SCOTLAND’S producers of essential minerals have called on the Scottish Government to unlock growth, streamline planning, and support the construction supply chain in a new report.
In Priorities for Scotland, the Mineral Products Association Scotland (MPAS) warns that rising taxation, lengthy planning processes, and high energy costs are threatening investment and stifling growth in a sector that underpins every building project. To address these issues, the report outlines practical policy measures for the new term of the Scottish Parliament.
These include resisting unnecessary changes to the Scottish Aggregates Tax to ensure Scottish producers can remain competitive, reviewing Scotland’s mineral planning, and permitting systems to enable future materials demand to be met, and establishing a Scottish Minerals Forum to encourage better interaction between the Scottish Government and industry.
The report explains how MPAS’s recommendations will not only help address the industry’s challenges, but also support the Scottish Government’s ambitions for economic growth, housebuilding, infrastructure and decarbonisation. Also covered is the vast economic contribution of the sector in Scotland, which directly employs over 5,000 people, generates over £0.5 billion in GVA and produces almost 30 million tonnes of aggregates, concrete and asphalt every year.
Alan Doak, director of MPAS, said, “The mineral products sector is the foundation of Scotland’s economy, and the materials we produce are essential for homes, schools, and hospitals, as well as vital transport and energy infrastructure. Scotland’s geology means we have abundant mineral resources, but their planning, processing and supply must not be taken for granted. Scottish firms in our sector are facing a number of acute challenges – a growing cumulative tax burden, high energy costs and inadequate replenishment of permitted aggregate reserves. These must be resolved so we can keep on supplying the construction projects and industries that power Scotland’s economy.
“As the Scottish Government looks ahead to its next Programme for Government and Budget, it should take on board these common-sense measures to allow us to maximise our contribution to Scotland’s economy and help the Scottish Government achieve its ambitions. That includes no increase to the Scottish Aggregates Tax rate beyond what the rest of the UK pays; tackling unnecessary cost, delay, uncertainty and bureaucracy in Scotland’s planning and permitting systems; investing in carbon capture technologies and energy infrastructure; and setting up a Scottish Minerals Forum so we can address these and other issues with the Scottish Government on a long-term basis.”
