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We owe it to
those former employees and suppliers to Simclar to get to the bottom of
allegations of
‘asset stripping’ prior to the collapse and in its immediate aftermath.
Brian Donohoe MP, Katy
Clark MP,
Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Allan Wilson MSP
The ex-Simclar employees appreciate the speed with
which Alan Wilson, Katy Clark and Brian Donohoe have moved to get the
shameful actions of Sam Russell and his fellow Directors investigated by the
DTI.
Local politicians Allan
Wilson MSP, Minister for Enterprise and Life long learning, Katy Clark MP
and Brian Donohoe MP met with the Department of Trade and Industry Minister,
Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Employment Relations
and a number of senior civil servants this week to express serious concern
about the failure of Simclar Ayrshire and to seek assurances that the
circumstances surrounding the company's insolvency are to be fully
investigated..
Allan Wilson MSP said:
“I wrote to the Secretary of State on behalf of the Scottish Executive
immediately following my meeting with the union and the Administrator and
again after the debate in the Scottish Parliament, raising what I considered
to be the ‘unanswered questions’ surrounding the sale and movement of assets
within the Simclar group prior to the collapse of Simclar Ayrshire. "
"This meeting was a face to face follow up to that correspondence and I was
reassured that the issues raised by me and my MP colleagues are being
addressed by the DTI and I would encourage the union and any ex-employee or
other creditor to make contact with the Department through their MP and
assist them in this work. We owe it to those former employees and suppliers
to Simclar to get to the bottom of allegations of ‘asset stripping’ prior to
the collapse and in its immediate aftermath."
"Significantly, the outcome of the DTI enquiries will be reported back to
Scottish Ministers and I look forward to receiving their report."
Katy Clark MP said:
"DTI officials are anxious to receive as much information as possible about
Simclar and in particular the circumstance surrounding the recent
appointment of administrators. Brian Donohoe MP and myself have agreed to
act as a point of transmission of information to the DTI. Anyone with
information should pass it on to one of us in the first instance. Any
information that I have been provided with so far is already with the DTI.”
Brian Donohoe MP said:
“I found the meeting very helpful and whilst I understand the constraints on
divulging the contents of the report am confident that the officials will do
a thorough job in establishing the facts”
Willie Paterson,
Community Scottish Regional Secretary said:
“The ex-Simclar employees appreciate the speed with which Alan Wilson, Katy
Clark and Brian Donohoe have moved to get the shameful actions of Sam
Russell and his fellow Directors investigated by the DTI.
If Russell has broken the law he should be punished. If he hasn't Community
will campaign for the law to be changed so that no other loyal, hard-working
British employees can be treated in the same callous manner as our Simclar
members have been.”
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