Members' Business: Paul Sweeney: Our Factory, Our Future, the Fight to Save McVitie's at Tollcross, Glasgow

That the Parliament condemns the proposals from Pladis to close the McVitie’s Victoria Biscuit Works in Tollcross, in the east end of Glasgow; understands that the proposed closure would put some 500 jobs in the area at risk of redundancy; recognises what it sees as the critical impact that closing the factory would have on workers as well as the community in the east end, which it has served since 1925; recognises the cultural significance of McVitie's which is an iconic Scottish brand dating back to 1830; notes the view that there are viable options to avert complete closure, including the re-fitting or re-location of the site, and that these could be given careful consideration in order to maintain and grow production and associated jobs in Scotland; commends the efforts of McVitie’s workers and their trade unions, GMB Scotland and Unite, which have organised to oppose the closure proposals, including the creation of a petition, which, it understands has garnered the support of 50,000 people from the area, and notes the call for decisive action to be taken prevent absolute closure in line with the demands of the Save The Jobs campaign.