ONE South Scotland MSP has warned the Scottish Government’s failure to back Dumfries and Galloway with real investment and ambition is holding the economy of the region back.
Speaking in a Scottish Parliament debate on Supporting Scottish Industry following the recent closure of Grangemouth Refinery, MSP Colin Smyth accused ministers of ignoring the economic inequality between Dumfries and Galloway and other parts of the country.
And he warned that the region’s economy was not benefiting from the transition to net zero. He hit out at the lack of investment in infrastructure such as the A75 and A77 and cuts to college funding and hit out at renewable energy companies who were developing windfarms in the region – but creating few jobs locally.
Mr Smyth said: “Dumfries and Galloway should be at the forefront of Scotland’s net zero future, because we have the land, the wind and the water. However, we do not have the investment.
“Dumfries and Galloway is home to more than 11 per cent of Scotland’s wind turbines, but you would struggle to find a fair share of the renewable jobs in the communities that host them, and you certainly would not find any communities there that manufacture them.
“We have the highest level of fuel poverty in Scotland, the lowest wages and a population that is declining, with too many of our young people leaving because they cannot access the apprenticeships, housing or opportunities that they need to stay.
“How has the Scottish Government responded? With a 22 per cent cut to the budget of the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency; reduced funding for colleges, which forces them to turn away young people who are desperate to train; and a continued failure to invest in crucial infrastructure, such as the A75 and the A77.
“The Just Transition Commission could not have been clearer in its recent report on Dumfries and Galloway. A lack of housing is stifling economic growth; poor transport is holding back investment; and a lack of skilled workers is putting at risk the region’s ability to play its part in the transition.”
Mr Smyth added: “If we are serious about delivering a just transition, we need to back it with action.
“There should be no more exporting of renewable energy supply-chain jobs abroad and no more bridges built with Chinese steel, turbines manufactured in Indonesia or ferries built in Turkey.
“We should be creating those jobs here, in Grangemouth, Motherwell, Stranraer and Dumfries.”
