Majority of Scots want Holyrood to control North Sea drilling licences, poll finds

Almost six in ten people in Scotland believe decisions regarding North Sea oil and gas drilling licences should be handled by Holyrood rather than Westminster, as energy policy climbs public priorities ahead of upcoming electoral contests.

Research published by Ipsos shows that 58% of Scots want the Scottish Government to make most decisions on offshore drilling licences. Only 33% believe that responsibility should remain with the UK Government, according to findings covered extensively by outlets including the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, The Herald, Yahoo News UK, and Energy-Pedia.

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The debate over jurisdictional control intersects directly with major industrial projects. Polling figures highlighting the public desire for devolved responsibility coincide with Westminster deliberations over whether to approve drilling at Rosebank, noted by The Herald and the Daily Record as the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea, located north of Shetland.

Public opinion on who should hold these administrative levers divides sharply along political lines. Emily Gray, managing director of Ipsos Scotland, pointed to a clear public appetite for greater Scottish control over domestic issues, while noting the stark political divisions. A large majority of SNP supporters and those who voted Yes in the independence referendum favour transferring offshore licensing responsibility to Holyrood. Conversely, majorities of Conservative and Reform UK voters—alongside those who voted No in 2014—prefer responsibility to remain at Westminster.

Scottish Labour voters occupy a more divided middle ground on energy administration. According to Morning Star and other reports detailing the Ipsos Scotland findings, Labour voters are almost evenly split on North Sea licensing: 46% favour continued UK Government control, while 45% back Scottish Government responsibility. However, Labour voters lean more definitively toward Westminster control when considering other reserved areas.

Wider public opinion polling demonstrates broad structural support for continued fossil fuel extraction alongside green energy investments. A separate poll conducted by Opinion Matters for advisory firm Big Partnership, cited by the Scottish Daily Express, found that an overwhelming 84% of Scots want the country to continue extracting fossil fuels. Within that broad consensus, views diverge on the exact timeline and method:

• 42% agreed that Scotland should keep producing its own oil and gas while simultaneously growing renewable energy.
• 27% believed Scotland should maintain a mixed production of domestic oil and gas alongside green energy indefinitely.
• 15% wanted fossil fuel extraction to continue only under a clear plan to eventually phase it out.
• 7% agreed that Scotland should stop producing all oil and gas as soon as possible.

Responding to the latest data, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth argued via The Herald and the Daily Record that the findings demonstrate significant public backing for decisions affecting Scotland to be made locally.

Survey Area	Favour Scottish Government Control	Favour UK Government Control
North Sea Oil & Gas Licences	58%	33%
National Insurance	51%	38%
Immigration Policy	48%	41%

Beyond energy infrastructure, the Ipsos Scotland research tracked public opinion across other reserved domains. Just over half of respondents (51%) believe Holyrood should make most decisions regarding National Insurance, compared with 38% favouring Westminster. On immigration, 48% expressed a preference for Scottish Government control, while 41% preferred that authority remain with the UK Government.

As political parties prepare for forthcoming legislative tests, the friction between national energy strategy and devolved aspirations continues to generate intense debate. Observers will monitor how Westminster handles pending decisions on major fields like Rosebank and whether the Scottish Government adjusts its internal positioning on fossil fuels ahead of the next electoral cycle.