£195,000 boost for closure-threatened steel plants
A support package of £195,000 to retain key staff at the closure-threatened Lanarkshire steel plants has been agreed by ministers.
A number of employees will be paid around 60% of gross salary and receive advanced training to ensure the Dalzell and Clydebridge Tata Steel sites can reopen quickly as and when production resumes, the Scottish Government announced.
But Labour called it an "inadequate response'' and said a more substantial package was needed.
Business Minister Fergus Ewing said: "It is critical for any new commercial operator intending on restarting production at Dalzell and Clydebridge to be able to get the mothballed plants quickly up and running again after a period of inactivity.
"So we have agreed to work with the existing management and trade unions to retain and develop the nucleus of a manufacturing team. That will be attractive to prospective buyers who seek the knowledge and insight to maximise the productive capability of the sites.
"The programme will deliver learning and development to staff with key skills and attributes required to re-establish manufacturing. This is a positive development in the quest to secure a future for Scottish steel.''
He added: "In the past fortnight I have had positive discussions with Tata Steel Union and Greybull Capital LLP and will meet Greybull in the next few weeks to discuss the future of the Scottish plants.
"Work goes on in the steel taskforce to examine ways to reduce costs such as energy use and business rates and ensure all commercial opportunities related to public procurement are visible to interested parties.''
But Labour MSP James Kelly, who is a member of the steel taskforce, said: "The £195,000 will provide limited support to retain the skills of key staff and support infrastructure at the plants.
"The SNP Government have previously made optimistic noises about finding a buyer. A more substantial support package is needed to attract a potential buyer.
"It is also not good enough to say that a meeting will take place with Greybull in the next few weeks. That meeting needs to take place next week.
"Steel is iconic to the Lanarkshire and Scottish economy. The workers deserve a greater sense of urgency rather than a complacent response from the SNP Government. ''