Local MSP Welcomes Success of £8m for New Jobs for Vion Staff
1000 ex-Vion employees have benefitted from the £8m which was secured from Scottish Government funding aimed at staff who had been made redundant at the Vion Halls plant last year.
The community has been boosted by initiatives that include £630,000 towards on-site support during the wind-down of the factory; £225,000 for English-language training for 400 workers, mainly from Poland; and a new £1m Business Gateway centre that is in itself creating 170 jobs.
Fiona Hyslop commented;
“As the local constituency MSP for Broxburn and a member of the Government-led taskforce, I have always firmly campaigned on behalf of the staff at the Vion Halls plant.
“We have always had a strong sense of community in West Lothian. I am delighted that the £8m Scottish Government funding has had such a positive impact for those who used to work at Vion Halls, ensuring that West Lothian remains one of the best places in Scotland to live and work.
“I understand that 100 firms are already benefitting from specific funds to take on new employees and that significant progress is being made each day.
“I, like the rest of the taskforce have stood by the workforce from day 1 and that support will carry on growing as we continue on the road to recovery.”