By Dave Lord

THE FUTURE for the workforce at DARA’s plant at Almondbank near Perth lies in its own hands, the organisation’s chief executive told The Courier last night.

Archie Hughes moved to allay the fears of hundreds of Perthshire staff at the Defence Aviation Repair Agency site, insisting he predicted a bright future for the facility.

DARA plants elsewhere are to be closed with massive job losses and despite Mr Hughes’ warm sentiments, Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham accused the Government of playing “fast and loose” with local people.

The Ministry of Defence is looking to sell the Almondbank operation privately but DARA’s chief executive was last night determined to strike an optimistic note.

“I think that in terms of Almondbank this is not a bad news story,” Mr Hughes said. “The staff at Almondbank are highly capable and the business has a highly viable future.

“The MOD is looking to see if it could be better run by somebody else and in fact that could lead to its future being more secure.

“If there is a potential buyer there could actually be extra work for the plant.”

“I understand the uncertainty the workforce will feel at the moment,” he said.

“However, nobody is looking to reduce the workforce or close the facility.

“We want to secure a better future for Almondbank and its staff.”

Mr Hughes said that any sale would not be rushed through but admitted it could go ahead within a year.

“I do not see this as bad news, rather as an opportunity,” Mr Hughes continued. “It does bring uncertainty but to a large extent the future of Almondbank lies with its workforce.

“The workforce is largely skilled and effective—I think it can prosper still,” he added.

But Perth MSP Ms Cunningham was far less convinced.

“It is unbelievable that the Labour government is persisting with the plans to privatise the repair and maintenance of the armed forces’ helicopters,” she told The Courier.

“I am, however, confident that the skills and experience of the workforce at Almondbank are such that they will play a key role in that field whatever route is taken.

“At least the announcement from the MOD specifically recognises that the workforce at DARA continues to ‘offer a cost-effective repair capability.’

“However, the workers at Almondbank deserve far better than the continued uncertainty they are forced to work under.

“Labour has treated their future as a political football, delaying announcements when politically expedient.

“The armed forces minister Adam Ingram just gave it another boot into the long grass with his announcement that an investigation into the possibility of selling the business will not report until mid-2007.”

Ms Cunningham called for definitive answers and hopes to meet Mr Hughes.