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TORIES THREATEN 1000 JOBS ACROSS SCOTLAND

12.00.00am GMT Thu 6th Nov 2003

Wind turbine (windmill). (photography: Courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory at the United States of America's Department of Energy)

Tory plans for a moratorium on wind farm development threaten over 1,000 jobs across Scotland, according to Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP George Lyon.

Speaking on the day that the Scottish Parliament debated the future of wind farms, Mr Lyon said:

"Scotland has a rapidly expanding renewable energy manufacturing sector and the Tories want to destroy it. Their call for a moratorium on wind farm development would threaten 1,000 jobs across Scotland.

"These jobs - manufacturing wind turbines and other components - are exactly the type of jobs which Scotland needs to attract.

"There are around 125 high skill manufacturing and consultancy jobs in Fife alone, with the potential for many more given its manufacturing capability. Tory MSPs betray their constituents and thousands of people across Scotland by threatening the industry that provides their livelihood.

"Over 200 of these types of jobs are in Argyll and Bute. Vestas only invested millions of pounds in Scotland because of the positive attitude to renewable energy here. If there is no market for wind and other renewable energy developments, these jobs will be lost.

"The Tories pretend to be the party of business, in reality they would destroy an industry which has the potential to create thousands of jobs for people in Scotland."

Notes:

JOBS INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURING WIND ENERGY SECTOR ALONE

COMPANY NUMBER OF JOBS

Vestas (Campeltown) 200

Arnish Yard (Stornoway) 60-70

Nigg Yard (Highlands) 60-70

NOI Scotland (previously Aerpac, Kirkcaldy) 75

Mastiff (components and spin out from Aerpac, Balado) 40

GreenPower (developer and consultant, Alloa) 10

Other suppliers 50

Haulage 20

Total 510

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