Audit Scotland urges ministers to disclose how £755 million ScotWind cash will be spent

Audit Scotland’s report stresses that the Scottish Government needs to provide a transparent roadmap for the £755 million raised through the ScotWind lease auction. While £96 million has been drawn, the watchdog says it cannot trace how that money supports the transition to net zero, nor how the remaining £507 million will be spent over the parliamentary term. Opposition parties accuse the SNP of undervaluing the seabed and using the cash to plug fiscal shortfalls.

Auditor General Stephen Boyle highlighted the high-risk, high-reward nature of the scheme and said its value will only be judged over decades. Energy minister Stephen Gethins described ScotWind as a “success story” that will generate up to £110 million a year and create billions in supply-chain commitments. He pledged continued reporting through the budget process and the creation of a ScotWind Wealth Fund for future generations.