No Plans To Help Deck Hands After Decommissioning

“Minister must consider remember that only owners are being compensated”
says MSP Stewart Stevenson

In Response to a question from Banff & Buchan MSP, Stewart Stevenson, the Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie made clear that the Scottish Executive has no plans for support of people employed on fishing vessels that are being decommissioned.

Speaking after Parliamentary Questions today [Thursday], Mr Stevenson said,

“I find it very disappointing that the Minister was unable to give any information about the number of people be affected by decommissioning.

“With the first Press Forward even now being broken up for scrap at Sandhaven, it is now urgent that the Scottish Executive take steps to ensure that the several hundred deckhands and engineers across Scotland who may lose their jobs are properly looked after.”

Turning the general effects of decommissioning, Mr Stevenson commented,

“The owners of vessels leaving the fishing industry are being compensated. I have pointed to the wider impact since the outset. Crews could be losing out and local businesses that have supplied and serviced the decommissioned vessels will also suffer.

“I am astonished that no information about this has been gathered. Once again support for the people in the fishing industry is inadequate and late.”