PARTIES MEET FOR TALKS ON DEFENCE BUDGET CUTS

Rival politicians held "constructive" talks today in an attempt to save
Scotland from looming defence budget cuts.


Leading figures from the SNP, Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and
Green parties met in Edinburgh amid fears that plans to build two new
aircraft carriers could be downgraded.


Doubts have also been raised about the future of RAF bases in the north
east of Scotland.


The cross-party talks are aimed at lodging a joint submission to the UK
Strategic Defence and Security Review, in the hope of protecting jobs
and skills in Scotland.


First Minister Alex Salmond is away on business in Spain, leaving Deputy
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to represent the SNP administration.


She said it was a "very productive meeting" at St Andrew's House,
adding: "Further work will be done on that today and I'm very hopeful
that we'll get to the position where we can agree that joint submission,
because that will be more powerful than any of us doing it on our own.


"We're in a very tight timescale now, we know that decisions on the
defence review are looming imminently, so we're looking to agree this
within the next couple of days.


"We know there are many things that divide us - on defence there are
many issues we don't agree on.


"But if we can find agreement on the importance of these issues to jobs
and the economy of Scotland, then I think that will be very powerful."


Mr Salmond had earlier called for an "all-Scotland case" to be made to
UK defence chiefs.


The Ministry of Defence is under pressure to cut its GBP36.9 billion
annual budget by up to 20%. UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox is expected
to make an announcement at the end of October.


Concerns about the carriers were raised last week after BAE systems
chief executive Sir Ian King told the Defence Select Committee in the
House of Commons that the company had asked to consider a number of
options ranging from "one carrier to no carriers".


There are fears that any downgrading of the programme could cost
thousands of jobs at shipyards on the Clyde and at Rosyth.


Labour Holyrood leader Iain Gray was at today's meeting and said:
"10,000 jobs depend on this, not just at Rosyth and on the Clyde, but
among many, many sub-contractors as well.


"The jobs that are provided there are the foundation of Scotland's
hi-tech engineering industry.


"I've been to Rosyth, I've stood on the deck of the first carrier that's
being constructed there now. I've met one of the hundreds of apprentices
who are training there.


"This isn't just about defence jobs, it's also about our capacity in
other engineering areas, like off-shore wind. These are crucial jobs."


Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said it was a "constructive
meeting".


Asked if she wanted the aircraft carriers to be built in Scotland, she
said: "I obviously want Scotland to make a very strong contribution to
our United Kingdom defence facility, as Scotland has been doing over
decades and indeed centuries.


"We are in very difficult times because of the financial mess created by
Labour. We know hard decisions have to be made."


Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis said: "We stressed our
absolute commitment to give the strongest possible case for Scotland to
the defence review because the carriers, as well as the airforce bases
in Scotland, are of critical importance to our local economies."


Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie said there are "huge
disagreements" on defence policy.


He added: "Whatever changes come out of this strategic defence review,
we all share a common interest, and that's safeguarding the economic
future of Scotland and some of the communities that currently depend on
military spending.


"I'd like to see those skills retained for the renewables sector, for
example, for new industries in the 21st century."


end