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| UK GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OVER IMPACT OF DEFENCE CUTS |
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| Wednesday, 14 September 2011 00:00 |
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The SNP today (Wednesday) hit out at the failure of the UK Government
to provide support for communities hit by cuts as a result of the
defence basing review.
Highlighting the £30million annual loss to the Highland economy
following the closure of RAF Kinloss by the MoD, SNP Westminster
leader Angus Robertson called for the UK Government to take
responsibility for the 'economic shock' that its cuts were having.
Commenting after the exchange Mr Robertson, the MP for Moray, said:
"It is time that the UK Government took responsibility for the impact
that its decisions are having on communities. Michael Moore seems
either unprepared or uninterested in the impact that his Government's
cuts are having.
"It is a year since the MoD announced the closure of Kinloss as an air
base, and two months since they announced plans for an Army
deployment, yet we still have no offer of practical financial
assistance for communities which have been left to pick up the pieces.
"In my own constituency UK ministers and officials have been happy to
meet the Task Force and repeatedly visited the area which is welcome,
but so far they have delivered no concrete support. In other
communities across Scotland which have been hit with MoD cuts and
closures the situation is similarly serious.
"Where facilities are closing or their use changed it is important
that the transition is made quickly, with as little impact as possible
on the local community. If there is to be a time-lag between the
withdrawal of the RAF and the arrival of the Army then the UK
Government must commit to supporting the community in the meantime.
"While the Scottish Government have been swift in taking action in
support of economic diversification, the UK Government have given
little or no practical support to local agencies to assist in the
transition."
The SNP has hit out at the failure of the UK Government to provide support for communities hit by cuts as a result of the defence basing review.
Highlighting the £30million annual loss to the Highland economy following the closure of RAF Kinloss by the MoD, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson called for the UK Government to take responsibility for the 'economic shock' that its cuts were having.
Commenting after the exchange Mr Robertson, the MP for Moray, said:
" It is time that the UK Government took responsibility for the impact that its decisions are having on communities. Michael Moore seems either unprepared or uninterested in the impact that his Government's cuts are having.
" It is a year since the MoD announced the closure of Kinloss as an air base, and two months since they announced plans for an Army deployment, yet we still have no offer of practical financial assistance for communities which have been left to pick up the pieces.
" In my own constituency UK ministers and officials have been happy to meet the Task Force and repeatedly visited the area which is welcome, but so far they have delivered no concrete support. In other communities across Scotland which have been hit with MoD cuts and closures the situation is similarly serious.
" Where facilities are closing or their use changed it is important that the transition is made quickly, with as little impact as possible on the local community. If there is to be a time-lag between the withdrawal of the RAF and the arrival of the Army then the UK Government must commit to supporting the community in the meantime.
" While the Scottish Government have been swift in taking action in support of economic diversification, the UK Government have given little or no practical support to local agencies to assist in the transition."
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