Scotland must benefit from hosting Britain’s green power infrastructure say Scottish Affairs Committee

Committee members and Scottish Liberal Democrat MPs Angus MacDonald and Susan Murray have today welcomed the publication of a Scottish Affairs Select Committee report into the UK Government's Clean Power by 2030 mission which warns that the Government's proposed mandatory community benefit scheme is insufficient and calls for the minimum compensation rate to be dramatically increased.

The report finds that the target is extremely ambitious and warns that public confidence in the energy transition risks being undermined if targets are missed, a risk that is especially acute for rural and remote communities across Scotland already bearing a disproportionate share of the costs and impact of hosting new energy infrastructure.

The Committee recommends that when setting the minimum level of compensation under its mandatory community benefits scheme, the Government should give careful consideration to the Highland Council's position that £12,500* per MW is a fair and proportionate level of compensation to impacted communities, in an area with the highest level of fuel poverty in the UK.

Following an amendment tabled by Angus MacDonald MP, the report calls on companies undertaking major infrastructure projects in rural areas to construct worker accommodation to a standard suitable for retention as permanent community housing once the project is complete. This is of particular relevance to Skye, where large-scale energy projects risk placing significant pressure on an already stretched housing market.

It also calls on the UK Government to reform standing charges, so they apply consistently across all regions. Currently, consumers in Northern Scotland pay 62.07 pence per day, compared to 47.11 pence per day in London — 32% more, despite the North being where the energy is generated.

Angus MacDonald MP said:

 "The Highlands generates 12 times the renewable energy it consumes, so it is only right that residents are properly compensated for hosting Scotland's new energy infrastructure. At the moment people are simply not seeing the benefits. Clean power targets will only succeed if communities feel the transition is done with them, not to them.

"I am pleased that the Committee has backed my amendment encouraging the government to support Highland Council's proposal to increase the rate of community benefit payments to £12,500 per MW and to encourage developers to build more legacy housing."

Scottish Affairs spokesperson Susan Murray MP said:

"Scottish Liberal Democrats want to use cheaper, cleaner energy to power Scotland securely. But that needs to go hand-in-hand with re-writing community benefit rules so local people get much more of the money companies make from generating renewable energy near them.

"It should not be developers making a killing, while locals shiver in the shadow of windfarms. The current community benefit plans from both the UK and Scottish governments are a recipe for losing hearts and minds in rural communities.

"My party has been clear that we want to see developers put in serious investment in local economic development, housing and support for reducing energy bills."