UK energy minister Michael Shanks has hit out at the Scottish government for using cash generated by the ScotWind leasing round to fund day-to-day spending.
He described the £700m raised from 17 successful projects in the 2022 auction as a “missed opportunity” and said it had been “squandered” after Scottish finance secretary Shona Robison confirmed last month that £460m would be taken to plug gaps in Holyrood’s annual budget.
“It’s a shame really. ScotWind has got enormous potential, and we really want it to succeed as it’s important for our energy objectives,” said Shanks in an interview with Holyrood magazine.
He added: “It’s a significant amount of money that can’t be found again to plug day-to-day spending. It’s a missed opportunity.”
The Scottish government defended its position due to the “difficult financial situation” it faces and budgetary pressures.
A spokesperson told reNEWS: “While some additional ScotWind funding has been provisionally allocated to address financial pressures, we are doing all we can to minimise use of this funding.
“This is necessary because of the incredibly difficult financial situation facing the Scottish government, which is why we are calling on the UK government in its Autumn Budget to change their fiscal rules and deliver more funding which will allow us to invest in public services and infrastructure.”