Most Scots want a continued role for the oil and gas sector with fairer taxes for UK energy companies, according to a major new poll.
Voters are in favour of expanding renewables while maintaining the existing North Sea industry, prioritising lower prices for households and growth in industrial jobs.
Scots also believe offshore energy is the most important sector for the nation’s economy.
But the poll found that only around one-fifth believe the economy is performing well, and there is little confidence in the future direction of Scotland’s economy.
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) said the new poll sends a clear signal to parties ahead of this year’s Holyrood election to support measures to unlock UK offshore energy investment or risk a backlash at the polls.
OEUK has been calling for politicians to prioritise homegrown energy over supplies which are increasingly imported, that means both recognising oil and gas will be needing alongside renewables. It warned that the UK Government’s decision to keep the oil and gas ‘windfall tax’, or Energy Profits Levy (EPL), will cost tens of thousands of jobs, cripple investment, and undermine Scotland and the UK’s energy security.
The survey was conducted by the Diffley Partnership on behalf of OEUK, with 2,154 Scottish adults questioned in December.
Asked about different energy sources, 58 per cent said that oil and gas provides good, stable jobs for people in Scotland, and more than two-thirds (69 per cent) said Scotland can “expand renewable energy while maintaining a role for oil and gas during the transition”.
From a long list of sectors, offshore energy was selected by 53 per cent of voters as being important for Scotland’s economy in the next decade – followed by tourism and hospitality in second place.
Quizzed on which political party they trust to deliver in various sections of public life, ‘none of the above’ was the most popular option – but the findings make stark reading for Labour, with only seven per cent trusting it to deliver the best outcome for energy.
Respondents were also presented with various options for changes to taxation in the energy sector, and asked which the Scottish Government should advocate for at a UK level.
More than half of voters – 54 per cent – said they support taxes on companies making large profits from oil and gas set at a level that is “fair and keeps the UK internationally competitive”.
Only four per cent said the current balance of taxation should remain the same.
David Whitehouse, OEUK Chief Executive, said:
“This poll must serve as an urgent wake-up call for politicians ahead of this year’s election.
“It is vital that we unlock UK offshore energy investment so that we do not become increasingly reliant on foreign imports.
“We should build on the shoulders of world class industries like oil and gas, while recognising the potential of renewables. This isn’t an either/or.
“In 2024, the UK was dependent for almost 40 per cent of total energy demand on imports, and UK energy prices are higher than in many countries.
“Voters want affordable, secure energy – and that is delivered by unlocking investment in UK energy – oil, gas, renewables, hydrogen, and carbon capture.”
He added: “It shows Scots voters want to see a fairer tax system for oil and gas production that keeps the UK competitive.
“Unless the UK Government changes course, 1,000 jobs will continue to be lost every month, with the country forced to rely on more energy imports.”
The poll found that the most important issues for voters which will shape their decisions are healthcare and the NHS, the cost of living, and the economy, jobs and wages.
When it comes to economic outcomes, the option with the most support is lower prices for household essentials, followed by growth in jobs in key industries, and reversing deindustrialisation through investment in modern manufacturing and engineering.
But only 21 per cent said they expect the number of available jobs in Scotland to increase over the next five years, and just 18 per cent said the economy is performing well.
Asked about different types of energy, 49 per cent said oil and gas provides a reliable source for households, with offshore wind and nuclear energy both on 37 per cent and onshore wind on 35 per cent.
A staggering 85 per cent said energy companies should “lead the transition to renewables while maintaining oil and gas”.
Polling expert Mark Diffley, founder of Diffley Partnership, said:
“With May’s election fast approaching, our new survey for OEUK reveals insight into voter priorities and their views on the future of Scotland’s energy sector, a key policy battleground during the forthcoming campaign.
“The data reinforces that voters’ decisions are going to be primarily driven by which party can convince over improving the NHS and tackling cost of living issues. In particular, eight in 10 voters view lower prices for household essentials, including energy, as the key economic priority for government.
“In terms of energy, voters view offshore energy, including offshore wind and oil & gas, as the most important sector for Scotland’s economy in the next 10 years, so understanding attitudes to the future of the sector is vital.
“It is clear from the survey that voters want to see a careful long-term transition to renewables, with 70% thinking that Scotland can expand renewables while maintaining a role for oil and gas, and just 12% supporting the immediate phasing out of the oil and gas sector. Voters want to see energy companies focus on making bills affordable, invest in jobs and skills and to work more with local communities as decisions about the energy transition are made.”
ENDS
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