Scotland’s new ministry of energy and industry regulator would be based in Aberdeen if the country becomes independent, Alex Salmond has pledged.
The first minister said his government would create hundreds of new jobs by decentralising civil servant posts.
The comments have chimed with a recommendation from think-tank, Options of Scotland, which said the location “made sense” in light of Aberdeen’s existing links to the North Sea oil and gas industry.
It has urged the city council to start preparing a business case in anticipation of a Yes vote in September.
The organisation said the country’s energy directorate should also be based in Aberdeen and the role of energy minister raised to Cabinet level to reflect the importance of the sector.
Options for Scotland director Gordon Wilson, a former SNP leader, said: “Our recommendation is if you have the energy directorate in Aberdeen it makes sense to have the energy department there.
“The spoils may go to those local authorities who put in competitive bids at a sensitive time and if you wait too long decisions will be taken.”
He urged Aberdeen City Council to start making representations now “because otherwise Glasgow or Dundee might want to do it”.
“They might say to Aberdeen ‘you get the oil directorate so we will take the rest of energy’ because supplies affect the whole of Scotland.
“I would say if they are on the ball they should be preparing their plans,” he added.
Aberdeen City Council finance convener Willie Young said the Scottish Government should be relocating more civil service jobs to the north-east, regardless of the referendum result.
“We are sick fed up speaking to Alex Salmond and others about getting a fair share of government jobs in Aberdeen,” he added.
“Apart from police and fire there is only one Scottish Government agency in Aberdeen – the Marine Laboratory – which is a disgrace.
“A total of 40% of the economy is generated in Aberdeen yet we have nothing here. It is the SNP’s forgotten city.”
The think-tank has urged the Scottish Government to prepare a detailed plan for negotiations with the UK Government over the timescale for transferring civil service and agency functions in the event of a Yes vote.
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