Orcadian Column, 19 September 2024
“They are eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets in Ohio”. I’ve reassured my springer spaniel, Gerry that these are simply the latest incoherent ramblings by Donald Trump, but do wonder if this is an appropriate segue into highlighting the debate around the potential re-opening of an abattoir in Orkney. For the avoidance of doubt, any such facility would categorically NOT accept anyone’s pet.
On the basis of that very firm assumption, I was happy to ask the Agriculture Minister at Rural Affairs Questions in parliament last week whether the Scottish Government would lend support to an initiative, which enjoys strong cross-party backing. In response, Jim Fairlie agreed to meet to discuss potential options for what he accepted was a key component of the necessary farming ‘infrastructure’.
The closure six years ago of the previous abattoir was keenly felt locally, and I’ve always considered it inconceivable that a community as reliant on agriculture as Orkney should be without such a facility. A re-opening, it seems to me, would deliver benefits in terms of animal welfare, reduced food miles and enhancing the enviable reputation of Orkney’s food, drink and tourism offering through ensuring local shops and restaurants have access to high quality, locally-sourced produce.
Given previous experience, any new abattoir must be sustainable over the long term, but a feasibility study has been carried out and signs look promising. There is much hard work still to be done, but I will certainly do what I can to help those driving the project to deliver this much-needed asset.
Despite the importance of an abattoir to Orkney, its fair to say my question to the Minister was not the dominant issue of the week. That dubious honour went to Petroineos, who announced the imminent closure of the company’s oil refinery at Grangemouth, with the potential loss of around 400 jobs. Both the UK and Scottish Governments are engaged in talks to see what might be done to avoid or minimise the losses, though the prospects don’t look good.
While there has been some suggestion of a potential buyer, the closure decision hardly comes as a surprise given the stated aims and commitment of both governments, and parliaments, to decarbonise our energy system on the way to achieving net zero. Indeed, this was a point made to me by the joint chairs of the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission, when I met them last week. For any such transition to be just, they suggested, we cannot afford to wait until an announcement of closure before acting to develop new roles that help us along the way to meeting or climate targets.
Hot on the heels of the Petroineos announcement comes news this week that Belfast-based shipbuilder, Harland and Woolf has gone into administration, putting at risk a further 400 jobs at the company’s yards, including Arnish on the Isle of Lewis and Methil in Fife. Both are key to the development of renewables in this country and yet both have struggled for stability over recent years. More optimistic noises are being made about the likelihood of these yards being successfully sold on, but this is further unwelcome uncertainty for the two workforces who have experienced more than their fair share of ups and downs. The GMB union is right to argue that these “can and must be the cornerstones of Scotland’s manufacturing foundations” and that Scotland’s two governments “need to keep their promises in relation to the just transition”.
On a more encouraging note, since the election, there do appear to be signs of a more constructive and collaborative relationship between the UK and Scottish Governments, at least on these sorts of issues. Frankly, it could scarcely have got any worse. This improvement is welcome, long overdue and desperately needed if we are to have any hope of successfully meeting the challenges we face in tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
Unlike the dogs and cats of Springfield, Ohio, our chances of meeting these challenges is currently under real and genuine threat.