MSPs will vote today on whether the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas projects should be given the green light, after the Scottish Conservatives tabled a motion at Holyrood.
The party says the vote will force Labour and the SNP to clarify their positions on the two developments, with decisions over North Sea licensing and consent reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Conservatives have consistently backed new North Sea development.
Tory energy spokesman Liam Kerr accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of “ongoing dithering” over the projects, warning that delays were damaging jobs and energy security.
He said: “Giving the green light to Jackdaw and Rosebank is just common sense, but Andy Burnham is continuing to dither.
“While he does so, more and more jobs are being lost in the industry and the UK’s energy security becomes increasingly reliant on imports.
“This makes absolutely no economic , environmental or security sense, when we could be undertaking new drilling in the North Sea right now.
“Our debate will finally force SNP and Labour MSPs to get off the fence.”
First Minister John Swinney signalled a change in tone on new oil and gas developments earlier this year following disruption in the Middle East.