By Shona Robison, finance secretary The Budget may have signalled a step in the right direction, but the devil is in the detail and there were some key omissions from the Chancellor’s statement. Before Rachel Reeves took to her feet at the despatch box, I very clearly set out how it was essential the Autumn Budget must deliver more funding for infrastructure to grow the economy and support the path to net zero. Funding for hospitals, schools, transport and other infrastructure is vital for economic growth and cutting emissions.
And, while the Chancellor did signal a welcome increase in capital investment, a large amount of this will come through the National Wealth Fund. We urgently need to understand how Scotland can get its fair share of this funding – not least since it's being paid for by Scotland’s resources in the form of North Sea oil taxation. READ MORE: Why John Swinney really, really hates this UK budget Plan to ban MPs and MSPs 'double jobbing' after party rows Could winter fuel cut cost Labour power at Holyrood? It is disappointing the Chancellor failed to mention the Acorn carbon capture and storage project, which would provide new opportunities for workers in the oil and gas sector in Grangemouth and in other parts of Scotland.
We need a firm commitment to a timeline and funding for the Acorn project, which is vital for making progress on the Scottish and UK Government’s shared ambitions for reducing emissions and growing the economy. The offshore oil an.
