Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has (bag) piped up and implored the new UK government to allow the Scottish Government the ability to agree and veto any energy policies due to be implemented.
She has requested that any key decisions on energy policy be consulted and agreed with the Scottish Government after some debate with regard to the proposed onshore wind scheme subsidy cuts.
Sturgeon said: “Scotland is an energy powerhouse but we have very limited powers on energy policy. That is why I am calling on the UK to take a much more collegiate approach to policy-making and ensure proper consultation with the Scottish government on major policy areas.”
Fresh with confidence thanks to overwhelming Scottish support in the latest election, she set out a list of eight energy demands including supporting the development of renewable technologies and promoting the delivery of more connections from renewable schemes on the Scottish islands. Funding was also requested for carbon capture and pump storage schemes.
Sturgeon reiterated the SNP’s call for the transmission charging regime to be changed, and rallied against the premature closure of Longannet Power Station.
Sturgeon said: “We have achieved a great deal in the renewable field, however there is still much to do and Scotland’s natural potential makes it a cost-efficient place to develop renewable resources. We see a benefit to both Scotland and the rest of the UK in enabling this economically efficient development of renewable potential to continue.”
David Cameron is expected to announce a new Scotland Bill in the coming months. We’ll be interested to see just how strong Cameron will stand against Scotland.