Strath MSP hits out at "appalling" UK decision on windfarm subsidies
A strath MSP has hit out at the Westminster government’s decision to end onshore wind farm subsidies.
Dave Thompson (SNP - Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) wants an update from the Scottish Government on the shock decision by the UK Government to end the subsidies a year early, in 2016.
On Tuesday (June 23) he asked the Minister if the decision could threaten the consented project at Glen Ullinish on Skye.
He said, “This is appalling news and frankly bad Government by Westminster.
“A wind farm proposal, five years in the making, which has massive local support and is fully consented, is now seriously threatened if anything unexpected should happen in the development over the next few months.
“Should any of the remaining modest hurdles turn out to be more intractable than expected the project could fail.
He went on, “The Minister confirmed the guillotine could indeed impact Glen Ullinish and that the developer (Kilmac) too has written with their serious concern.
Mr Thompson called the UK decision “perverse and irrational”, claiming it had been politically motivated to placate the weight of opinion in the “shires”.
“How can this Tory Government square talk of providing a benign environment for small businesses to flourish, plan and invest over the longer term with an off-the-cuff decision like this?
“It is not hyperbole to say this decision by the UK Westminster Government is grossly incompetent.”
