Action group’s anger over firm’s gifts

Gifts and outings for public figures paid for by the operator of the Fife Ethylene Plant have come under fire.

Local members of the Scottish and UK parliaments have received hospitality worth £800 at the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.

NHS Fife chief executive Paul Hawkins was also invited to the tattoo, while his predecessor John Wilson was treated to tickets for a Scotland and Wales rugby match.

A number of public figures, including councillors and community councillors, have been guests at ExxonMobil’s annual Burns Supper at the luxurious Balbirnie House Hotel.

James Glen, co-founder of Mossmorran Action Group, said: “Residents are left to suffer in their homes with no real representation from our so-called community representatives as they go on exclusive all-paid jaunts to the military tattoo and other luxurious events.”

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman declared his invitation to the tattoo in 2016 in the MPs’ register of interests.

His predecessor Thomas Docherty and former MSP Cara Hilton were guests at the tattoo in 2014.

NHS Fife director of finance Carol Potter said gifts were declared in the health authority’s publicly accessible register of interests.

A spokesman for ExxonMobil said: “These few hospitality events form a small proportion of the overall work in the local community and allow for a more informal interaction with local leaders, business contacts and representatives of local services, charities and the media.

“We have done this for many years, while ensuring that any such hospitality is entirely compliant with relevant legislation and we diligently report such events for the public record.”

Residents are left to suffer with no real representation from so-called representatives