Moray MP Douglas Ross says the Scottish Conservatives new energy strategy – which he launched at their annual conference in Glasgow – is “brimming with bold and positive ideas.”
Douglas – who used his conference speech to highlight new policies from the Scottish Conservatives - says his party’s policy paper strikes the right balance between ensuring ambitious net zero targets are met, while protecting crucial jobs and ensuring the future energy needs of Moray are met.
He also highlighted Scottish Conservative plans to introduce a new Community Energy Benefit Law, which he says would ensure communities would reap the rewards of developments in their area, as well as exploring if Central Government should be excluded on overturning plans that have been rejected locally.
The bill would ensure both communities and developers can come to mutually beneficial agreements on funding from local projects.
The paper also outlines plans to oppose the early shutting down of the North Sea Oil and Gas sector and support exploration and production from new fields, as well supporting new nuclear power stations – which the SNP-Green government openly refuse to do.
Douglas says for rural and remote communities, the plans to expand the electric vehicle network are “extremely welcome” as often many people living in these areas are put off moving to these vehicles, due to a lack of charging points.
Finally, Douglas says that the creation of an independent office for net zero will ensure that the SNP-Green government are being closely monitored on how they are specifically meeting these targets.
The SNP previously failed to hit emission targets for three years in a row.
He says that energy security and ensuring jobs are kept in Moray and the North East for future generations will continue to be “a top priority” for him as a local representative.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “I was delighted to bring forward the Scottish Conservatives detailed new plans in relation to energy policy. Future energy security and ensuring that high-skilled jobs will remain in Moray and across the North East is one of the main challenges facing our area right now.
“My party’s new policy – which I launched at our conference – is brimming with bold and positive ideas. For too long the SNP-Green government have failed to meet rural and remote area’s needs when it comes to energy and are often blinded by their own ideologies.
“These proposals will ensure that communities in Moray will reap the rewards from energy benefits through our Community Energy Benefit Law.
“SNP-Green ministers are also willing to throw 100,000 oil and gas sector workers onto the scrapheap, rather than recognising while we transition, that we must continue to explore North Sea Oil and Gas, rather than relying on imports.
“It is also totally misguided that the nationalist coalition steadfastly refuse to even consider new nuclear reactors despite their overwhelming benefits and the jobs they could bring to communities.
“Only the Scottish Conservatives are focused on Scotland’s real priorities and coming forward with positive policies to tackle the real challenges facing our country.
“The energy strategy shows that we are also the only party standing up for rural Scotland – including areas like Moray – and being a strong voice for local jobs and the issues that matter to people in this area.
