Salmond jobs response 'misleading'

Nov 21 2012

First Minister Alex Salmond has been accused again of misleading the Scottish Parliament.

Officials were asked to set the record straight after the SNP leader told MSPs there were about 18,000 people employed in renewable energy across Scotland.

The total is closer to 11,000, according to industry body Scottish Renewables, which carried out a study into employment.

Last Thursday, the First Minister apologised at Holyrood for giving inaccurate information on college funding. Education Secretary Michael Russell followed suit by apologising yesterday.

The renewable energy figure was given to MSPs following a question by Conservative MSP Liz Smith last month.

She said: "How can the First Minister, who is urging the Scottish people to vote for independence, possibly expect them to trust him when he gets so many facts blatantly wrong? His actions this week are not those of a competent and credible First Minister."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The First Minister has corrected the Parliament's official report to make it clear there now are 11,000 jobs supported by Scotland's renewable energy sector. Of course, renewable energy is a fast-growing industry, with offshore wind alone having the potential to create up to 28,000 jobs across Scotland.

"That requires the kind of consistent, unwavering public support shown by this Government, its agencies and by the First Minister himself, who just this week joined French turbine-maker Areva in announcing a deal that could create 750 manufacturing jobs in the east of Scotland."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "The SNP Government is increasingly showing its incompetence.

"This is the second time in less than a week that Alex Salmond has been parading dodgy figures to parliament."