15 November 2010

Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs Rhoda Grant and David Stewart are calling on Rok's administrators Price Waterhouse Coopers and the Scottish Government to keep the firm's local employees in work and ensure its current contracts are completed.

Mr Stewart said: "I am writing to Pricewaterhouse Coopers calling on them to sell the Highlands and Islands part of Rock as a single unit.

"Rok's operations in this area have always been profitable and it is important to keep their skilled local employees in work.

"Many important local and central government schemes have been or are being carried out by Rok."

Rhoda Grant is writing to Finance Secretary John Swinney to raise her concerns about the crisis facing Rok and the construction industry in general in the Highlands and Islands.

There are real fears over whether local and central government projects Rok were working on will be completed by other firms.

The troubled firm was awarded a £32 million four-year property framework contract by HIE despite the giant builder’s massiv

It includes the £3 million Arnish fabrication yard recladding which is now on hold, while there are doubts over other projects such as phase one of the European Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage, near Oban - valued at £7.5 million.

In addition, two further projects awarded to Rok under a previous HIE contract are currently under way: the rebuilding of Raasay House (£8 million) and site works at the renewable energy manufacturing plant in Machrihanish (£4.9 million).

Rhoda Grant said: "I am extremely concerned about what is happening with Rok and problems facing the construction industry in general in the Highlands and Islands.

"I shall be writing to John Swinney to raise these issues.

"I want to know whether Rok employees have been paid for their work on public building schemes in the Highlands and Islands and what guarantees Mr Swinney can give on these schemes being completed.

"I am worried that the SNP Government’s ideological stance against Public Private Partnerships for public building schemes is limiting the growth needed to revive the flagging construction industry in the Highlands and Islands."