Question reference: S4W-27330
- Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 4 September 2015
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Current status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 September 2015
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it has made to reduce the impact of the closure of Longannet power station.
Answer
Since Scottish Power announced on 23 March 2015 the likelihood that Longannet would close in March 2016, the Scottish Government has been working closely with Fife Council and other public agencies to consider the impact of closure and secure the best possible outcome for those affected. As part of that process I co-chaired two meetings of relevant organisations with Councillor David Ross, Leader of Fife Council, on 20 May and 25 June.
When the decision to close Longannet was announced on 18 August 2015, the Scottish Government established a Longannet Taskforce to support the workers, businesses and communities impacted by Scottish Power’s decision. The taskforce, which I co-chair with Councillor Ross met for the first time on 24 August 2015 and brought together key partners to co-ordinate the development of a joint, multi-agency plan to mitigate the economic impacts of Longannet’s closure. The taskforce will develop an economic recovery plan to:
Help ensure individuals employed at the site are supported, maximising each individual’s opportunity to secure alternative employment;
Support the communities impacted by the closure;
Mitigate the effects on the supply chain;
Produce a masterplan for the long term future of the site, maximising the employment potential of the site; and
Consider the economic infrastructure of the local area, to identify how to create sustainable employment in the longer term.
The next meeting of the Longannet Taskforce is scheduled for 29 September 2015.