Scott calls for action to save banking jobs

4.22.00pm GMT Mon 24th Nov 2008

Tavish Scott, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland has written to the First Minister urging him to take action to protect Scottish banking jobs.

Mr Scott pressed the Deputy First Minister in the Scottish Parliament to support a Scottish Banking Jobs Task Force to cope with job losses if HBOS is taken over.

In his letter, Mr Scott wrote:

“When pressed at First Minister’s Questions today, the Deputy First Minister shared my concern that the now almost-inevitable takeover of HBOS will have devastating consequences for Scottish jobs.

“The UK Government ripped up the ‘level playing field’ promised by the Chancellor. It threw 20,000 jobs to the wind. At the dawn of recession, the banking industry has been shamefully let down by the UK Government over HBOS.

“I asked your deputy if the Scottish Government would convene a Scottish Banking Jobs Task Force to tackle the crisis that the UK Government has created.

“I write now to ask you as First Minister to create such a task force.

“The Scottish Government must prepare for the threat of mass unemployment looming over Scotland. It must not stand idly by and blame Westminster.

“I would also be grateful for a response from you to my other point at Question time. It is time for the Scottish Government to call its FISAB together. They need to be asked, collectively, to work much harder to support Scottish businesses that rely on their services.

“Successive Scottish Governments have given enormous support to the financial services industry. In this time of threatened recession we need them to respond in support of the rest of Scottish business.”