Best way to maintain a secure energy supply is to stay within the UK

In her last FMQs as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Annabel Goldie has demanded that the SNP admit that their plans for independence would lead to an intolerable increase in energy bills for Scots.

It follows the report from Citigroup that stated that Scottish households would have to pay nearly £900 more than they do currently to cover the subsidies for renewables.

Annabel Goldie said:

"The Citigroup report sends out a chilling warning on the SNP's energy policy. If we are to maintain the annual £4billion renewables subsidy that Scotland would require then households and businesses would face an unjustifiable hike in the amount they would have to pay.

"Scottish households would have to pay nearly £900 more, with businesses facing an increase of £2billion. The reality is that in an independent Scotland where we are generating almost all of our energy from renewables and are liable for all our own subsidy, someone will have to foot the bill.

"Nicola Sturgeon was entirely incorrect in saying that in an independent Scotland the rest of the UK would have to buy Scottish Energy. She cannot possibly know where the rest of the United Kingdom would choose to buy their power, and basing any policy on an assumption is potentially disastrous.

"Either households or businesses fork out much more, or taxes would have to increase to allow the government to plug this gap. The SNP must admit that the best way to maintain a secure energy supply at affordable levels in Scotland is for Scotland to stay within the UK."

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