HALL'S OF BROXBURN

That this House notes with regret the decision by Vion Food UK to consult on the future ofHall's of Broxburn meat factory in West Lothian, putting at risk 1,700 jobs; further notes that the company waited until the very last moment before engaging with its employees and their unions about the potential for closure; accepts that Hall's of Broxburn,a well-known Scottish brand,has been a major employer and vital part of the local economy in West Lothian for many decades and that the loss of the plant would be a hammer blow for Broxburn and the communities of West Lothian; welcomes the establishment of a task force to try to secure the future of the plant and its workforce; but believes that, in light of last September's announcement that 20 million was to be spent to create a new centre of excellence at the plant supported by nearly 2 million of public funds to create 250 new jobs and safeguard 1,000 others, which was welcomed as `fantastic news' by the First Minister, there are numerous important questions to be answered about how this crisis point has now been reached; and calls on the Government to do all it can to help secure the future of the factory and workforce.