In an adjournment debate led by Laura Sandys MP, the Minister for Science last night stated: “I see a great potential future for the Sandwich facility.” The Minister also said that he understood the need for the support that Laura had called for from Government and that the arguments being made were powerful.
Whilst Laura commended the Sandwich management team at Pfizer, she argued that given Pfizer has been in Sandwich for 60 years, their staff and the community need longer than just 90 days of consultation to readjust.
During the debate, Laura asked the Minister for Science to:
· Encourage Pfizer to defer redundancies to enable solutions for the site to develop;
· Back the establishment of a Life Science Centre in Sandwich;
· Offer economic incentives to support a Life Science Centre in its early years through
special tax credits for R&D;
· Promote an Enterprise Zone on the site and stretching along the Manston corridor;
· Engage in cross-departmental discussions to improve East Kent’s transport links to make the site more accessible and attractive for investors.
The Science Minister addressed the need for Pfizer to defer redundancies: “I understand that going through the process in the tight time scale of 90 days is very demanding. That is one of the reasons why we in the Government have tried to keep ahead of events and move with all necessary speed. I will take up with Pfizer the points that my hon. Friend made about the need to give sufficient time for such options to be properly explored.”
The Science Minister, said: “If we put together our commitment to the local community, our willingness to focus on the specific issues that my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet raised – transport, employment, redundancy arrangements and enterprise zones – and our commitment to life sciences as an important British strength where we can do better and must not settle for decline and contraction.”
Following the debate, Laura said: “There is a real understanding within government that East Kent can no longer be left at the end of the line. Following Pfizer’s decision to leave Sandwich, it is vital that concrete support is provided by government to secure investment and encourage new business start-ups on the site. To enable this, we need time. I am therefore pleased that the Minister will work with me to encourage Pfizer to defer redundancies to enable solutions to emerge.”
Link to Debate on Parliament TV, Time - 7:30:00: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=7735
Link to Debate in Hansard: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110307/debtext/110307-0004.htm#11030738000943
Wednesday 9 March 2011
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If our local South Thanet MP is the example of her party's approach, one can but applaud her attempts to bring about the regeneration of not just Pfizer but Thanet in general.
ReplyDeleteElsewhere the other major party maintain their rhetoric of protest over the cuts that their mismanagement made necessary. Even on this blog site the last two postings are positive and aimed at moving forward. The previous one, from a teacher who one might hope had better things to do like educating our kids, is all negativity and protest.