“Up to 800 Civil Service Jobs in the Highlands and Islands at risk from separation”
1st December 2012
Better Together campaigner David Stewart MSP has used data obtained by Scottish Labour on the number of civil servants working for UK Government departments and agencies in Scotland which has revealed that 30,000 people are currently employed by the UK Government, bringing almost £700 million to Scotland in salaries alone.
Up to 800 of those jobs are located in the Highlands and Islands and jobs could be put at risk if Scotland was to become independent.
In these difficult times, the size, strength and stability of the UK economy is a huge advantage for Scotland. Scots know they can not trust this First Minister and now it appears he's willing to play fast and loose with 30,000 Scottish jobs. These figures show one of the big benefits of being part of a strong political and economic union - being able to spread opportunities across the UK, bringing millions of pounds into our economy, and these 800 jobs are integral to the economy of the Highlands and Islands.
Many of the jobs that would be put under threat in the Highlands and Islands are important government departments including the Ministry of Defence, H.M. Revenues and Customs, The Department of Work and Pensions, The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs department’s Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, and also the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency.
Commenting on the risk of job losses, David Stewart MSP said:“We know that the people who work for UK Government departments will have questions for Alex Salmond and the SNP about what will happen to their jobs in the event of separation.
The number of jobs in variety of government departments that are brought to the Highlands and Islands, indeed across Scotland by the union is clear evidence that we are Better Together as the United Kingdom.
We can not trust the First Minister, Alex Salmond with the future of Scotland and if he gets his way we can not be sure these jobs will not disappear from the Highlands and Islands.”
