By Craig Meighan
Alexander Dennis has extended the consultation period with its Scottish workers at risk of redundancy by two weeks.
The bus manufacturer has put about 400 jobs at its Falkirk and Larbert factories at risk as it looks to move all operations to Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
The consultation process was meant to end at the start of August but has now been pushed back two weeks to August 15.
The Finance Secretary welcomed the move, which she said would provide more time for the bus manufacturer to explore all options to save the jobs.
In a letter to Holyrood鈥檚 Economy and Fair Work Committee, Shona Robison said: 鈥淚n a positive development, as you may be aware, ADL (Alexander Dennis Limited) have written to inform the Scottish Government that they have extended the consultation period to provide more time to explore all viable options to retain their hardworking staff and facilities at Falkirk and Larbert.
鈥淭his welcome decision is a good sign of collaborative working.鈥
Appearing before the committee last week, the company said the closure of the Scotland sites was 鈥渘ot a done deal鈥.
But managing director Paul Davies said orders for up to 100 buses and changes to regulation are needed before the end of the year.
Mr Davies said the firm would need to see consistent orders made to help stabilise the future of the business in Scotland.
Asked how many orders the firm would need this year, he said it would be about 70-100 buses by the end of the year and 300-400 for next year.
But even if the orders come, there will be a lag before work can begin on manufacturing to allow for design and the acquisition of materials.
In her letter to the committee, Ms Robison said the Scottish Government is working 鈥渢irelessly鈥 to find a solution for the company鈥檚 400 workers in Scotland, 鈥渁nd is maintaining close contact with the company, the unions and the UK Government to understand all options to support the workforce鈥.
She told MSPs the English double-decker bus market was 鈥渧ery critical鈥 for Alexander Dennis, due to the country鈥檚 larger population than Scotland.
She said: 鈥淟ocal transport authorities and mayoral combined authorities in England must consider the impact of their purchasing decisions on domestic manufacturers, and it is important that the UK Government publishes a future pipeline of orders as soon as possible.鈥
She added: 鈥淭he Scottish Government is urgently examining options to provide greater confidence regarding short-term demand for bus manufacturing in Scotland.
鈥淭his exploration includes consideration of what can lawfully be done to provide support to the bus manufacturing industry in line with procurement and subsidy control rules.鈥
She said officials had met with the company to discuss a potential future furlough scheme, which the firm would offer to avoid compulsory redundancies.
鈥淲e are in discussions with ADL on the potential for the Government to support the company鈥檚 scheme for a defined period,鈥 she said.
鈥淥fficials from both Governments continue to meet regularly on the above matters, through a joint Scottish Government/UK Government working group, which met for the fourth time on June 30.
鈥淢eetings are also taking place between myself and ADL, as well as with Unite and GMB.
鈥淚 hope that this update makes clear the importance we have placed on a co-ordinated response.
鈥淲e will continue the engagement with UK Government and press them to provide clarity on a number of issues. We will provide a further update in due course.鈥
Last week, staff at Greenfold Systems, a Fife manufacturing plant that supplies parts to Alexander Dennis, were told 90 jobs were at risk of redundancy.
The company said it was the result of plans announced by the bus manufacturer 鈥 one of Greenfold鈥檚 major customers 鈥 to close its Scottish sites.