SNP VOICE COMMITMENT FOR VITAL SCOTS WAGE HELPLINE

SNP Shadow Minister for Trade & Industry, Mike Weir MP, has today (Friday) voiced his full support for the Scottish Low Pay Unit's (SLPU) campaign to retain a vital and effective helpline for workers on the minimum wage.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has pulled funding from the Scottish National Minimum Wage Helpline, an independent source of specialist advice on Minimum Wage issues.

Despite acknowledging that the Helpline is a success the DTI has told the SLPU to secure Scottish Executive funding to allow the project to continue even though the matter is a reserved issue and not catered for in the Scottish funding block.

If no financial help is forthcoming the Helpline is due to close on 30th June.

Commenting on the campaign to secure funding Mr Weir said:

"It is ironic that one of the first acts of Alistair Darling as Trade & Industry Secretary, after his stint as Scotland Secretary, should be to axe this important Scottish helpline.

"Considering the problems faced by many with the Tax Credit and CSA's automated helplines it is extraordinary the DTI would pull funding from an excellent service which runs efficiently.

"It is equally extraordinary that the DTI should call on the Scottish Low Pay Unit to seek funding from the Executive's Consolidated Fund when this is a reserved matter.

"I fully support the SLPU's campaign to seek such funding from the Executive but will also be pressing the DTI and Treasury to explain why such a recommendation has been made without consideration of the present funding arrangements.

"If the DTI wishes to abrogate such important responsibilities and hand them to the Executive I would be more than happy if all their reserved functions were devolved to Scotland rather than treated in this flippant manner."