Yesterday the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown MSP, updated the Parliament on the situation at Burntisland Fabrications.
Graeme Dey MSP for Angus South Constituency, asked the Cabinet Secretary about potential opportunities for Bi Fab in offshore wind farm developments, such as Inch Cape.
You can watch Graeme’s question here:
Alternatively, you can read the transcript below:
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP):
The cabinet secretary referred to the potential opportunities that are presented to BiFab by consented offshore wind farm developments in the North Sea, including the Inch Cape development, which is off the coast of my constituency. For those opportunities to be fully realised, the developments will require a contract for difference and most do not have that at present. Will the cabinet secretary join me in encouraging the UK Government to play its part in supporting the Inch Cape development and others—and, potentially, BiFab—by providing that contract for difference backing?
Keith Brown:
I repeat that we are confident that BiFab has a bright future. It is currently tendering for a number of contracts that will need to be secured in a competitive process. It is not within the Scottish Government’s gift to award such contracts, but I am confident that the expertise of the workforce across the three yards and the knowledge, skill and track record that DF Barnes brings will ensure that any bid that BiFab makes in the future is competitive.
The group of MSPs that has been referred to—as well as many others, including the Scottish Government—have made representations to the UK Government in that respect. It is in the UK Government’s interest for the industry to thrive, and I hope that positive support for that will continue. I also hope that the UK Government will be receptive to some of the requests that MSPs and others—including the company and trade unions—have made to ensure that we have the best possible situation for BiFab going forward.
