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| 'Sit-in' turbine firm awarded £6m | 'Sit-in' turbine firm awarded £6m |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| More than £6m is to be awarded to a wind turbine firm's research centre on the Isle of Wight, despite its plans to cut 625 jobs and shut its factory. | More than £6m is to be awarded to a wind turbine firm's research centre on the Isle of Wight, despite its plans to cut 625 jobs and shut its factory. |
| The government grant allocated to Vestas Technology UK Ltd comes as 25 workers continue a sit-in at its plant. | The government grant allocated to Vestas Technology UK Ltd comes as 25 workers continue a sit-in at its plant. |
| Vestas Windsystems is making the redundancies at its Newport site despite rising profits. | Vestas Windsystems is making the redundancies at its Newport site despite rising profits. |
| It said the domestic wind turbine market was not big enough to sustain a factory in the UK. | It said the domestic wind turbine market was not big enough to sustain a factory in the UK. |
| On Monday, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) refused to directly comment on the grant coinciding with the redundancies at the end of this month. | On Monday, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) refused to directly comment on the grant coinciding with the redundancies at the end of this month. |
| The DECC said three banks would work with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on a programme to lend up to £1bn to onshore wind farms over the next three years. | The DECC said three banks would work with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on a programme to lend up to £1bn to onshore wind farms over the next three years. |
| 'Support workers' | 'Support workers' |
| The grant for Vestas Technology UK Ltd would include more than £3m of funding from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and is to develop offshore wind technology. | The grant for Vestas Technology UK Ltd would include more than £3m of funding from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and is to develop offshore wind technology. |
| Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: "The money for the development of offshore wind manufacturing will help us generate green jobs on top of our success as the leading country in the world for the generation of offshore wind. | Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: "The money for the development of offshore wind manufacturing will help us generate green jobs on top of our success as the leading country in the world for the generation of offshore wind. |
| It is obvious the government is saying one thing and then doing another Jonathan NealeCampaign against Climate Change | It is obvious the government is saying one thing and then doing another Jonathan NealeCampaign against Climate Change |
| "In the meantime, there must be a strategy for the Isle of Wight to do all we can to help and there is. | "In the meantime, there must be a strategy for the Isle of Wight to do all we can to help and there is. |
| "Not just support for the workers who are losing their jobs, but a strategy to work with Vestas. | "Not just support for the workers who are losing their jobs, but a strategy to work with Vestas. |
| "They are keeping a prototype facility at the factory and we are currently considering an application from them for government help to test and develop offshore wind blades in a facility which would employ 150 people on the Isle of Wight initially and potentially more later." | "They are keeping a prototype facility at the factory and we are currently considering an application from them for government help to test and develop offshore wind blades in a facility which would employ 150 people on the Isle of Wight initially and potentially more later." |
| 'Such a scandal' | 'Such a scandal' |
| But RMT union leader Bob Crow said the planned redundancies at Vestas' Newport factory made "a mockery of the government's stated objectives on green employment and renewable energy". | But RMT union leader Bob Crow said the planned redundancies at Vestas' Newport factory made "a mockery of the government's stated objectives on green employment and renewable energy". |
| His comments were supported by Jonathan Neale, from Campaign against Climate Change (CACC), who said: "It is such a scandal. | His comments were supported by Jonathan Neale, from Campaign against Climate Change (CACC), who said: "It is such a scandal. |
| "It is obvious the government is saying one thing and then doing another." | "It is obvious the government is saying one thing and then doing another." |
| A rally is planned outside the DECC in Whitehall Place, central London, on Tuesday. | A rally is planned outside the DECC in Whitehall Place, central London, on Tuesday. |
| The workers, who are not members of a union, began their sit-in protest on 20 July. | |
| Vestas served them with court papers last week ahead of a hearing in Newport on Wednesday. | Vestas served them with court papers last week ahead of a hearing in Newport on Wednesday. |
| Earlier, Vestas told the BBC that even though demand for onshore wind was strong globally it made "more sense" to make turbines as close to the market as possible. | Earlier, Vestas told the BBC that even though demand for onshore wind was strong globally it made "more sense" to make turbines as close to the market as possible. |
| A total of five men have been arrested at the site of the action since Monday, police said. | A total of five men have been arrested at the site of the action since Monday, police said. |