‘Just 2.5% of Forth contracts go to Scots’ claims Labour

By ALASTAIR DALTON
Published on 17/02/2012 00:45

LABOUR claimed last night that just 2.5 per cent of contracts for the new Forth crossing had gone to Scottish firms after three more companies won work on the project.

The Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency announced that Tarmac, the Skene Group and Aggregate Industries would supply concrete, aggregates and cement from several sites across central Scotland.

Richard Baker, Labour’s infrastructure and capital investment spokesman, said: “While every job and every penny of investment the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) brings to Scotland is welcome, this announcement does not hide the fact that the single biggest contract – for steel – and all the jobs that come with it has been handed overseas by the SNP.

“What the SNP has confirmed today is Scotland has benefited from only 2.5 per cent of contracts from this iconic infrastructure project.

“It makes a mockery of the SNP’s pledge to use this project to provide a major boost to Scottish businesses.”

However, Transport Scotland said 870 of 1,041 supply orders awarded on the principal contract had gone to Scottish firms.

Infrastructure secretary Alex Neil said: “The FRC project is delivering and will continue to deliver real benefits for Scottish businesses and Scottish workers.

“It will support 1,200 Scottish jobs and secure an additional 3,000 more.”