David Cameron and Alex Salmond come to blows over oil

Fuel for thought

David Cameron and Alex Salmond come to blows over oil

14 Oct, 2011

Published over 14 years ago. See the latest and most current information on Fuel for thought.

David Cameron and Alex Salmond have hit the headlines after clashing over the future of Scotland's gas and oil industry.

During a visit to Aberdeen, the prime minister said that he wanted the city to continue to be the centre for global investment in the oil industry for decades to come, but the first minister claimed that the £2 billion industry tax hike had damaged to confidence of the industry in Scotland.

Both MPs welcomed the BP agreement for a £4.5 billion project off the coast of the Shetlands, however Mr Salmond used the opportunity to criticise the tax increases levelled at the oil industry recently.

"With up to 40 per cent of oil and gas reserves still to be extracted, and well over half of the revenues still to be generated, the UK government needs to give more certainty to the industry and restore confidence that has been badly dented by the Treasury's conduct this year," Mr Salmond said.

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