UK Government Autumn Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review

The UK Government has today (October 27) published its Autumn Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review which prioritises investing in stronger public services, building back greener, levelling up, driving business growth and helping working families with the cost of living.

Responding, Morag Watson, Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables, said:

“Today’s Autumn Budget and Comprehensive Spending review rightly prioritises the need to deliver a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving net-zero through the UK Government’s ambition of ‘building back greener’.

“The announcement of £380 million for the offshore wind sector to boost investment in this growing industry is a welcome move which will support Scotland’s ambitions for the sector and deliver new green jobs and skills.

“Meeting net-zero and building back greener from the pandemic will require the deployment of all renewable technologies at scale. The omission of targeted support for established technologies such as onshore wind and hydropower, and developing technologies including wave and tidal where Scotland leads the world, puts us at a disadvantage if we are to use every tool in the box to tackle the climate emergency.

“Heat decarbonisation is the next big focus of our net-zero journey and whilst the budget focuses on renewable heat measures in England and Wales, clarity is needed from the UK Government on how it will replace the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in Scotland.”

Ends

Notes:

• Read the UK Government's Autumn Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review here.