The approval of an offshore wind farm in the center of a SNP donations ROW was brought through, so that developers could apply for public financing can be revealed.
New documents show that SNP ministers only received 10 hours to properly approve the Green Volt project off the coast of Aberdenshire, so that the developer could apply for 'Contracts for Difference' of the British government.
Ministers were informed by civil servants on 19 April 2024 by civil servants that a decision was needed to apply developer Flotation Energy on the Deadline of 17:00 on the same day to the British government.
SNP Westminster -leader Stephen Flynn had personally lobbyed ministers on behalf of developer Flotation Energy to break the 'permission Logjam' that affects the project.
After the scheme had received the Go-Ahead, a senior official at Flotation Energy gave a donation of £ 30,000 to Mr Flynn's local SNP location.
Yesterday in Holyrood, John Swinney was told that the process around the 'Stinks' project – after the post has shown that Zero Secretary Miri Mcallan had called' real care 'before the scheme was approved and wondered if the trial' rigorous “Had been enough.
In the early morning e-mail to Mrs. Mcallan on April 19, 2024, officials in the Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team (MD-Lot) from the Scottish government asked for a provision of the development of Green Volt.
The e -mail said: 'This is submitted with an immediate priority, a decision is requested on Friday, April 19, 2024 – before 12 afternoon.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn Lobbyde Personal Ministers on behalf of developer Flotation Energy
'This is to make MD-Lot possible, if you can achieve a positive determination and approval of subsidies, to issue the necessary permissions/licenses, so that the company can register the contracts for the allocation of the difference, which is currently open And close on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 5:00 PM. '
The E -mail has closed 'long and technical documentation' about the project that ran up to 117 pages.
The documentation said that although legal representatives believed that granting permission was 'legal', there is 'a degree of legal risk' due to objections.
In an answer from one sentence to the e -mail at 9.14 am the same morning on behalf of Mrs. Mcallan, her officials said: “Based on the advice, the cabinets secretary is satisfied with the recommendations.”
In September 2024, the British government announced that Green Volt was one of the 131 projects to receive financing through its Renewables contracts for Difference schedule, which developers offer subsidies for clean energy projects.
The Scottish government has announced that it had supported the Green Volt project on April 22, 2024, in which the then prime minister Humza Yousaf said: 'It is great news that we have approved the first project to innovation of the Crown Estate Scotland's Innovation and Innovation and Targeted) round – This is an important milestone that will help protect the scene of Scotland in the forefront of floating wind technology. '
But later on the same day, energy giant SSE revealed that his Berwick Bank project had missed the deadline in the outer firth of Forth for entries for the British government scheme because Scottish ministers had not made a decision on approval on time – despite submitting the application for a month For Green Volt.
During the questions of the prime minister yesterday, Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: 'The confidentiality and lack of transparency is shocking and something stinks at the core of this process. Does John Swinney not realize what Dodgy looks like? '
Netto Zero Secretary Mairi Mcallan had established 'real concern' before the scheme was approved
Mr. Flynn registered a donation of £ 30,000 from Allan Macaskill, the co-chief technical officer of Flotation Energy
Swinney replied: 'The concern that the cabinet secretary was living were about the time needed to reach the decision -making process as a result of government control.
“The minister expressed her concern that the government had to accelerate its decision -making processes in that respect, and that of course happened as a result of the actions that ministers undertaken in the intervening period.”
From the documents sent to Mrs. Mcallan, show that objections have been made by the Federation of the Scottish fishermen with regard to the impact on fishing, while RSPB Scotland expressed concern about the impact on seabird species, including Kittiwake, Gannet, Guwlemot and Guillemot and National Air Traffic Services. Around the impact on primary radar.
A spokesperson for the Scottish government said: 'Support for renewable energy projects has been a long -term Scottish government policy.
'The e -mail clearly emphasizes the cabinet secretary for Net Zero, asking how the process for renewable projects can be improved to guarantee timely decision -making.
“The Scottish government has increased the means for planning and agreeing, streamlined the application process and the development of the offshore wind -sectoral marine plan, in addition to working with the British government to changes in broader regulations.”
Mr. Flynn contacted the Minister of Energy Gillian Martin on 6 October 2023 on behalf of the Chief Technology Officer of Flotation Energy to emphasize his request for a ministerial meeting 'to break permission Logjam' with regard to the Green Volt – Project.
Mr. Flynn registered a £ 30,000 donation from Allan Macaskill, the Co-chief Technical Officer of Flotation Energy, on 2 August 2024. Records published by the Electoral Committee show that the donation was accepted on 27 May 2024, just a few weeks after The Green Volt project was approved by the Scottish government.
