Call to save West Lothian economy

Published on Tuesday 18 December 2001 00:00

CALLS were made today for Scottish Executive action to save the West Lothian economy in the wake of the NEC announcement.

Politicians said an economic recovery plan should be put in place to help the area recover from the closure of the plant with the loss of all 1260 jobs.

Livingston MP Robin Cook had pleaded with NEC chiefs in Japan to limit job losses in his home constituency - but to no avail.

He said today: "This is grim news for everyone at the plant.

"My first thoughts are with the employees and their families and its particularly distressing coming as it does so close to Christmas.

"It is important that every step is now taken to help the employees and I will be working closely with the Scottish Executive, local authorities and other agencies to ensure that measures are put in place as soon as possible to help the staff."

MSP Bristow Muldoon said that it was vital for the Scottish Executive’s Economic Action Plan to be put in place.

He said: "This is tragic news for the workforce and their families."

Mr Muldoon added: "I will be trying to ensure that arrangements are made as soon as possible for an employment task force to be set up.

"I will also be pressing the Government to implement the measures identified in the recenlty published West Lothian Economic Action Plan, which covers issues such as training, job creation and transport.

"NEC has faced significant problems from the global downturn in the world semiconductor market.

"It is now vital that steps are put in place to help the employees. I will be having discussions with the Scottish Executive to ensure that every possible assistance is provided to the staff affected."

David Crichton, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, said: "NEC was one of the founding companies of Silicon Glen when it arrived in Livingston in 1981.

"Today’s announcement that it is to suspend operations at one of its most cost effective and competitive facilities underlines the depth of the down turn in the global market place for silicon chips.

"It is also a significant blow to the local economy coming so soon after Motorola’s Bathgate closure.

"We have been in close contact with the NEC management since they announced in July that they would shed 600 jobs.

"We have a multi agency team in place to deal with these redundancies and we will now explore with management how we can extend this operation. Our priority is helping the people at the plant who face a difficult and uncertain time."

West Lothian was rocked by redundancies in April when it was announced that mobile phone maker Motorola was to close its Bathgate plant with the loss of 3100 jobs.

A day later US-owned computer company Tality said job losses at its Livingston factory were inevitable.

Then in July more than 350 more jobs vanished at three hi-tech companies.

Information technology firm MoTech Software Pvt Ltd announced the closure of its European HQ at Livingston and scrapped plans for expansion that would have created 250 jobs.

News of the closure came as it was confirmed Livingston-based hi-tech engineering firm Gordon Ross Welding Services (GRWS) was to lose 29 staff after going into receivership.

Thirty-two workers also faced redundancy at Tarmac Topfloor Ltd’s pre-cast concrete works at Addiewell near Whitburn after it was decided the firm was to stop manufacturing operations there.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "Our main concern is to try to ensure that everything possible is done to assist those affected to find alternative employment.

"Support will be provided through the existing NEC local response team set up last summer, comprising representatives from SEEL, West Lothian Council, the Employment Service, Careers Scotland, the Benefits Agency, Inland Revenue, Scottish University for Industry and Coutts Consultancy, who were appointed by NEC to deliver to deliver out-placement support.

"Those affected will have immediate access to training for work schemes.

"We will also offer specialist IT support such as tailored programmes, which have been one of the key success factors in 76 per cent of the Motorola workers moving into employment or training within less than six months of the first redundancies."