The party said that Scotland “deserves better” and that the priority for the site should be to create jobs and develop a “fairer and greener economy”, rather than becoming a “factory floor for the weapons inflicting death and suffering around the world”.
This comes after Defence Secretary John Healey (below) confirmed that at least 13 sites across the UK have been identified as potential locations for new explosives manufacturing plants, after plans were leaked to The Ferret.
Four brownfield sites at the Grangemouth Industrial Complex were identified for potential development, partially due to the presence of skilled labour in the region following the closure of the Petroineos-owned refinery.
Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie told The National: “Scotland deserves better than becoming a factory floor for the weapons inflicting death and suffering around the world.
“We have huge potential to create jobs in a fairer and greener economy, and that should be the priority.
“We also need more transparency and accountability and less secrecy, and that’s not something we can expect from the MoD and its military clients.”
The factory would also be located in the Forth Green Freeport economic area and is a designated tax site, meaning that businesses can benefit from “generous tax breaks, customs incentives, and access to world-class renewable energy”, according to Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scottish Enterprise.
The Scottish Greens have criticised the potential for defence firms to benefit from these breaks, with Harvie saying: “Freeports ultimately work as a tax haven for the super-rich. Any business operating within Scotland should rightfully pay their fair share of taxes and follow the social and environmental rules that Scotland’s Parliament decides on.
“It’s been dismaying to see the SNP accept what’s at core just a right-wing agenda”
He added: “We don’t believe that the Scottish Government should be prioritising military industries when we have so many other positive opportunities.
“At minimum, no grants or loans should go to companies that are complicit in war crimes or occupation.
“The UK Government has an appalling record of arming and supporting Israel despite its record of occupation and genocide, and we should be ashamed that companies based in Scotland have been part of this.”
The Scottish Greens have been campaigning for the Scottish Government to boycott firms supplying the Israeli military, which resulted in First Minister John Swinney announcing a ban on grants and investment support for companies that supply the IDF in September, but Harvie said that local communities are still being left in the dark about what firms could be setting up in their communities.
He said: “Full transparency must be available to Parliament, but also to local communities. They should have the right to know if there are going to be arms firms in their area, what special treatment and advantages they’re being offered that aren’t there for local businesses, and what the potential risks and dangers are.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “While defence spending is reserved, the Scottish Government is committed to playing its full part in the defence of our country and the security of our allies. Scotland has a proud history of excellence in defence engineering and advanced manufacturing, underpinned by world-class skills and innovation.
“As set out by the First Minister in September, the Scottish Government has paused all new awards of public money to defence companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country.
“The Scottish Government only learned about the Ministry of Defence announcement through the media and is engaging urgently with the MoD to understand further detail of what is being proposed.”
It confirmed that the central objectives of the green freeport model is to create high-quality, well-paid jobs and accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy.
In order to do this, the freeport is under strict requirements, including adherence to the OECD Code of Conduct for Clean Free Trade Zones and meeting the obligations of UK-wide anti-money laundering regulation.
A spokesperson from FGF told The National: “We are not aware of any land within the Forth Green Freeport in Grangemouth being considered for this facility.”
Petroineos, the owner of the Grangemouth refinery said it “has not had any conversations with the MoD in relation to the Grangemouth site”.
