THE Scottish government was criticised today for failing to consult unions over the loss of Scotland’s only oil refinery after it emerged it was aware of the proposals nearly two years ago.

Documents unveiled by the Sunday Mail showed under-fire Health Secretary Michael Matheson was told about energy giant Petroineos’s plans to close Grangemouth refinery when he was energy minister at a meeting in February 2022.

Some 400 of the 500-strong workforce’s jobs were put at risk last November when Petroineos announced plans to convert the refinery into an oil terminal.