Grangemouth Refinery

Lord Steel of Aikwood Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, we need to be very careful about the language we use and how we progress this debate. It would be wiser for all of us to try to work very carefully and closely with the parties and get them to come together around the table for discussions.

[Lord Steel of Aikwood (LD)]

My Lords, is it not the case that this dispute has been going on for some weeks? Those of us who have been watching it from a distance have been concerned at the lack of high-level intervention to try to get it resolved. There appears to be an intransigent union on one side and a rather distant operator on the other. I simply want to add my voice to those who are saying that we really must try at the highest level to get this sorted out.

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, I have noted my noble friend’s comments, as I have noted those of all noble Lords around the Chamber. So that noble Lords are reassured, I will again repeat that we take this matter seriously and we want to get the parties around the table. That means that we all have to work together very closely at every level.