Swinney sparks confusion over Mossmorran jobs comment

The First Minister has sparked confusion after appearing to confirm Mossmorran workers will be guaranteed job interviews as part of a just transition fund.

John Swinney has been accused by Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer of “clearly saying yes” when asked if workers at the Fife ethylene plant will be offered job interviews in the same way as those at Scotland’s last oil refinery are.

Under the £25 million Grangemouth Just Transition Fund, organisations seeking investment must offer job interviews to those made redundant by Petroineos when the refinery closed.

During First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, the Scottish Green MSP asked Mr Swinney if he would do the same for more than 300 Mossmorran workers at risk under plans to close the site.

The SNP leader said: “Yes, I am happy to confirm that, that agreement that was reached with Unite was announced by me a few weeks ago and I very much applaud the collaboration that has been taken forward with Unite the Union, who have been partners with the Government in dealing with the situation in Grangemouth, and are partners with the Government in dealing with the situation at Mossmorran.”

However, the Scottish Government told the Press Association Mr Swinney did not mean a job interview guarantee is in place for those at Mossmorran, and he was instead confirming the previous Grangemouth agreement.

Speaking after FMQs, Mr Greer said he was “disappointed”.

He wrote on social media: “I specifically asked if the Scottish Government would replicate the Grangemouth fund’s requirement of guaranteed job interviews for laid off workers at Mossmorran.

“Disappointed that the First Minister apparently meant to say no when he quite clearly said yes.”

Global energy giant ExxonMobil announced last week that it will close the Fife ethylene plant – which produces the base material for plastics – and it is expected to shut in February.

According to the company, 179 directly-employed jobs will be at risk along with 250 contractors, with the possibility of 50 staff transferring to the Fawley petrochemical complex almost 500 miles away in Hampshire.

Mr Greer said the Scottish Government has “no plan” to help workers facing redundancy with the plant’s closure, which comes after hundreds lost their jobs at Grangemouth.

He urged the First Minister to apologise after accusing him of failing to deliver on his commitments to the Fife workers.

Mr Swinney said he regrets the job losses facing workers and ministers are “working assiduously” to deliver a future for them.

He said the Scottish Government had just a week’s notice about the plans to close Mossmorran, while the UK Government had months.

He reiterated his comments that it is “one rule for the rest of the United Kingdom and one rule to Scotland when it comes to industrial closures under a Labour Government in London”, pointing to Labour’s decision to take control of the UK’s last remaining virgin steel plant in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.