year. transition to zero carbon emissions. They say one thing I am sure the Minister is aware of the Proclaimers and do another. What discussions has the Secretary of song “Letter from America”, which includes the line State had with Scottish Ministers about protecting jobs “Methil no more”, and that is what the decision of his at BiFab and developing a green supply chain in Scotland and the Scottish Governments have delivered in reality to facilitate the expansion of its offshore wind capacity? for that community in Fife. Just a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister announced that he was launching a David Duguid: After exploring all options, both the 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution that UK and Scottish Governments have concluded that would deliver a quarter of a million new green jobs. I there is currently no legal right to provide further financial did not of course realise he meant jobs that were support to BiFab in its current form. A joint working overseas. Can the Minister inform the House how many group will be formed between the Scottish and UK current and potential green jobs will be lost following Governments to consider ways to strengthen the renewables the Scottish and UK Governments’ joint decision, in supply chain in Scotland and to secure future possibilities the words of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, to and opportunities. Both of Scotland’s Governments collude to “pull support” from BiFab in Fife? 827 Oral Answers 9 DECEMBER 2020 Oral Answers 828 David Duguid: I share the hon. Gentleman’senthusiasm. enhancing the security of the nation, and delivering As a former card-carrying member of the tartan army on the Prime Minister’s levelling-up agenda across the myself, I might be enthused about rejoining it, but being country? a member of the Whips Office, I am not sure I would always get slipped to attend the matches. Mr Jack: I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. We understand from the Scottish Government, who Scotland has always played a crucial role in the UK’s are closest to the company, that there is no commercial defence, and the projects that are supported by this way forward that is compatible with state aid. The UK spending, including shipbuilding on the Clyde, will directly Government are equally bound by the state aid rules, at benefit the people of Scotland, bringing security and least for the moment, and therefore there is no legal way economic benefits. This level of spending and investment for either Government to intervene at this stage. is only possible through Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom. Ian Murray: I am sure that it will not have escaped anyone’s attention that the UK and Scottish Governments John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) have just hidden behind EU state aid rules—the irony of (Con): I very much welcome the Secretary of State’s that. The Minister did not give a figure, so let me give response, but can he set out what support the British the figure: 500 highly skilled green jobs in Scotland Army is providing to the Scottish Government to ensure abandoned. And it is not just the Tories who are to the efficient delivery of the coronavirus vaccine in my blame; unbelievably,the SNP has repeatedly hidden behind constituency in the borders, but also across Scotland the same EU state aid rule, despite initially agreeing to more widely? support BiFab and then pulling it without notice. It has Mr Jack: The Scottish Government requested a military ignored a Scottish parliamentary vote to sort it out, and planning team to assist with the planning for the roll-out on the SNP’s watch fabrication contracts for offshore of the vaccine in the borders and across Scotland, and I wind farms have recently gone almost exclusively—where? am very pleased that I was able to approve that request. —overseas. The post-covid recovery has to be about The scale of the task is very considerable, but the jobs, yet both Governments are unnecessarily abandoning logistics expertise with the British armed forces is making good clean jobs, and this Government are risking a a huge difference. disastrous no deal Brexit, which will further decimate jobs. So I ask the Minister this: the Prime Minister has Douglas Ross (Moray) (Con): The Secretary of State broken his promise of an oven-ready Brexit deal, so will be aware of the work that soldiers from Kinloss how many jobs will be lost in Scotland as a result of the barracks in Moray have done throughout this pandemic Tories delivering a no deal Brexit? in our fight against covid-19: they have been in Liverpool since last month, and earlier this week started assisting David Duguid: I have already discussed this Government’s Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in its community commitment to the 10-point plan and the up to 250,000 testing programme. This is in addition to the work they jobs across the whole of the UK. That is still in play, but did throughout the highlands in the summer, covering this is obviously a disappointing situation, and the 80,000 miles and conducting well over 3,000 tests. Will recent revelation that a private firm bought a majority the Secretary of State join me in congratulating everyone stake in BiFab for just £4 before it went into administration at Kinloss on the effort they have put in during this raises serious questions about how the SNP Scottish pandemic, and agree that it underlines yet again the Government could pour tens of millions into a company outstanding work they do in Scotland and across the without securing that yard’s future.