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Island rocket range jobs 'saved' Islands rocket range jobs 'saved'
(about 1 hour later)
Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has told workers at the missile range on Uist that the UK government has abandoned plans to close the site. Plans to cut jobs at a missile range and its associated sites on the Western Isles have been abandoned, the Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has said.
His announcement was greeted by cheers from the 125 staff of contractor QinetiQ - who had faced jobs cuts. The range's command and control centre on South Uist was to close and rocket tests run remotely from South Wales.
The UK government had been warned that closing the site - the island's largest private employer - would collapse the local economy. Staff were also to be pulled out of the range's tracking station on Hirta, St Kilda, and West Camp on Benbecula was to be downgraded.
The Western Isles base is operated for the Ministry of Defence by QinetiQ. Mr Murphy's announcement was met by cheers from staff.
There had been fears the site was to be closed after a job advert appeared on QinetiQ's website seeking applicants to a post running the Hebrides range remotely from South Wales. The sites are operated for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by defence technology contractor QinetiQ.
'Utmost credit' The taskforce believes the proposals were ill thought out Angus CampbellComhairle nan Eilean Siar leader
Mr Murphy held talks with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth on Monday before making arrangements to fly to the Western Isles. It had been proposed to cut 125 jobs as part of a wider programme of defence savings aimed at reducing MoD costs by £50m.
He told staff the decision was taken after balancing the need for MoD cost cuts against the impact closure would have on the local economy. Campaigners and politicians have welcomed the announcement.
A taskforce made up of councillors, politicians and islanders campaigned against closure. The Hebrides Range Taskforce said range should now be expanded and made available for the testing of unmanned aerial vehicles - aircraft used to spy and attack targets.
Their efforts were applauded by Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Peter Peacock. Angus Campbell, leader of Western Isles council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and taskforce chairman, said the announcement was good news for the islands.
He said: "The taskforce believes the proposals were ill thought out.
"They would have irreparably damaged the UK's defence capability and the economy of a fragile community as well as putting St Kilda, the UK's only Dual World Heritage site, at risk."
National Trust for Scotland, which owns St Kilda, previously expressed concerns that the withdrawal of test range staff from Hirta would seriously harm its ability to manage the remote island archipelago.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), a member of the taskforce, also welcomed the move not to change the running of missile tests.
Chairman William Roe said: "This decision is testimony to the speed and determination shown by the community and its public agencies in putting together a number of compelling arguments which challenged the narrow perspective offered on current and future use of the range."
'Huge relief'
The islands' SNP MP Angus MacNeil and MSP Dr Alasdair Allan hailed the decision.
Dr Allan said: "This climb down is a huge relief for the workers and their families, and a tremendous victory for the community campaign to save these jobs."
The taskforce's efforts were applauded by Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Peter Peacock.
He said: "The local task force and community are to be congratulated on their fantastic campaign and Jim Murphy and his Westminster colleagues deserve the utmost credit for doing a great job for the islands."He said: "The local task force and community are to be congratulated on their fantastic campaign and Jim Murphy and his Westminster colleagues deserve the utmost credit for doing a great job for the islands."