NEW leasing rules for offshore wind farms could keep offshore contracts in Scotland, ministers said today.

The Scottish and British governments convened a summit amid concerns that Scottish supply chain companies are losing out on work, jeopardising hundreds of skilled jobs.

The furore followed the mothballing of the Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab) yards in Fife.

The company was initially bailed out by the Scottish government after workers occupied the yards, but they struggled to maintain momentum as contracts continued to be awarded to companies overseas.

Ministers said they had reached a consensus with industry reps and unions over the need for “collective action” to ensure supply chain companies were well positioned to benefit from upcoming contracts.

They promised to explore keeping “options open for attaching supply chain conditions and incentives to Crown Estate Scotland leases.”

After the Edinburgh conference, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said: “Scotland has all the natural resources to make it an ideal location for offshore wind, but recent projects have failed to deliver significant economic opportunities for Scottish businesses.

“I will continue to champion the strengths, and potential, of our indigenous supply chain. But now it is time for the offshore sector to do more by awarding contracts to our supply chain.”

In a joint statement, GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith and Unite Scotland secretary Pat Rafferty said: “Actions speak louder than words, but we leave this summit confident that the Scottish government shares our determination to make sure we get our share of the renewable manufacturing bonanza, and that they will take all necessary measures within their powers to do this.”

The pair said the onus was now on Westminster to guarantee “immediate and sustained investment” to “help make the Scottish supply chain a global player.”