Cornish Remploy factories must be protected in Government shake-up

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 19th Jul 2006

Following the Government announcement that Remploy will be restructured, sparking fears of factory closures, Julia Goldsworthy has raised her concerns with the Minister.

Julia, who has a Remploy factory in her constituency in Pool that produces a range of items, including incontinence products, has written to the Minister, Anne McGuire, highlighting the dependence of many Remploy employees in Cornwall on the factories and urging her to ensure that Cornwall's needs are recognised.

Commenting, Julia said:

"While I welcome the fact that the Minister has ruled out immediate cuts to Remploy - giving employees some reassurance about their immediate future, I am concerned that in the longer term this 'modernisation and restructuring' could result in the loss of the factories in Cornwall.

"It is vital that the minister realises the importance of these people's needs, and does not cut away the support and safety net that Remploy provides. I have written to the minister pressing that any future investment into schemes such as Interwork does not disadvantage those for whom this scheme may never be appropriate.

"For many years, and for many disabled people, Remploy has been a lifeline. Axing both factories in Cornwall would leave some particularly vulnerable people with nowhere else to go. We do not have many large employers, but we do have lots of small ones which may have relative difficulties in supporting disabled people into work. Offering them places in the factories at Plymouth is totally unrealistic and I will be urging the Minister to guarantee that provision in Cornwall will not be inferior because of its unique geography and employment profile."