Nicola Sturgeon criticises new North Sea oil and gas plan

Scotland's first minister has criticised UK government plans to issue up to 100 new North Sea oil and gas exploration licences.

The government says it will make the UK more self-sufficient and create jobs.

But Nicola Sturgeon said she had not seen any evidence to justify the expansion on environmental or energy security grounds.

She also said the current system of climate compatibility checks was not robust enough.

Ms Sturgeon wants a much faster transition to renewable energy production, which she sees as a better route to economic growth.

The first minister, who is also SNP leader, was speaking in Aberdeen ahead of her party's annual conference which opens on Saturday, with her speech to delegates scheduled for Monday afternoon.

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She told BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell that North Sea oil and gas was currently an important part of the country's energy mix, and supported many jobs in the Scottish economy.

But she said it was a declining resource, and was therefore not the future of energy - and that any new licenses should only be issued if a "robust" climate compatibility check is done.

The first minister said she did not think the current system was robust enough, adding: "We need to make a careful, just transition away from oil and gas, which my government is focused on.

"The route to lower energy costs and to energy security is renewable energy".

Speaking earlier on Friday, Ms Sturgeon said she hoped it would not be necessary to tell households in Scotland to restrict winter energy use.

But she warned that people should be "sensible" about their usage and criticised UK government planning.

It comes after the National Grid advised of potential blackouts for households if gas supplies run short.

The National Grid has said UK households could lose power for up to three hours at a time in winter if the energy crisis escalated.

"There is real concern to people about energy supplies over the winter period," Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'Candid explanation'

She claimed there was a "lack of basic communication from the UK government" over the energy crisis.

Ms Sturgeon added: "That's particularly galling in a Scottish context because we are a net exporter of electricity. We generate sufficient renewable electricity to cover almost 100% of our domestic needs.

"We are part of the GB grid so we are reliant on the UK government taking good decisions itself.

"I think there needs to be candid explanation to people about the challenges that are faced, good advice to people about sensible things you were asking them to do."

The Scottish government hoped to generate the equivalent of 100% of "gross electricity consumption" from renewables by 2020.

It reached 98.6% that year, but in 2021 the figure fell back to 83.7%.

UK business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has backed further North Sea oil and gas projects

Ms Sturgeon's comments came as the UK opened a new licensing round for North Sea oil and gas exploration. Nearly 900 locations are being offered, with as many as 100 licences set to be awarded.

UK Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said it would boost energy security and support skilled jobs.

In a statement, he said: "Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine means it is now more important than ever that we make the most of sovereign energy resources."

The Scottish Conservatives claimed Ms Sturgeon was "all over the place" on Scotland's energy policy.

Liam Kerr MSP, the party's transport and energy spokesperson, said: "She allegedly wants to improve Scotland's energy security, but won't back new oil and gas fields that would do just that.

"With a global cost-of-living crisis and rising energy bills, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP need to back our oil and gas industry, not turn on it."

The licensing round comes after warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency that such projects must be halted if there is to be a chance of keeping global temperature rises under 1.5C.

Waiting times at A&E departments have reached record highs

Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon also revealed her government would release an updated economic plan for Scottish independence in the days after her party's conference.

It comes ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on the Scottish Parliament's ability to pass legislation on holding a second referendum, which is due to start next Tuesday.

In an interview with BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, the first minister was asked if there was enough time to organise and stage a vote by her target date of 19 October 2023.

She said: "Obviously, I can't determine exactly when the Supreme Court will issue its judgement after next week's hearing.

"But assuming we get a judgement round about the turn of the year, then there is time for the Scottish Parliament to legislate for a referendum in October next year.

"Next week we'll set out the next of the Building a New Scotland papers that will look at specifically economic issues."

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She said the Scottish government would decide in its budget how to respond to the Chancellor's plan to reduce the basic rate of income tax by a penny in England.

The SNP leader also defended the Scottish government's management of the NHS after unveiling a £600m plan to help medics cope with increased demand this winter.

It comes after figures showed Scotland's waiting times at A&E departments hit the worst levels on record.

MS Sturgeon said people "should have confidence" in the health service.

"Any person whose experience in the NHS is not what it should be, that is unacceptable," she said.