HUME TAKES REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BORDERS TEXTILES SECTOR TO MEET MINISTER

Published on Tue 3rd Nov 2009

Jim Hume MSP, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, will tomorrow (Wednesday, 3rd November) take The House of Cheviot to meet the Skills Minister to demand that the Scottish Government steps up a gear on skills investment in the textiles sector following recent news that Skillfast UK will not be in operation after March 2010.

The MSP's meeting comes after calls by his Borders colleagues, Michael Moore MP and Jeremy Purvis MSP, for essential support for textiles in the region.

Jim Hume said:

"The news that Skillfast will no longer be in operation after March next year is worrying because it potentially leaves the industry in a disadvantaged position.

"The fact that Skills Development Scotland is only now coming into its operational phase means that the demise of Skillfast leaves the industry in an exceptionally vulnerable position.

"The disappearance of Skillfast will mean that there is no one body responsible for pulling together the skills requirements in the textiles sector and no means of co-ordinating funding for the delivery of any training. This leaves the industry at a serious competitive disadvantage, especially when considering that other countries such as Spain and Italy are investing heavily in skills to ensure that their industry is at the forefront of any business coming out of the recession.

"I shall be telling the Minster that what the industry needs is a clear commitment to a long term investment strategy for skills, which will ensure Scotland remains at the forefront of this historically and economically crucial manufacturing sector."