Plea to Government over Jarvis job losses

The MPs, representing 1,200 workers laid off by Jarvis, met the government's Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Jarvis employed more than 400 staff in the Rotherham area and  the Justice 4 Jarvis campaign, backed by the RMT rail workers' union, had called on the previous Labour GOvernment to save a total of 1,200 jobs across the country.

The union claims the job losses are bound up with a £5 billion Network Rail cuts programme.

The contracts, which Jarvis had agreed to undertake before going into administration, are currently being re-let to new contractors by Network Rail.

Ms Flint said that at the meeting Mr Cable had agreed to look at the suggestion of a joint study with Department for Transport into skill capacity in the rail industries, so as to ensure that British companies are able to compete for future contracts.

MPs also sought reassurance about redundancy payments and were told that 92 per cent of statutory redundancy payments had been made within six weeks.

A further meeting with Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and Network Rail is expected shortly, after another member of the delegation, York MP Hugh Bayley, pressed the matter in the House of Commons.