Hebrides range jobs safeguarded by Minister

By Greigg Adams

The 125 jobs under threat at Hebrides missle testing range in South Uist which were under threat earlier this year have now been safeguarded by the Minister of Defence, Quentin Davis.

Mr Davis pledged to campaigners yesterday that the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ have no plans to make any redundancies.

The news is particularly welcome given the recent speculation in the community that the range was to be scaled down by ‘back door measures’.

Now a renewed effort will be made to attract new customers to the range and an enhanced marketing campaign will be launched in the New Year.

Any further strategic changes to the range can not be determined until the defence review is completed in 2011.

In his letter to local politicians clarifying the situation Mr Davis wrote: “While the MoD and their contractor QinetiQ will, of course, be continuing to manage the range so as to improve its efficiency and effectiveness, and will be continuing to invest in it, they have no plans to make any redundancies.

“Moreover, I would not consider any plans which would involve redundancies. The workforce should therefore be able to look forward to a period of stability.”

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