THE pressure on the Government to transfer key Civil Service energy
jobs from London to Aberdeen was maintained yesterday with the results
of a survey conducted by the Liberal Democrat MP for Gordon, Mr Malcolm
Bruce.
After the claims by Energy Minister Tim Eggar that Aberdeen was a
high-cost centre in which to operate, Mr Bruce said that replies from
more than 40 oil-related companies in the area disagreed with criticisms
of the North-east as a base.
''The survey indicates that Aberdeen is an excellent site for the oil
industry and produces further evidence in support of local calls for the
relocation of the Petroleum Engineering Directorate jobs to the
North-east,'' said Mr Bruce.
The survey also brought out the need for more affordable housing in
the area, with most companies complaining about property prices and
difficulties in attracting the necessary skilled labour because it was
so expensive for workers to relocate to the area.
Another complaint was expensive rail and air travel to England, with a
return flight from Glasgow to Florida being cheaper than one from
Aberdeen to London.''
''Though most firms find Aberdeen expensive it is agreed that it is
the most effective site for UK oil-related business and indeed the only
site for offshore industries,'' said Mr Bruce.
He believed the delay by the Government in announcing a decision about
the relocation of the PED jobs was extremely sinister.
''There does not seem to be any justification in delaying a decision
other than they don't want to make the positive move everyone up here
wants,'' said Mr Bruce. ''They have enough controversy on their hands at
the moment and they don't want another problem which aggravates their
difficulties.''
There was a tendency to feel that the North-east had escaped the
recession and that somehow the area was insulated. This was not true and
the pressure on the oil industry to slim down its costs was already
beginning to be felt in Aberdeen.
The movement of the PED jobs to Aberdeen would increase the efficiency
of the industry throughout the UK; reinforce Aberdeen's role as an
international centre for the offshore industry; and secure a stronger
base for the industry within the local economy.
''Now is the time for the Government to underpin the industry and not
undermine it,'' said Mr Bruce. ''They should be looking on the
North-east, not just as the beach for the North Sea, but as an
international oil centre and this extra push could put it into world
class.''
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