MoD contract boost for factories

Scottish factories will play a major role in a £6.6m Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to provide protective equipment for British troops. Remploy sites in Dundee, Cowdenbeath, Stirling and Clydebank will help produce 44,000 suits to guard against nuclear, biological or chemical attack. The suits are designed to seal around a respirator and come in woodland and desert material.

Remploy was set up more than 60 years ago and employs disabled people. However, last year it was announced that 28 of its factories would be closed. In total, 15,050 of the suits will be made in Dundee, 20,050 in Cowdenbeath, 2,750 in Stirling, 4,530 in Clydebank and 1,620 suits in Cumbria.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor said: "Individual protection is of the highest priority and these suits will allow our troops to maintain the tempo of operations should there be a chemical, nuclear or biological incident. This order with Remploy will build on improvements we have already made to the protection of our forces against nuclear, biological and chemical threats."

John Armstrong, general manager of Remploy Frontline, said: "We are delighted with the award of this contract which confirms our partnership with the MoD, and endorses the quality of our workforce and products."