The chairman of the Scottish Government’s just transition commission has vented his “frustration” over the relationship with SNP ministers.
Professor Jim Skea has told MSPs that his commission, set up by the Scottish Government, has enduring “a degree of frustration” around the “lack of pace and detail” in the energy strategy, published earlier this year.
Previously, Professor Skea wrote to then SNP just transition minister, Richard Lochhead, warning that he was “deeply concerned” over the SNP’s strategy to move oil and gas workers to renewable industries after it was revealed he has not been consulted on the plans.
Read more: SNP's just transition chief not consulted over oil and gas strategy
Convener of Holyrood’s Economy Committee, Claire Baker, asked Professor Skea about the frosty relationship.
She said: “It would be fair to say there has been a little bit of tension between the commission and the Scottish Government.
“Would it be fair to say there has been a degree of frustration from the commission around lack of pace and detail in the energy strategy that we have received, so far?”
In response, Professor Skea told MSPs, that “there have been some issues with the relationship that we’ve been trying to work through”.
Pointing to the just transition plans, he added: “We do have issues about pace and detail.”
He said: “The other issues was the degree to which information has been shared with the commission at an early stage in the process.”
Professor Skea told MSPs that the exchange of letters with the Government had “helped to clear the air”, but stressed that “there has been frustration and we have expressed that”.
Humza Yousaf has spilt the previous department for Net zero, energy and transport, meaning energy and net zero have been separated.
Read more: Yousaf urged to demand marine areas are protected after oil leaks data
MSPs are investigating plans to decarbonise the Grangemouth industrial cluster.
Professor Skea said: “It would be difficult to think about Grangemouth outside the context of plans for energy.
“The pace at which the plans are coming out is definitely a challenge for the commission. We all have day jobs.”
The just transition chairman admitted that his organization has not yet had time to consider the proposals to clean up Grangemouth.
He said: “We honestly have not discussed the Grangemouth plan at all…at this particular stage.
“The speed at which the plans are being produced is really kind of setting the pace of our work.”
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