PM says Abercrombie House jobs ‘are safe’
But many want firm er reassurances over what merger means
Almost 1000 workers at the headquarters of a government office in East Kilbride have been told their jobs are safe from the Prime Minister himself.
Yet assurances are still being sought over the future of the 948 Department for International Development (DfID) jobs.
Boris Johnson announced a merger between the DfID and Foreign Office (FCO) last week, which will see the creation of the new Foreign Commonwealth Development Office.
That sparked fears over the future of positions at Abercrombie House, with the SNP and Labour both calling for reassurances over the future of jobs there.
Indeed Linda Fabiani MSP raised a motion in Parliament – which was passed – calling on the UK Government to give a firm commitment that all 948 “highly important jobs” would remain in Abercrombie House.
As part of his ‘Global Britain’ address to the House of Commons last week, Mr Johnson assured workers in East Kilbride that their jobs would be safe.
He said: “Of course we are going to keep the jobs in East Kilbride. Of course we’re going to support the work of those fantastic people in East Kilbride.”
This was backed up on the ground here by Conservative MSP Graham Simpson who moved quickly to say “the jobs are safe”.
He told the News that he looked forward to working with the UK Government “to strengthen the work being done on international aid from the town”.
A spokesman for the DfID reiterated the PM’s stance to the News and said: “As the PM said, of course we are going to keep the jobs in East Kilbride.
“There are no plans to close DfID’s office in Scotland, where staff play a vital role in ensuring UK aid delivers results for the world’s poorest and value for UK taxpayers.
“The opportunity to work at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride will now be open to staff from across the reconfigured department.”
As part of his “Global Britain” address to the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr Johnson told MPs combining the DfID and the FCO would “unite our aid with our diplomacy”.
During a visit to Abercrombie House in March, International Development Secretary AnneMarie Trevelyan said she “couldn’t wait to work more with colleagues and partners in Scotland.”
That came as fears about job losses were at a peak, with rumours of the department being absorbed by the Foreign Office.
Indeed, 30,000 people had signed an online petition in protest against the plans.
Despite words of comfort over the future of jobs here, Monica Lennon MSP called the merger a “bad decision” that could have “huge ramifications” for workers in East Kilbride.
The DfID has been based in the new town since the 1980s and is believed to produce £30million for the local economy.
Reports from Downing Street suggest there are to be no compulsory redundancies, but Dr Lisa Cameron MP said she wanted guarantees staff would be protected.
She said: “Boris Johnson must commit to protecting the 948 jobs here in what is one of Whitehall’s biggest footprints in Scotland. He must deliver a cast-iron guarantee that all of these jobs are secure and that they will stay in East Kilbride.
“It is clear that the Tories’ ‘Global Britain’ values means the UK is turning its back on the world and to those most in need.
“I have written to the Prime Minister requesting urgent reassurance for EK’s DfID staff.”
I have already written to the Prime Minister requesting urgent reassurance for the EK’s DfID staff...