ScotGov Scorned ‘Weak, Incompetent & Clueless’ Over Powerline
19.01.10
The SNP Government has been labelled as “weak, incompetent and clueless” by Murdo Fraser MSP in relation to the Beauly to Denny power line decision and for not being able to instruct undergrounding in parts of Perthshire and Stirlingshire.
Conservative MSPs Murdo Fraser and Liz Smith want to see undergrounding in parts of Perthshire and Stirlingshire as part of the mitigation for these areas.
Commenting, Murdo Fraser said: “The SNP Government needs to get to grips with the Beauly to Denny power line and reconsider planning permission if undergrounding sections is a non-starter,” said Murdo Fraser. “Even the Reporter of the Public Inquiry recommended refusal of overhead pylons at sections in Perthshire and Stirlingshire, but the SNP Government has ignored public opinion by merely proposing ‘mitigation’ at these locations.
“Ever since the announcement on the Beauly to Denny power line was made by the SNP Government, SNP Ministers have been spinning that undergrounding is a possibility but this has been contradicted by the power companies who have made it clear that they will not underground the line. Sadly for Scotland, the SNP Government has allowed itself to be played by the power companies and has come across as weak, incompetent and clueless on this matter.”
“The SNP Government must get some courage and insist to Scottish & Southern Energy that undergrounding or re-routing is required in parts of Perthshire and Stirlingshire as the original recommendations at these sections were against the current route of the overhead pylons.”
Get A Grip
Liz Smith MSP added: “The whole process of reaching this decision has been marred by the totally confused approach taken by the SNP Government. It is time for SNP Ministers to get a grip of their Ministerial portfolios and answer the many questions which exist surrounding the detailed conditions of the planning consent for the Beauly to Denny power line which SNP Ministers have given.
“The SNP Government has, to date, completely failed to provide any details for the ‘stringent mitigation requirement’ including those relevant to Strathearn. We still have no idea what he means nor do we have any accurate information about the timescales involved or whether any further planning permission will be required. It is now vital that local people are given clarity regarding the details of all the ‘mitigations’, and that SNP Ministers clear up the ongoing uncertainties which the SNP Government have created.”
|
