This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Minister meets sacked Simclar workers
08/02/2007
Scottish Executive Minister Allan Wilson met a delegation of sacked Simclar workers at the Scottish Parliament today to update them on the support measures being put in place in the wake of the recent job loss announcement in Ayrshire.
He spoke to former shop stewards and trade union representatives from Community before meeting protestors outside the Parliament.
Mr Wilson confirmed to the workers that he had asked the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the closure of Simclar Ayrshire and the events preceding its insolvency including the transfer of assets and contracts.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Wilson said:
"The Simclar workers and their families have suffered a traumatic few weeks, and we must do all we can to try and make their future a brighter one. I was struck once more by the compelling case the former employees made for an investigation into this tragedy and to ensure steps are taken to prevent future tragedies of this nature.
"The well-established PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) programme is now up-and-running in Ayrshire to provide the full range of support, advice and assistance to the Simclar workers who lost their jobs. The various agencies involved are putting considerable efforts into ensuring that the affected staff can engage fully with the range of services and support being offered.
"As well as the usual wide-range of services provided by PACE, the Ayrshire PACE team are arranging two meetings - in Saltcoats and Irvine - which will give affected staff the chance to meet PACE partners, training providers, local colleges and a range of potential employers. A 'jobshop', which will compliment the existing Jobcentre Plus service, is to be created in Saltcoats where I understand two-thirds of the redundant workers live.
"I also told the staff I met today that there remain a number of unanswered questions surrounding this company which require investigation and that that we owe it to them to get to the bottom of these questions.
"Given the scale of the redundancies, it has been a priority to get the multi-agency Rapid Reaction PACE Team up and running as soon as possible to provide advice, support and assistance to those affected and ensure the redundant workers get any monies they are entitled to. I have made it clear that substantial funding, running to millions of pounds, will be available to assist with this work and the area's economic regeneration more generally. In short, whatever PACE response is required, the resources will be provided.
"Ayrshire is one of the Executive's regional regeneration priority areas and we are committed to investing in key regeneration projects across the region to deliver sustained economic growth. The Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company (URC) is driving forward the transformation of the Irvine Bay area, providing a much-needed boost to the local economy, and tackling the legacy of unemployment, deprivation and depopulation.
"I will be in Ayrshire tomorrow (Friday) with the Deputy Communities Minister Des McNulty to announce multi-million pound Executive funding to support regeneration and build affordable housing in the area. This will include details of a new Irvine Bay URC project to rejuvenate and stimulate growth in Ardrossan town centre."