Green ministers condemned after just transition and transport budgets cut
The Lib Dems said Scottish Government funding decisions will mean more use of petrol cars, and oil and gas, and ‘more sewage in our rivers’.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Scottish Liberal Democrats have questioned the point of having Green ministers in Government after substantial cuts to environmental areas.
Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s Budget document on Tuesday, the scale of cuts to some areas, including housing, the energy transition fund and rail services, have become clear.
A total of £80 million has been cut from the Government-owned ScotRail service, alongside a £37.8 million reduction in spending on the Just Transition Fund – despite a Government pledge to provide £50 million annually over the next decade.
Some £63 million has also been stripped from the Future Transport Fund, while Scottish Forestry has seen a reduction in funding of £33.4 million.
Every Green MSP who backs this Budget is demonstrating that they care more about nationalism than they do the health of our planet
However the Greens said their opponents were “misrepresenting” the funding situation, insisting the party provides “creative” policies such as removing peak time rail fares.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton hit out at the Scottish Greens, whose co-leaders serve as Government ministers as a result of the Bute House Agreement.
“Every Green MSP who backs this Budget is demonstrating that they care more about nationalism than they do the health of our planet,” he said.
“Those MSPs are delusional if they think this Budget is a step along the road of tackling the climate emergency.
“They are lining up to praise a Budget which will mean more use of petrol cars, more use of oil and gas, and more sewage in our rivers.
“Millions of Scots are concerned that not enough is being done to tackle the climate emergency.
“What is the point of Green MSPs if they won’t stand up against brutal cuts to funding for electric car infrastructure or woodland planting?”
Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden attacked the Government over its cuts to the Just Transition Fund in the wake of news that Grangemouth may stop operating as a refinery in 2025.
“Slashing the Just Transition Fund by more than 75% is a clear sign that the SNP-Green Government are not interested in supporting vital jobs right across Scotland, including at Grangemouth and the north east,” he said.
“The 10-year fund was used as an excuse to hammer oil and gas, demonising the industry and the 90,000-plus jobs it supports across Scotland.
“But it’s now as thin and insubstantial as the rhetoric we hear from SNP-Green minister on reaching net zero.
“These brutal cuts to the net zero budget arrive just months after the SNP rowed back on an £80 million investment in the Scottish carbon capture and storage cluster, which has been backed wholeheartedly by the UK Government.”
The Scottish Greens dismissed Mr Cole-Hamilton’s arguments, saying he was “misrepresenting” the funding situation in some areas.
Speaking to the PA news agency, co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “To take rail for example, there is a slight drop in the current financial year to the next.
We’re still spending significantly more on rail than we were pre-pandemic
“But that’s against a backdrop of a substantial increase in rail investment since pre-pandemic levels.
“We’re still spending significantly more on rail than we were pre-pandemic.
“And we’re doing so in creative ways like continuing with the trial on removing peak rail fares.
“There’s a huge amount that we are delivering which some of our opponents – who were cheerleaders for austerity not so many years ago – will pick out individual details out of context to try and paint a misleading picture.
“I don’t think we need to take that very seriously.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The change in the budget allocation is due to a 10% reduction in capital and financial transactions funding allocation from the UK Government, which the just transition fund relies on.
“The Scottish Government is committing £4.7 billion in capital and resource spend in 2024/25 for activities that will have a positive impact on delivery of our climate change and just transition goals.
“We remain committed to the 10-year Just Transition Fund programme and existing projects will continue to be funded in 2024-25. We will continue engagement in the North East and Moray and undertake an evaluation of the next phase in the following financial year.”