Grangemouth Oil Refinery Closure: Job Losses

Earl of Kinnoull Excerpts

Thursday 3rd July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question, but I think that the Opposition want to airbrush out of the equation the last 14 years, from 2010 to 2024. As far as the petrochemical industry and oil refineries are concerned, under the last Government’s watch two oil refineries closed and a third, Grangemouth, announced its closure. Last month saw the first meeting of the industry with a Minister in 13 years. The trade body for the oil refineries in that sector has welcomed this Government’s approach, especially the energy-intensive industries compensation scheme and a review into the industry’s eligibility for it. We are working with the industry and doing our best to think about what is best for the industry into the future. It is time that the Opposition reflect on what they achieved in the last 14 years.

[The Earl of Kinnoull (CB)]

My Lords, the Interministerial Group for Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change met on 6 May 2025. Clearly, quite a lot of things were discussed there, but a communique published later that month makes no mention of Grangemouth. Can the Minister tell us when the interministerial group will meet again, and whether this will be on the agenda?

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Earl for the question. I do not know when the next date is, but I can write to him and let him know. The oil refinery sector is something that we are keen to see as a success. We need to make sure that the fuel that we create is as homegrown as it possibly can be, and we want to see a future on this. We know that we have competitors around the world, such as in India and Africa, and that the margins in the fuel refinery industry are very small, so this is something we would like to take up internationally. I will write to the noble Earl on what we are going to do in the future.