Fury as textile export figures make for grim reading - Purvis

11.03.33am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 8th Oct 2009

Commenting on official statistics showing that Scotland’s manufactured exports have plunged to their lowest level since 1995, Liberal Democrat Finance spokesperson Jeremy Purvis said:

“These figures make for grim reading, particularly for our textile and printing exports.

“Textiles is one of Scotland's signature industries. The SNP's inaction to support this sector has led to a 12% drop in exports in the last three months.

"There is currently outrage from industry in this sector over the lack of support on offer from Ministers.

"I have been calling on the Government, for over a year now, to follow the example of the Welsh Assembly and access EU JEREMIE funding. This would help small and medium businesses, especially in manufacturing, bridge their funding gaps.

"The textiles industry and STUC have backed calls for support for staff in short time employment and this is similarly being ignored by the SNP Government.

"Similar schemes are already up and running in Wales and England. The SNP Government cannot afford to sit back and do nothing any longer.

"How much worse does it have to get for the SNP to realise that they need to act in Scotland?"

Ends.