Press Releases - ABLE

‘CHECK YOUR FACTS’ CHALLENGE TO MPS
28/11/03

The Managing Director of Able UK today (November 28th) urged Members of Parliament to ‘take the trouble to check the facts’ over the company’s contract to recycle redundant American ships at its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Graythorp.

Peter Stephenson was aiming his challenge at a group of Conservative MPs—led by Party environment spokesperson Caroline Spelman—who have signed a House of Commons motions on the issue expressing ‘further concern at the environmental damage these ships may pose.’

Said Mr Stephenson “I find it remarkable that Caroline Spelman could find the time to travel to our area to join a News Conference organised by Friends of the Earth, but has made no effort to contact ourselves to discuss the facts—rather than the fiction—about our contract and our company.

“One has to say her actions contrast sharply with the responsible attitude of our local Members of Parliament, Peter Mandelson and Frank Cook, both of whom have taken the trouble to meet with us face-to-face, ask questions, visit the facility, see the ships for themselves—and make clear their strong support for the work going ahead.

“In fact I am not aware that any of the signatories to the motion put down by Ms Spelman have any real connection with our area or any understanding of our facility and our ability to undertake this kind of recycling work in the best possible manner, both in terms of safety and environmental standards.

“It would appear from the wording of the motion that the signatories are not even aware that Government Ministers, including the Secretary of State Margaret Beckett, have stressed that these vessels pose no inherent environmental hazard, so has the Environment Agency and so have our local MPs who I believe know a lot more about the issues and the local area.

“If Ms Spelman is serious about wanting to find out the facts about the situation and has a genuine concern for the environment then I would have thought that the correct course of action would be for her to follow the example of the local Members of Parliament by contacting ourselves, asking for whatever information she might require—and ideally coming to see the facility and the ships.

“She has done none of those things and neither have any of the other MPs who have put their names to this motion. One can’t help feeling this is a blatant case of opportunism and not letting the facts get in the way of publicity stunt.”

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