Grangemouth Refinery

Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My noble friend is absolutely right that it is an incredibly important issue. That is why my starting point is that we need to get both parties back around the table. We in the Government here are doing our level best to ensure that happens and are working very closely with the Scottish Government.

[Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke (Lab)]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that a further 141 jobs have been lost today at the BASF plant at Hawkhead Road in Paisley? It is hard to overestimate just how critical the situation now is in Scotland. I echo the request of the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, for the engagement of the Prime Minister. We need a little more detail about the nature of the assistance that can be given to try to get these redundancy notices withdrawn with a view to saving these jobs, which are critical to the infrastructure of Scotland and to Scotland’s economic future.

[Baroness Verma]

The noble Baroness raises a very important point. This is not just about one area but affects the whole country. This debate will be watched very closely and I will of course take back the requests of my noble friend and the noble Baroness that this is taken to the highest levels to ensure that we get proper engagement. What we want to see of course, at the end of it all, is the two parties around the table to resolve their differences.