STEWART PATERSON

MPS are to meet with workers who have lost their jobs following the collapse of courier firm City Link.

The Scottish Affairs Committee will meet with staff in Glasgow on Monday as the UK Government said an inquiry could be held into the demise of the firm with more than 2000 jobs lost.

Glasgow East MP, Margaret Curran and Airdrie and Shotts MP, Pamela Nash, who both have many constituents affected by the closure, called for a meeting to help workers.

Ian Davidson MP, Chair of the Committee, said: "The collapse of City Link has resulted in redundancies across Scotland and 2356 jobs lost across the UK. " There are many questions to be answered about the way all this has been handled by the firm's owners."

Mick Cash, the General Secretary of the RMT will give evidence to the committee and is calling for a full inquiry.

Vince Cable, UK business Secretary was asked by Labour MP Chuka Umunna if he would instigate an inquiry into the management of the company.

Mr Cable said: ""I think it is six weeks there will be a report from the administrator to our insolvency service and, depending on what it says, we may well want to initiate the kind of investigate you described, but let's wait to hear what the findings are."

Mr Cash was not satisfied with the response and said workers needed greater protection.

He said: "Once again this is too little, too late from Vince Cable.

"The Government needs to act now to find out what was going on in the run-up to the City Link collapse and they need to move to stop other speculators from hanging their workforce out to dry in this callous way."

Mr Umunna criticised the way City Link announced the closure and redundancies.

He said: "To hear your job has been at risk of redundancy not from your employer but while watching the TV news with your family on Christmas Day, as was the case with the City Link workers, is an utterly appalling way to be treated."