WEIR DISMISSES CAIRNS ENERGY ATTACK

 

SNP Westminster Energy Spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, has today (Wednesday) dismissed remarks made by Scotland Office Minister, David Cairns, on energy policy at Scottish Questions.

 

Mr Cairns said “We know that the Scottish National Party is against nuclear; we also know that it is against wind farms in its own constituencies. What we do not know is how it is going to provide Scotland’s base load electricity and keep the lights on. It is time that we were told.”

 

Mr Weir commented:

 

“David Cairns is ever more fawning in his love affair with nuclear power, and now he seems to have added another dimension to Labour’s energy policy – that energy developments should be granted whatever the environmental consequences.

 

“The decision to refuse the development on Lewis was a considered decision taken on environmental grounds.

 

“Mr Cairns refuses to take on board the true facts of Scotland’s energy potential. The SNP government have granted double the number of energy consents in their first year, than Labour did in their last. This includes Scotland’s second and third largest wind farms.

 

“In 2006 Scotland could have supplied 92.5% of our electricity needs from non nuclear generation.

 

“The SNP government is following a sensible policy based on a wide range of energy sources, unlike the nuclear obsession of London Labour. Scotland neither needs nor wants new nuclear power stations.”