The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Government dismisses claim it knew for years about refinery closure

A minister has rejected claims the Scottish Government was warned of the Grangemout­h refinery closure years before the announceme­nt.

Scottish energy secretary Mairi McAllan said it is “crystal clear” ministers were only told of the plans in November 2023 – the same time as workers and the UK Government.

Owners Petroineos announced the refinery will operate as normal until at least spring 2025, however it will then begin transition­ing to an oil import terminal.

Following a ministeria­l statement yesterday, opposition MSPs grilled Ms McAllan on the exact timeline the government was informed.

It follows reports in The Herald earlier in the week that Iain Hardie, head of legal and external affairs at Petroineos Manufactur­ing Scotland, said Scottish Government officials were “aware of the concept, the studies and planning for that potential outcome, for well over a year”.

Ms McAllan said discussion­s had been ongoing between the

Scottish Government and Petroineos for a number of years.

But she said: “It’s crystal clear that this decision was made to us at the same time as it was to the wider community.”

Scottish Conservati­ve energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: “News of the Grangemout­h transition announced in November was shocking to many of its workers, but not to the SNP government, who have known this was coming for two years.”

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, which represents many of the refinery workers, said the union would “hold every politician to account for their inaction”.