UK government announces £9m Mossmorran investment

The UK government has announced a £9m investment in new projects at the former Mossmorran ethylene plant – if a suitable plan can be brought forward.

Production at the chemical works in Fife ended last month after more than 40 years of operation, with 400 jobs at risk.

Owner ExxonMobil said it was losing £1m a week by continuing to run the facility near Cowdenbeath.

The Scottish government previously announced the same £9m sum - to be spent over the next three years - to mitigate the plant's closure.

The announcement came after the latest meeting of a task force set up to support affected workers and the wider community.

Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK government was "ready to invest" in Mossmorran's future.

The UK government said the site was being "actively marketed" to potential investors.

Alexander said the funding was contingent on suitable investment proposals being brought forward and "appropriate commercial partners being identified".

He said: "We know this has been an incredibly difficult time for the plant's workers and their families, which is why the UK Government is stepping in.

"We are determined to do all we can to ensure a successful future for the site itself, and so mitigate the impact on the wider Fife community."

Decommissioning of the plant is expected to be completed by 2028. It will have no impact on the neighbouring Shell facility.

The UK government previously announced that all Mossmorran workers would be guaranteed job interviews at the Grangemouth plant near Falkirk.

The Scottish government also announced last week that it would fund "training and support" for 350 ExxonMobil workers at Fife College.

The Scottish government said a £1.3m fund had been made available for courses in engineering, project management and health and safety.

Deputy first minister Kate Forbes said it formed part of the wider £9m Scottish government support package.

Forbes said: "The workers at Mossmorran have made a significant contribution to Scotland's economy and we are determined to make sure their skills are not lost.

"We will not allow these workers to be left behind."

Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said he wanted "guaranteed interviews" for those laid off should any new project arrive on the site.

"It's down to both the UK and Scottish governments to ensure that this support is not too little, too late," he said.

"Funding from the Scottish government and UK government must also place surrounding communities at the centre of decision-making for the future use of the site.

"For decades they made sacrifices hosting Mossmorran, they must be at the heart of an ambitious masterplan going forward."