Scottish Energy Secretary Neil Gray has insisted the government was told of the closure of Grangemouth oil refinery at the same time as the workforce – despite reports it was warned nearly two years ago.
Unions and opposition parties have condemned the Scottish Government after a Sunday Mail report revealed former energy minister Michael Matheson was warned of the risk to Grangemouth in February 2022 by Petroineos.
Following news breaking in November of the impending closure, Neil Gray told a Holyrood committee the following month that the Scottish Government was told at the same time as the workforce.
Speaking to reporters in Aberdeen on Monday, Mr Gray was asked about the apparent disparity in timelines.
He said: “Obviously we were in discussions over a number of years with Petroineos around the future of that site, as you’d expect from a government that has an interest in a key piece of strategic infrastructure.
“The time that we were told of their decision, their definite decision, was at the same time that the workforce were told. There was no definite decision until that was communicated to us.”
Hundreds of jobs are at risk over the closure, which could be as soon as 2025 after an 18-month process to transition it to a fuel import terminal.
According to an freedom of information inquiry by the Sunday Mail, Michael Matheson was warned of the risk in February 2022, and passed that information on to then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Unite the union said the delay to act was a “strategic failure” while the Conservatives said workers will feel “betrayed”.
Mr Gray said the Scottish Government is working to try to mitigate job cuts, adding that the UK Government’s reponsibility to energy security and unlocking “alternative opportunities” to oil and gas was important.
“Look, I want to keep the refinery to stay open as long as possible, clearly. That’s important in terms of jobs, that’s important in terms of the economy, but this is a commercial decision at the end of the day for Petroineos.
“We will do all we can to support them in making that final decision which we expect at some point this year.”
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