McMILLAN TO MEET JOHN SWINNEY OVER RIVERSIDE INVERCLYDE FUNDING

SNP MSP Stuart McMillan today secured an agreement from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to meet with him to discuss the implications of the budget proposals for Riverside Inverclyde.

During questioning of the Cabinet Secretary today in the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, Stuart McMillan once again raised the issue of funding of the URC’s. Stuart raised the issue 2 weeks ago directly to both the Chief Executive and Chair of Scottish Enterprise, wrote to both John Swinney and Communities Minister Alex Neil MSP and raised it last week when meeting with Parliamentary Business Manager Bruce Crawford MSP.

Speaking afterwards Mr. McMillan said:

"I have been working hard raising the vital issue of funding of the URC’s but particularly Riverside Inverclyde with both Ministers and relevant officials. I look forward to sitting down with John Swinney to press the case again for RI as Inverclyde’s future depends on RI being a success.

"I know that the SNP Government and Scottish Enterprise have recognised my representations and Riverside Inverclyde have appreciated my efforts for them.

""I know exactly how important RI is for Inverclyde’s future and agree with Alf Young when he likened RI to a 10 year project to deal with 20 odd years of dereliction.

"Even though the SNP Government has already invested millions into RI, I don’t want the SNP being tarred with the same brush as Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories for allowing the dereliction to happen in the first place.

"It is difficult for the SNP Government bearing in mind the £1.3bn cuts from the Tories and Lib Dems in London in their savage attempt to deal with the financial shambles left by Labour. Nonetheless, I will continue to press the SNP Government for RI and Inverclyde."